Catherine Zeta-Jones Gives Surprising Response When Asked About Her Insecurities in Public Eye

Catherine Zeta-Jones admitted that even she has “insecurities like every other woman” in a new interview published this weekend. The Prodigal Son star, who celebrated her 20th wedding anniversary with Michael Douglas in November, told the Sydney Morning-Herald the “most beautiful” women titles bestowed upon her came with pressures throughout her career. Zeta-Jones, 51, even said her beauty has “pigeonholed” her into musical-comedy roles when she wanted to play roles that went to Helena Bonham-Carter.

“In my career, there has always been a kind of beauty aspect to it. I was pigeonholed for so many years as being a musical-comedy actress,” Zeta-Jones said. “I always wanted to be cast in one of Helena Bonham Carter’s roles in those period dramas. I dreamed of that, but it never really came my way. I think I was just too Welsh!” Zeta-Jones began her career in stage musicals before turning to dramas like The Mask of Zorro and Traffic when she became a movie star. But it was a musical-comedy – Chicago – that earned her an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress.

Zeta-Jones found that her beauty came with pressure. “When I read a script and the character’s description has the prefix of ‘beautiful, stunning, gorgeous,’ it’s always intimidating,” she told the Morning-Herald. “Personally, I would never consider myself a great beauty but my mother always told me to make the best of myself.”

The actress’ more recent projects have been dramatic roles. She starred in the second season of the recently-canceled Fox serial killer series Prodigal Son and starred in the Facebook Watch series Queen America. She also played fellow Oscar-winner Olivia de Havilland in FX’s Feud: Bette and Joan. Zeta-Jones hasn’t focused on movies though, as she hasn’t starred in a theatrically released film since 2016’s Dad’s Army.

Zeta-Jones also doesn’t shy away from using social media, as she often shares photos on Instagram. But she feels sorry for her daughter, Carys, 18, and her generation because they are “inundated with images on social media with filters,” she said. “There’s not a real representation of a woman. I was never brought up with that. I know for sure if I was brought up in that world, it would have affected me.”

Although she never felt the need to pretend to be something she wasn’t, Zeta-Jones admitted she was insecure when walking red carpets in her early career. “There’s a confidence I’ve sometimes had to put on when I walk down a red carpet,” she told the Morning-Herald. “I have my insecurities like every other woman. But as I’ve got older, I’ve got much more confident about the way I look.”

Zeta-Jones and Douglas, 76, are also parents to son Dylan, 20. In addition to acting, Zeta-Jones spends her time working on her lifestyle brand, Casa Zeta-Jones. The brand includes beauty products, footwear, activewear, skincare, and even coffee.