Why Michael Douglas Brought Catherine Zeta-Jones to Live in the Same House With His Ex-Wife

In a lightning-strike romance, Michael Douglas and Diandra Luker married just six weeks after their initial meeting. However, after 22 years, their sudden divorce puzzled the public. Yet, Michael and his now-wife, Catherine Zeta-Jones, continued to share a home with his ex-wife. We uncover the reason behind this unusual arrangement.

Michael and Diandra Luker were married for 22 years.

Michael’s love story with Diandra began when he was 32, and she was a 19-year-old university student. The spark between them ignited a swift marriage that lasted 22 years. Suddenly, the couple decided to get divorced in 2000 without revealing the reasons for their separation.

The divorce became scandalous.

Their split made Hollywood history with one of the largest divorce settlements, netting Diandra an impressive $45 million and ownership of two estates in California and Santa Barbara. A decade on, she demanded a cut of Michael’s earnings from the 2010 film Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps. Diandra said she’s not a “greedy” person and often considered stepping back from the ongoing legal fights.

Michael bought his ex’s share of the estate.

As per their divorce deal, they had to share their 250-acre villa. Hence, he and Diandra had to spend half the year living together in their Majorca home. Even Michael’s new wife, Catherine, agreed to this arrangement. Eventually, Michael took a step further, buying out his ex’s share of the S’Estaca estate. Today, the couple enjoys exclusive use of the villa.

It was uncomfortable for everyone.

Sharing a home with an ex-spouse was challenging for Michael, admitting that the six-month arrangement in Majorca wasn’t pleasant for anyone. Still, he insisted on staying, envisioning it as a legacy for his children and grandchildren. Catherine also enjoys life in Majorca, finding comfort in gardening and once showing off her tomato crop on Instagram.

The problem has been solved.

Now that Michael has purchased his ex’s share of the estate, both he and Catherine feel more at ease. The house is entirely theirs, and Michael sees it as a family property, bringing happiness to Catherine. Besides, Michael’s daughter is fluent in Spanish, and Catherine also speaks Spanish, in addition to French and Welsh.

Much like Michael Douglas, Bradley Cooper made an unusual decision. He chose to live with his mom despite having the means to buy her a separate house. Find out more about the story behind his decision here.