Michael Douglas believes he is a better husband since his cancer battle.
The 72-year-old actor was diagnosed with throat cancer in 2010 and says that since recovering from the illness he has been determined to spend more time with Catherine Zeta Jones, 47, and their children, Dylan, 16, and Carys, 13.
The couple briefly split in 2014 but are now happier than ever and Michael said: ”You’ve both got to want to make it happen. Every marriage has got its issues – this and that.
”I think if you are fortunate enough to take a look, and you want make it work and you want to try then you can succeed.
”Then when we do succeed it makes you tighter than ever before – we are like 17 years now.
”I have more time with them, and I chose to use my time.
”Once I started coming out the other end of stage four, it gave me a whole new appreciation of life.
”Also it allowed me to spend a fair amount of time with my wife and children, and support them.
”When you get into your 70s, you are not getting the same roles. And it made me appreciate how blessed it was to have the family I have around me in life.
”For many of us that are getting there, you start not taking the years for granted. Family gives me more purpose than any other thing in my life.”
Meanwhile, Michael also revealed that he blames himself for his oldest son’s drug problems.
The actor admitted he was a ”very hard working substance abuser” when Cameron, 37 – his son with ex-wife Diandra – was growing up and he believes this along with ”Cameron’s own genetic issues, ADHD, and dyslexia”, contributed to his incarceration for drug possession.
Speaking at the TCM Classic Film Festival Q and A at the Ricardo Montalban Theatre in Los Angeles, he said: ”I am just blessed that my kids give me a lot of pleasure – a lot.
”I love my oldest son Cameron who is 37 and he has had difficulties in life, and my memories are that it was my fault and that it was a difficult upbringing.
”So when you got a couple of kids and it is going well, you appreciate that.
”Cameron is now writing a book about his first act of his life. It will be cathartic and help him.”
