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In his new memoir "One Helluva Ride," Michael Douglas discusses how he competed with NBA star Kobe Bryant for Catherine Zeta-Jones' attention when they first met in 1998. Douglas recounts that while living apart, Zeta-Jones was close to Bryant’s residence and noted that the basketball player frequently visited under various pretexts. The couple eventually got married in 2000 after overcoming their distance and time apart.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-10-08,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
In his new memoir "One Helluva Ride," Michael Douglas reveals that he competed with NBA star Kobe Bryant for actress Catherine Zeta-Jones' attention in 1998, shortly after they met at the Deaville American Film Festival in France. At the time, Douglas lived in New York while Zeta-Jones resided near Kobe's home in Los Angeles' Pacific Palisades neighborhood. Douglas jokingly recalled that Kobe would frequently visit under various pretenses, like claiming to have lost his dog multiple times.
Zeta-Jones was also traveling extensively for her film career, making it difficult for the couple to see each other regularly. Despite these challenges, they started communicating more often over the phone until they could finally meet up again. The pair got engaged on New Year's Eve 1999 and married at the Plaza Hotel in New York City on November 18, 2000.
Written for “Michael Douglas Catherine Zeta Jones” on 2026-10-08,
grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.
Michael Douglas revealed he competed with Kobe Bryant for his now-wife Catherine Zeta-Jones’ attention early in their relationship.
asserted
he → reveal → relationship
In his new memoir, “One Helluva Ride,” the “Wall Street” actor recalled that after the couple met at the Deaville American Film Festival in France in 1998, they were forced to spend time apart, since Douglas lived in New York, while Zeta-Jones resided in a home in the Pacific Palisades “right below” Kobe’s.
asserted
Jones → recall → Kobe
“Apparently Kobe kept finding excuses to stop by Catherine’s house,” Douglas said, joking, “I’m not sure how many times he ‘lost his dog’ but it was a lot!”
asserted
it → keep → dog
Douglas also noted that at the time, Kobe hadn’t yet met Vanessa Laine, whom he’d marry three years later, in 2001.
asserted
he → note → 2001
While Zeta-Jones was based in LA, her booming film career had her “traveling all over the world,” Douglas remembered.
asserted
Douglas → base → world
“I knew that routine well,” he wrote.
asserted
he → know → routine
“But we started talking on the phone pretty regularly, until we could finally see each other again.”
uncertain
we → start → other
Douglas, 82, and Zeta-Jones, 57, got engaged on New Year’s Eve in 1999.
asserted
Douglas → get → 1999
They got married on November 18, 2000 at the Plaza Hotel in New York City.
asserted
They → marry → City
Following the tragedy, Zeta-Jones shared a tribute to Kobe and reflected on how they were “both young and ambitious” when they were next-door neighbors.
asserted
they → follow → Kobe
“We met the day he moved in through his dog, that started to, and continued to wander in to my garden,” the “Chicago” actress wrote.
asserted
actress → meet → garden
I watched his talent and dedication, yet how could I have known that he was to become what he became.”
uncertain
he → watch → talent
Zeta-Jones mourned the “tragic news,” noting that Kobe’s role as a father “took his life and that of his precious daughter.”
asserted
role → mourn → daughter
“Unimaginable loss to all,” she added in her tribute.
asserted
she → add → tribute
Zeta-Jones is mentioned throughout her husband’s memoir, with Douglas recalling that he became infatuated with his wife after seeing an early screening of her 1998 movie “The Mask of Zorro.”
“She was smart, funny, unpretentious, and, yes, breathtakingly beautiful.
asserted
She → mention → Zorro
She just seemed so confident and self-assured, too,” Douglas wrote about meeting Zeta-Jones in France.
asserted
Douglas → seem → France
Douglas also looked back on the couple’s brief 2013 split, admitting that he “never gave up hope” that they’d reconcile.
asserted
they → look → hope
In an exclusive interview with Page Six on Wednesday, Douglas revealed Zeta-Jones has yet to finish reading his memoir, though he noted he’s already “talked to her” about the book.
asserted
he → reveal → book
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