What happened between them? Michael Douglas recounts the crisis with Catherine Zeta-Jones

Michael Douglas has spoken openly about his brief separation from his wife, Catherine Zeta-Jones, in 2013, revealing that he never lost hope that the couple would get back together.

The 82-year-old actor was asked in an interview for The Sunday Times how he managed to “win back” Zeta-Jones, as he promotes his new memoir, One Helluva Ride.

“It was all mutual… You know, we had our issues, but I love her a lot. And after 25 years…”, Douglas said.

The actor then stressed that a marriage requires a lot of work.

“Marriage is a lot of work, you know,” he said, adding about their relationship: “We’re good. We’re in a good place. That’s all I can say.”

Asked whether Catherine Zeta-Jones is worried about the book’s publication, Douglas revealed: “She hasn’t read it.”

Douglas and Zeta-Jones married on 18 November 2000 and have two children, Dylan, 26, and Carys, 23, both engaged in acting.

In August 2013, after almost 13 years of marriage, it was announced that the couple had decided to “take a break”. At the time, Douglas told People: “We’re trying to work things out, we’re talking and we’ll see how it goes.”

However, the couple reconciled a short time later. In 2015, Douglas spoke about the difficult period on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, saying that a relationship “can’t be a one-way street”.

“I’m crazy about her. And yes, I think every couple has its difficult moments,” he said.

Douglas added that the fact that both are in the spotlight makes their private life more exposed than that of other couples.

“We’re back stronger than ever,” he had declared.

Meanwhile, in November last year, Zeta-Jones dedicated a romantic post to Douglas on Instagram on the occasion of their 25th wedding anniversary.

In his new memoir, Douglas has also confessed to a secret affair with actress Kathleen Turner, with whom he starred in Romancing the Stone, during the time he was married to Diandra Luker. Douglas claims that at that time he and Luker were separated and that both had extramarital affairs.

One Helluva Ride is published on Tuesday.