Catherine Zeta-Jones and Michael Douglas’ prenuptial agreement once sparked headlines and hesitation, but 25 years later it’s proving to be a rare example of how carefully negotiated prenups can strengthen — not sabotage — a Hollywood marriage.
The Oscar-winning couple, who married in 2000, reportedly spent several months negotiating the terms of their prenuptial agreement, a process that at one point threatened to delay their wedding. Sources close to the couple at the time described “intense” conversations around financial protections, particularly in the event of infidelity or divorce.
Inside the Prenup
Zeta-Jones, 54, and Douglas, 79, are both Hollywood powerhouses with careers spanning decades. As of 2025, Douglas is estimated to have a net worth of around $350 million, bolstered by his acting career, producing credits and real estate investments. Zeta-Jones, known for her roles in films such as “Chicago” and “The Mask of Zorro,” has a net worth estimated at $150 million.
Their agreement included specific clauses designed to protect Zeta-Jones’ financial independence.
Some may say the prenup is slanted to Zeta-Jones’ favor, but that might be due to rumored infidelity clause in the prenup. Douglas’ man-about-town image was even written about by his son Cameron Douglas in his memoir, “Long Way Home.” In the book, he writes about how his then-married father’s numerous affairs affected his childhood.
So in the prenup Zeta-Jones agreed to, according to the New York Daily News, Zeta-Jones would be provided with $2.8 million per year of marriage and an addition $5 million if Douglas cheats. And so far, the couple has endured decades.
The couple also share joint real estate holdings, including homes in Bermuda, New York, and Spain, which they manage together. Despite a brief separation in 2013, the couple reconciled and have remained together, frequently seen supporting each other at public events and award ceremonies.
But according to Zeta-Jones in a 2001 Vanity Fair interview, the prenup also protects Douglas and is fair for both parties. She said, “I think pre-nups are brilliant, because it’s all sorted out.”
She added, “Why should Michael be in a position where half of his fortune, which he’s worked bloody hard for, should land in someone else’s lap? It wasn’t a nasty experience for me; it was like, ‘Thank God that’s done—let’s get on with it!’ It was signed and put in the bottom of a drawer, hopefully never to be seen again. I get taken care of very well.”
Historically, Hollywood has attached a stigma to prenuptial agreements, viewing them as signs of mistrust or a lack of romantic faith. But experts say that narrative is slowly changing, particularly as high-profile unions — and divorces — spotlight the emotional and financial toll of not having clear agreements in place.