Michael Douglas, 81, criticized for ‘weird’ nickname for wife Catherine Zeta-Jones, 56

Michael Douglas left his fans in shock after using a ‘weird’ nickname for his wife Catherine Zeta Jones.

The couple, who were both born on September 25 but 25 years apart, took to social media to wish each other a happy birthday with gushing tributes.

However, the Basic Instinct actor, now 81, sparked mixed reactions with his post when he referred to his wife as his ‘birthday sister.’ 

Many questioned the nickname while others expressed surprise at learning they shared the same birthday. 

‘To my birthday sister,’ Douglas began in his tribute to his wife of 25 years. ‘What a joy celebrating another year with you!’ 

The Fatal Attraction star — whose ex-wife also got married to the Earl of Dartmouth around the same time — added: ‘Congratulations on your spectacular game at the Celebrity Ryder Cup. Happy birthday to the love of my life @CatherineZetaJones.’ 

In the comments section, Zeta-Jones shared a gushing reply. 

‘Happy birthday darling,’ she wrote alongside red heart emojis. ‘I can’t think of anyone else to share a birthday with.’ 

On her social media page, she also posted a tribute dedicated to her beau as she shared a series of throwback photos throughout the years. 

She wrote in her caption: ‘Happy birthday Michael! Sharing this special day with you is once in a lifetime!’ 

Zeta-Jones also took to her Instagram Story to share a collage of throwback photos showing her and her husband packing on the PDA for a photoshoot. 

She also shared a glamorous selfie, showing off her bombshell hair and makeup, as she hinted at how she spent ‘the night before [her] birthday.’ 

Elsewhere in Douglas’s comments section, many fans shared their reactions to his nickname for his wife while others expressed surprise at learning they share the same birth month and date. 

One Instagram user commented: ‘Did you just call your wife sister ?? Or am I tripping ??’ 

‘That’s his wife not his sister,’ another person wrote. ‘What [did] he mean [by] birthday sister ?’ 

In addition to the confused fan comments, there were a slew of birthday wishes for the longtime couple. 

Octavia Spencer commented: ‘Well that’s just d*** cute. Same birthdays. Happy birthday!’ 

A fan, who seemingly also learned that Douglas and Zeta-Jones celebrated their birthdays on the same day, also wrote to the couple.

‘Happy birthday Michael!!! I didn’t know you guys had the same birthday!!’ 

Douglas and Zeta-Jones have been married since November 2000 and are also preparing to celebrate their upcoming 25th wedding anniversary. 

The longtime couple are also parents to son Dylan, 25, and 22-year-old daughter Carys, who also wished her famous parents happy birthday via a like on Zeta-Jones’s birthday tribute and a post of her own. 

Douglas is also father to son Cameron, 46, from his past marriage to Diandra Luker. 

Throughout their marriage, Douglas and Zeta-Jones did have a temporary separation in August 2013 after 13 years of marriage but reconciled the following year. 

Douglas previously said he knew she was the one for him after watching her in The Mask of Zorro in 1998. 

They met later that same year at the Deauville Film Festival and got engaged in December 1999. 

Back in 2015, he spoke about their marriage and brief separation during an appearance on The Ellen DeGeneres Show. 

‘It can’t be a one-way street. But I’m crazy about her,’ he said on the talk show.

‘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.’