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Michael Douglas 'Never Anticipated' the Joy of Being a Late-In-Life Dad

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The life he’s created with wife Catherine Zeta-Jones and children Dylan Michael, 9, and Carys Zeta, 6 ½, has brought unexpected and unprecedented happiness to Michael Douglas, the actor tells AARP magazine.

“My career was the most important thing in my life, followed by marriage and children,” he admits, “and it’s completely reversed now.”

“I never anticipated starting a family and the joy of raising kids at my age.”

In the interview, Michael, 65, goes on to confess that the rumors of his pursuit of Catherine were true, telling the then 29-year-old actress: “I want to father your children.” Put off by the pick-up line initially, Catherine later changed her mind, and the couple entered into a whirlwind romance that culminated in their 2000 nuptials.

Recently relocated to New York City after 10 years spent at their family home in Bermuda, Michael says the motivation behind the move rests with the kids’ schooling. Catherine quickly landed a job on Broadway — appearing in A Little Night Music — but Michael says he’s happy to fill in around the house, especially on those mornings when his wife needs to sleep in.

“I love to be the first face [Dylan and Carys] see,” he confesses. “It’s a selfish pleasure; It’s a very special time, the mornings.”

Catherine, for her part, praises her husband as “a terrific, extremely hands-on father,” and Michael says that his age has actually been his greatest ally on that front. “I think it’s easier for me to be a good father [now],” he muses. “I’m not so concerned about my career.” That also translates into less time on location and more time at home, which is the only place he and Catherine truly like to be.

“You’ve got these few years of unequivocal love when Mom and Dad can do no wrong. So we’re a tight family unit.”

Click below to read Michael’s qualms about being an older father.
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Paul Bettany's Band Bonding With Kai

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Music is a longstanding passion for actor Paul Bettany, and recently he passed the torch to stepson Kai, 12.

“Every year we have a band that gets together and plays rock songs,” he explains to PARADE. “This year, my stepson joined the band for the first time playing guitar.”

“It was such a lovely, moving experience.”

Kai’s little brother — 6-year-old Stellan — prefers literature to music, but Paul is quick to clarify that books matter to Kai as well.

“Reading to both my kids has always been important,” he insists. “My wife, [actress] Jennifer [Connelly], and I read to them every night.” Calling those moments “the most delicious time of the day,” Paul explains,

“When your child is all sleepy and cuddly and they get to snuggle up and you read them a bedtime story … It’s the bit of parenting that makes up for when they’re screaming and shouting at you.”

For Paul, a good bedtime story is also a reminder of his past.

“My dad made a lot of stories up at bedtime,” he notes. “He would create these wild stories about this elephant. As I got older, I remember him reading Lord of the Rings. My strongest memory was the moment when you think Frodo is dead and I forced him to read about 250 more pages until you realized he was okay.”

Paul’s new films Creation and Legion are in theaters now.

Source: PARADE