Michael Douglas fans think he looks unrecognisable with youthful red carpet appearance

Michael Douglas showed off his youthful appearance on the red carpet to promote his latest movie, with some saying he looks "20 years younger".

The actor might be turning 80 later this year, but it seems he has managed to turn back the clocks when it comes to aging. As he posed for pictures in Cannes to promote his latest movie Franklin, people were shocked by how young he looked and some fans couldn't even recognise him.

Sharing pictures from the red carpet event on X, formerly known as Twitter, one fan said: "Michael Douglas has a young looking face." Another shocked person wrote: "Had I not seen the name 'Michael Douglas' I'd have had no idea of who this person was."

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A source has claimed Michael's youthful appearance comes from a desire to keep up with his wife Catherine Zeta-Jones. The Chicago star is 25 years younger than her husband, who she's been married to since 2000.

Speaking to The National Inquirer, the source said: "Catherine's the love of his life, but she's 25 years his junior and is meticulous about keeping up her looks. He doesn't want to get left in the dust."

Michael and Catherine were set up on a date by his publicist after he "knew she was the one" after watching her in the 1998 film The Mask of Zorro. They went on to tie the knot in 2000 and share two children together.

Michael recalled their first date during an appearance on The Jonathan Ross show as he said: "I met her in the bar and was a total gentleman." He said he asked Catherine: "By chance do you want to come back and have a nightcap?"

He added: "You know, I'm going to be the father of your children." Catherine's response was: "You know I've heard a lot about you, and I've seen a lot about you, and I think it's time that I say goodnight."

Thinking he'd blown his chances, Michael arranged to have roses waiting for Catherine when she arrived in Scotland to film Entrapment. She's also spoken about their first date, joking on the red carpet in 2019: "You know what the worst thing is? He was right."

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