A 'humbling' career move led to Catherine Zeta-Jones' big break

Catherine Zeta-Jones' arrival in Hollywood in the mid-1990s was an ego check.

The Welsh actor, afterward in her 20s, had starred for years on the famous early-'90s British sequence "The Darling Buds of May," and was already a feeling in the UK. But whenever she touched downward in California, she went from being recognized on the street to having casting agents ask her in auditions if she had any acting experience.

That wasn't all.

"I couldn't get cable TV," Zeta-Jones told Business Insider alongside a laugh. "I had been operating since I was 9, but I couldn't buy item in the States since I didn't have a credit cardstock yet. I had to commencement from scratch."

Starting complete turned out to be value it for Zeta-Jones. After taking a function in the CBS miniseries "Titanic," she caught the notice of Steven Spielberg, who recommended her for "The Mask of Zorro." The function would create her a celebrity Stateside and guide to an illustrious three-decade occupation in Hollywood.

Zeta-Jones is now known on the two sides of the pond for memorable roles ranging from the expecting spouse of a Mexican medication lord in "Traffic" to her Oscar-winning rotate as the iconic Velma Kelly in "Chicago" to Morticia Addams in Netflix's "Wednesday."

But notwithstanding her lengthy catalog of credits, there's one item she motionless hadn't done for a function until now: use her native Welsh accent.

Her latest project, the AMC+ sequence "Killing Jackie," marks Zeta-Jones' long-awaited come back to her Welsh roots. After decades of having her brain activity overtime doing English, American, and Scottish accents — and many additional — the chance to conversation in her native accent was grounding. "It was liberating and cathartic," Zeta-Jones said.

So, too, was the topic matter. Based on the 2018 novel "The Price You Pay" by Nick Harkaway (using the pseudonym Aidan Truhen), the retaliation thriller stars Zeta-Jones as the titular Jackie Price, a Welsh high-end art dealer alongside a shady former in the medication commerce who discovers a hit has been put out on her. With a deadly squad of assassins known as The Seven Demons on her tail, Jackie goes to awesome lengths to remain living — at one item equal biting off a man's ear.

Navigating the series' ultra-violent scenes was a blast for Zeta-Jones, who relished the chance to go off the rails.

"I affection this character," Zeta-Jones said. "I wanted the spectators to arrive alongside on this journey alongside me and base for her. In all the craziness."

In the latest type of Business Insider's Role Play series, Zeta-Jones reflects on her instant association alongside Sean Connery, assisting her hubby Michael Douglas get a part in "Traffic," and the foremost man she was most intimidated to activity throughout from.

On being discovered by Steven Spielberg and golfing alongside Sean Connery

Business Insider: Let's go rear to your 20s. You're in London, anywhere you can't stroll downward the street without paparazzi all complete you gratitude to "The Darling Buds of May." Then you go to LA, anywhere nobody knows you. What was that like?

Catherine Zeta-Jones: I had six months on a visa, so I could go and provision the States a attempt for six months. I would have hated myself if I decided the American item wasn't for me. I would have continually thought, What if I had stated it a shot?

It was fine for me formerly I got complete my ego being knocked a bit. I'd been in this endeavor since I was 9 years old, professionally in theater and in television, and a few films in Britain at that point. But I'd go into casting agents, and they'd be asking me what I had done.

I took a job that was not a huge occupation jump for me — the CBS show, "Titanic," the TV sequence following the blockbuster movie came out. I kept reminding myself that I came to provision America a shot.

Steven Spielberg, on a Sunday night, was observing this CBS "Titanic" sequence whenever he saw me. As the manufacturer of "The Mask of Zorro," he suggested that I display test. Literally, inside a week of it coming on TV, I was shipped downward to Mexico to display test alongside Antonio Banderas. Five days later, they called my delegate and stated I got the job, and three days following that, I was downward there starting my sword-fighting lessons. 

After that, you worked throughout from Sean Connery in "Entrapment," which cemented your stardom. Is it true you got that function since you told Connery you perform golf?

[Laughs.] He used to say that tongue-in-cheek. You know, Sean Connery was a dear, beloved power of nature. 

Would you guys perform golf?

Yeah. 

Did you always attack him?

No. And equal if I could, I would never tell. I attack Michael Douglas. Any day of the week. But not Sean Connery.

You can't attack 007. 

No way. Even if he cheated, I would fair rotate my head. 

On operating alongside her hubby on 'Traffic' and tap dancing alongside Christopher Walken

Speaking of your husband, is it true that Michael eventually signed on to "Traffic" since he kept looking complete your shoulder, looking at the drafts you were getting for the function you took in that movie?

There is a lot of fact in that. I was pregnant, and no one knew. And Steven Soderbergh asked me to do "Traffic." And I kept saying, "Oh my gosh, there's no way I can do this. Steven Soderbergh wants me in his movie, and I'm having a baby!" I was blessed to be having a baby, but I so wanted to do this movie. So I called Steven and said, "I affection the script, um, I think she would be equal improved if she was pregnant." And he said, "When are you due?" I went, "August," and he said, "We'll create it work." 

Michael never says my scripts. I never peruse Michael's scripts. It's the one item we benevolent of do on our own; we don't really conversation shop at home. We fair don't. But he knew how awesome that manuscript was, and so Soderbergh called him and asked him if he had a chance to peruse my script. [Laughs.] And he said, "Kinda, but she's been telling me." So that's whenever he came on board. 

What I loved concerning that movie was not fair the stellar performances, but I affection that I can say I've been in a movie alongside Michael Douglas. Because if he wasn't my husband, I so would desire to activity alongside him. So equal although we didn't have any scenes together, it was phenomenal. 

You starred in the rom-com "America's Sweethearts." The movie ends alongside Christopher Walken showing up to the junket to display footage of the movie he made alongside your character. It turns out to be all behind-the-scenes footage of the movie, which seems to be a musical, and we see you tap dancing alongside Walken. Is it true that subplot is in "America's Sweethearts" since you specifically wanted to tap dancing alongside Christopher Walken?

Absolutely. I wanted to tap dancing alongside Christopher Walken! I'm a big tap dancer. There are not many actors of my generation or Michael's generation, yes, [Michael Douglas' father] Kirk's generation, that can tap dance. So whenever I had the chance to do that, I was like, "Guys, we can't young female this chance." It was totally, selfishly, for myself. 

We touched on a few foremost men you have worked alongside complete your career. Looking back, is there one who made you remain on your equivalent the most? Someone who you knew you had to bring your A-game to all period you walked on set?

I have to say Sean, but it wasn't that I had to be on my A-game. I fair never wanted to halt acting alongside him, since we were specified fine buddies. He was so incredibly protective of me, akin a female he never had, and he stated that to me. And I loved his wife. I can't really say family, since he's not family, but I never wanted to act alongside anyone alternatively following Sean Connery. I fair didn't. It was fun. 

But I volition say whenever I did "The Terminal" alongside Steven Spielberg at the helm and operating so closely alongside Tom Hanks, I did go to activity on the archetypal day and go, "Mommy, I desire to go residence and cuddle." I got a small intimidated. Then — and I say this all the period — I learned the improved they are, the nicer they are.

Now I've worked for so long, I've worked alongside several actors and gone, "Ugh, you fair burst my bubble; I so wanted to activity alongside you." Very rarely, but it has happened.

But operating alongside all those guys on the "Oceans" movies: Matt [Damon], Brad [Pitt], George [Clooney]… I did a movie alongside George alongside the Coen brothers, and that was exceptional. So it's not so much bringing your A-game, since I desire to do that alongside everyone I activity throughout from.

Even on the movies anywhere you realize, I don't think this is going to work, how do you get through it and awareness affirmative and 100% committed? It's normally that the actors you're operating alongside are so amazing. 

This discussion has been condensed and edited for dimension and clarity.

New episodes of "Kill Jackie" autumn Fridays on AMC+.

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