The Real Reason Michael Douglas Shared A Home With His Ex-Wife
Spare a quick moment of silence for the many relationships that cracked under lockdown pressure. Now, spare a moment of screaming for those freshly broken-up couples who had no choice but to continue co-habitating under the same roof due to restrictions. All too familiar with this agony is Michael Douglas, who recently opened up about the struggles of sharing a living space with his ex-wife.
If the phrase "Michael Douglas' ex-wife" has you going, "Huh? I thought he and Catherine Zeta-Jones have been married forever!" then you need to brush up on some essential '80s celeb knowledge. The ex, in this case, refers to Diandra Luker, the daughter of an Australian diplomat whom Douglas wed in 1977. The two eventually divorced in 2000 as part of a $45 million settlement, per Harper's Bazaar.
With this kind of money flying around, why was the pair sharing a house? And what were Zeta-Jones' thoughts on Douglas bunking with her predecessor? Read on to find out!
Michael Douglas and Diandra Luker split the house in the divorce
Michael Douglas and Diandra Luker were married for an astounding 22 years and have a son, Cameron, together. Despite this long shared history, it seems like the two exes aren't exactly the "still friends" type. This was probably to be expected, considering their super expensive and contentious divorce.
Part of the settlement included the shared use of the former couple's 250-acre Majorcan villa. Set just outside the Spanish village of Valldemossa, the magnificent S'Estaca estate provides gorgeous views and luxurious amenities — but Douglas could only enjoy it for half of the year, as the remaining six months were for Luker's use only (via the Daily Mail). The lavish property even went on the market in 2014 but never received a concrete offer.
But don't feel too bad for Douglas and measly half a year of Spanish villa fun — the "Romancing the Stone" actor bought out his ex's share last year, securing its exclusive use for himself and Catherine Zeta-Jones. And this is how they feel about that.
Catherine Zeta-Jones was not a fan of sharing the home
Considering they were never at the property at the same time, sharing a house with your ex doesn't sound too terrible. But Michael Douglas was candid about the struggles of sharing the Majorcan estate with ex Diandra Luker, telling local magazine Ultima Hora that the experience "wasn't pleasant for anyone."
Catherine Zeta-Jones, whom the "Wall Street" actor wed in 2000, was apparently not too keen on sharing the home with Luker — even though it doesn't sound like the families' stays ever overlapped. (Zeta-Jones and Douglas also have two children together, Dylan and Carys.) Douglas claims the "Chicago" star feels "much more comfortable" now that they have exclusive use of the property. Fair enough!
And, according to the same Ultima Hora interview, the estate does seem to play a big role in the couple's life. Douglas paints an idyllic picture of time spent reading, lunching, and siesta-ing by the glamorous Spanish seaside, while Zeta-Jones regularly posts cute Instagram snaps of her and her family enjoying their time there.
Michael Douglas is attached to the island of Majorca
While Michael Douglas' living situation with his ex, Diandra Luker, might have been unconventional, he had good reason for sharing the compound: He loves the island of Majorca! In an interview with Ultima Hora, the "Zorro" actor opened up about how he enjoys the space and how he whiles away the hours there. "I devote at least two hours to reading the news. Then we play sports," Douglas revealed. "Some days, friends come over for lunch, we have a siesta and when we wake up, it's when people in Los Angeles have begun to work, so I can work from here with LA."
Per Architectural Digest, Douglas splits his time between a 13-acre estate in Irvington, New York, and a home in Swansea, Wales, along with the Majorca compound. However, the latter holds a special place in his heart. "Even if we leave, Majorca will always be in our hearts and our lives," he told the Daily Mail. "We have spent many, many hours here and it's where I fell in love with Catherine [Zeta-Jones], so for that reason the island means a lot to me and I am already part of its history."
Michael Douglas once tried to sell his Majorca home
Still, despite all the emotional weight of his Majorca estate, Michael Douglas once tried to sell it while sharing it with ex, Diandra Luker. Per Yahoo, the star put the exclusive property on the market in 2014 for a cool £48 million. When no one bit at the offer after five years — despite the fact that the asking price was slashed to £26 million — Douglas released a Hollywood-esque trailer in 2019 that expounded on the property's rich history.
"In the mid-19th century, Archduke Ludwig Salvador of Habsburg bought a large piece of land on the northwest coast of the island of Majorca, and began to create a magical retreat," he explained in the video's trailer (via Yahoo). "My life has taken a new course, and now it is time for me to let someone else enjoy the privilege and the adventure of S'Estaca." Of course, as we now know, the actor recanted his decision and took the property off the market in 2020, after buying out Luker's share. Perhaps this means he and wife Catherine Zeta-Jones will be spending even more time in Majorca than they already do, as they enjoy their golden years together.