Catherine Zeta-Jones recently sparked controversy for making an “inappropriate” comment about her 12-year-old fan.
The 55-year-old star appeared on Late Night with Seth Meyers on September 5, 2025, to promote the second season of the hit Netflix series Wednesday.
However, one of her remarks about an encounter with a young boy did not sit well with social media users, who quickly called her out.
Highlights
- Catherine Zeta-Jones was criticized for making an “inappropriate” remark about a 12-year-old fan during an interview on Late Night with Seth Meyers.
- The 55-year-old actress joked that when she turns 70, the young boy she met would be 33, implying a potential relationship in the future.
- Fans slammed her comment as “creepy” and also criticized Seth Meyers for playing along instead of calling it out.
- “Thinking and speaking about a literal child in this manner is unacceptable,” wrote one netizen.
“It's creepy. Who has these thoughts,” wrote one social media user.
Catherine Zeta-Jones makes an “inappropriate” comment about a 12-year-old boy
Image credits: Karwai Tang / Getty Images
Catherine shared during a conversation with Seth Meyers that, with the popularity of Wednesday, she has garnered a young following, whom she referred to as a “new generation of fans.”
She recounted one specific encounter with a “really cute 12-year-old boy” who asked for her autograph while she and her husband, Michael Douglas, were playing golf.
Image credits: Quinnzeta_
“It was like really cute, and then I went ‘Haha. When I'm 70 this cute little boy will be like 33."'
Whether The Mask of Zorro star was being sarcastic or serious isn’t clear, but fans were not pleased.
“Something that can't even theoretically be considered a joke,” commented one netizen.
Image credits: catherinezetajones / Instagram
The 55-year-old actress opened up about her newfound young fan following after the success of Netflix’s ‘Wednesday’
Image credits: Late Night with Seth Meyers / YouTube
Image credits: Late Night with Seth Meyers / YouTube
Meyers playfully asked Zeta-Jones whether her husband of almost 25 years was aware of her having such thoughts in the moment.
She explained while doing the math of her and her young fan’s age gap, she was “wondering” how a potential relationship with such an age gap would be “fine” in the future.
“Yeah, he usually thinks I'm wondering what club to pick, and I'm not. I'm going, ‘At that time I'm sure it'll be fine."'
Image credits: Late Night with Seth Meyers / YouTube
The host then quipped, “That's good. As long as you know not to give them your number when they're 12.”
Apart from criticizing Catherine, the online community also bashed Seth for playing along and not pointing out that “this isn’t okay.”
Fans brutally slammed Catherine over her controversial remarks about a young fan in the interview
Image credits: Wednesday / Netflix
As the clip of the interview went viral online, fans attacked Catherine for fantasizing about a child who was not even a teenager.
Many criticized the show, pointing out that they are usually scripted, yet the producers still chose to keep this part in and air it.
One netizen commented, “The person is undoubtedly saying something inappropriate...”
Image credits: catherinezetajones / Instagram
Another user wrote, “They definitely would have rehearsed this beforehand right? I think it's still widely accepted to make jokes like this.”
A third added, “Thinking and speaking about a literal child in this manner is unacceptable and I am absolutely appalled that she thought this would be a cute story to share with the world.”
“A reminder that women can be pe**philes too.”
The ‘Ocean’s Twelve’ star has a 25-year age-gap with her husband
Image credits: JONATHAN HESSION / Netflix
Catherine was 31 and Douglas was 56 when they tied the knot in November 2000, in a lavish wedding at the Plaza Hotel in New York City.
Despite their 25-year age gap, the couple made their marriage work and share two children.
Recalling their unconventional relationship in the late 90s’, the Welsh beauty told The Sun, “We’ve been married 25 years, it’s something to celebrate. And they said it would never last!”
Image credits: David Shankbone / Wikipedia
“Listen, I know she is married to a much older man, but she was one whole adult when she made that decision,” shared one netizen amid the actress’s latest controversy, highlighting how she was an adult at the time, while in this case, she was talking about a literal child.
Catherine has a packed schedule in the latter half of this year as she will be filming season 3 of ‘Wednesday’
Image credits: catherinezetajones / Instagram
“It’s a journey of learning and loving and fun, and the prospect of reaching a 25-year anniversary is really quite thrilling.”
As the couple’s upcoming anniversary clashes with Mrs. Douglas’ filming schedule, they have decided to postpone their celebration.
Image credits: michaelkirkdouglas / Instagram
“I’ve been working a lot this year and he’s been so supportive. I think we’re going to be doing a party around the holidays because I’ll be shooting season three. It’s such a short period of time I have off.”
“Way too many celebrities are okay with pe*o-adjacent thoughts. Just way too many,” wrote one netizen.
“What on earth would make you say that out loud?” echoed furious social media users
