Catherine Zeta-Jones calls the nepo baby label horrific while opening up about her kids' hollywood dreams and her 25-year marriage to Michael Douglas.
Escaping the relentless glare of paparazzi flashbulbs meant leaving Manhattan behind to raise two young children on a secluded island paradise.
Yet, even after growing up miles away from Hollywood sets, the offspring of screen royalty often find themselves drawn straight back to the spotlight.
For Oscar winner Catherine Zeta-Jones, watching her grown children step into the entertainment industry has triggered a fierce defense against public cynicism.
Catherine Zeta-Jones Fires Back at the Nepo Baby Label
Speaking out during a candid interview with the U.K.'s Sunday Times, the 56-year-old Wednesday star took direct aim at the modern buzzword used to dismiss second-generation talent.
"This horrific phrase 'nepo baby' is horrible because these kids didn't ask to be born into this, they're finding their own way in life," Zeta-Jones explained.
The Welsh actress shares two children with her husband of 25 years, 81-year-old screen icon Michael Douglas: 26-year-old son Dylan and 23-year-old daughter Carys.
Both siblings are actively pursuing careers within entertainment, continuing a multi-generational family legacy that stretches back to their late grandfather, Kirk Douglas.
Zeta-Jones acknowledged that while public scrutiny makes it difficult for them to forge an independent path, she and Douglas fully endorse their career ambitions.
"They love [acting], and they're good," she noted, adding with a touch of parental humor: "Otherwise Michael and I would be the first to go, 'You know what? Maybe law school looks really good.'"
Why the Douglas Family Fled New York to Protect Their Children
Long before her children faced internet commentary regarding their Hollywood lineage, Zeta-Jones was fighting physical invasions of their privacy.
Reflecting on her early days as a mother in New York City, the actress recalled the overwhelming chaos of trying to navigate daily routines with infant children.
Aggressive photographers would follow the family onto public subway cars and chase them to kindergarten drop-offs.
That intense pressure forced Zeta-Jones and Douglas to make a drastic lifestyle change to safeguard their kids' childhoods.
"Living in New York, pushing them to kindergarten, it was really hard because you’ve got [photographers] jumping on the underground with us and it was awful," she shared.
"That’s when Michael and I made the decision to go to Bermuda and school them there, the best thing we ever did," the star revealed.
The Unconventional Secret Behind a Quarter-Century Marriage
That shared focus on protecting family harmony is the exact element Zeta-Jones credits for the longevity of her marriage to Douglas.
Having celebrated their silver wedding anniversary, the couple's relationship stands as an enduring partnership in an industry infamous for quick splits.
Rather than spending every waking moment together, the actress revealed that maintaining independent working lives keeps their romantic spark alive.
Instead of falling into mundane daily routines, the pair thrives on the excitement of visiting each other across production locations.
"Michael is, like, 'Go and do that job, that's amazing,' and then he's able to fly in and see me for a long weekend," Zeta-Jones explained.
"Much better than waking up, going, 'What do you want for breakfast, honey?' I don't think our marriage would ever have lasted if it was like that," she admitted.
Reflecting back on their fairytale November wedding at New York's Plaza Hotel, Zeta-Jones expressed deep gratitude for the bond they built over 25 years.
As Dylan and Carys navigate their own artistic passions, their mother remains resolute: talent and dedication will always speak louder than internet labels.
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