Michael Douglas sparked mixed reactions from fans after revealing his nickname for wife Catherine Zeta-Jones in a heartfelt birthday tribute. The couple, who share the same birthday on September 25 – 25 years apart – took to Instagram to share celebratory posts. However, the 81-year-old divided his followers when he referred to his wife as his "'birthday sister". While some fans were puzzled by Michael’s nickname for Catherine, others were surprised to discover they celebrate the same birthday. "To my birthday sister," penned Michael to his wife of 25 years. "What a joy celebrating another year with you!"
The actor shared a selfie of them on a golf course to usher in his wife's 56th birthday. "Congratulations on your spectacular game at the Celebrity Ryder Cup. Happy Birthday to the love of my life @catherinezetajones." Catherine flocked to the comments section to share a loving response. "Happy birthday darling. I can't think of anyone else to share a birthday with," she replied.
However, the comments section quickly filled with confused reactions from fans. "Did you just call your wife sister ?? Or am I tripping ??" penned one follower. "That's his wife not his sister," added another user. "What [did] he mean [by] birthday sister?" Many social media users expressed surprise that the couple share the same birthday. "Happy birthday Michael!!! I didn't know you guys had the same birthday!!" penned one fan.
© WireImageCatherine also took to social media to share a series of throwback photos of them throughout the years. In the caption, she wrote: "Happy birthday Michael! Sharing this special day with you is once in a lifetime!"
The couple, who tied the knot back in November 2000, are parents to son Dylan, 25, and daughter Carys, 22. Michael is also a father to his 46-year-old son Cameron from his previous marriage to Diandra Luker. According to a report in the Daily Mail, Diandra exchanged vows abroad last week to William Legge, the Earl of Dartmouth – Lady Diana Spencer's step-brother. The couple married in Gibraltar last week with an intimate and private ceremony at the registry office. The marriage means that the film producer will take the title of Countess of Dartmouth.
© Patrick McMullan via Getty ImageMichael and Catherine briefly separated in August 2013, but reconciled a year later. During a 2015 interview on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, the actor opened up about his marriage. "It can't be a one-way street. But I'm crazy about her," he shared. "And yeah, I think every couple has their difficult times. The only problem is, as you well know, we're all in the public eye, and it tends to get a little more exposed than most. We're back stronger than ever."
