Quote Of The Day By Catherine Zeta-Jones: 'I Spent Most Of The Time Worrying About How People...'

Catherine Zeta-Jones is honoring her Welsh roots in "Kill Jackie," a crime caper premiering on October 2. The actor will use her Welsh accent to play an art dealer with a criminal past. 

Before starring in the new AMC+ series, Zeta-Jones made a name for herself by playing Zorro's captivating love interest Elena Vega in "The Mask of Zorro" and won an Academy Award for playing vaudeville performer Velma Kelly in "Chicago."

On the TV side, she may be best known for playing Morticia Addams in Netflix's "Wednesday," but Zeta-Jones' TV career dates back to the '90s. The actor is also one of the few Hollywood icons who conquered the stage with the same tenacity as the silver screen, earning a Tony for her role in the 2009 Broadway revival of "A Little Night Music." 

With an enduring legacy that spans three decades, the Oscar winner continues to charm viewers with her captivating performances. Today's quote of the day shows how Zeta-Jones learned to grow in her career by gaining confidence through self-acceptance. 

"I spent most of the time worrying about how people, you know, like me. And then I realized there are billions of people on this planet. Why me, Catherine Zeta-Jones, should assume that every one of them should love me? No, they are not going to love me, and I'm sorry about that. I'm not everyone's cup of tea. That's fine."

The above quote comes from Catherine Zeta-Jones' appearance on "The Drew Barrymore Show" in 2025. Barrymore asked the actor for advice on letting go of people-pleasing, and Zeta-Jones admitted that she continues to be a "work in progress." 

For a long time, the "Chicago" alum worried about how people perceived her. In an industry as demanding as Hollywood, Zeta-Jones believed that to fit in, she had to conform to others' expectations of her. That is, until she realized that she was good enough as is. According to Zeta-Jones herself, she's "not everyone's cup of tea," but there is nothing wrong with that. 

It is easy to let others dictate our worth. If Catherine Zeta-Jones has struggled with that, then we are surely not alone. The deeper meaning behind her comments above is that we should be less concerned about meeting other people's expectations and focus instead on finding our worth from within. 

During a red carpet event to promote "Wednesday" Season 2, the actor faced online scrutiny for her appearance. But Zeta-Jones has been open about embracing her age, and instead of subjecting herself to beauty norms or listening to the haters, the actor always keeps the focus on her career. 

Now leading a new series and set to return as the Addams family matriarch in "Wednesday" Season 3, nothing is holding Zeta-Jones back from being her most authentic self.

• "There's a confidence I've sometimes had to put on when I walk down a red carpet. I have my insecurities like every other woman. But as I've got older, I've got much more confident about the way I look." — from a 2021 interview with The Sydney Herald

• "I've been blessed with good fortune in so many ways. I enjoy the fruits of my labor. I work hard, and I reward myself." — from a 2021 interview with The New Yorker

• "I feel that I have more of a voice, not for political or cultural reasons, but for me as a woman. I spent many years ... being nice to people who didn't really care that I was nice and never treated me nicely. And my feelings were hurt, and I didn't quite know how to navigate [that]. Why wouldn't that person like me and be nice? Trying to fit into molds that I was never going to fit into, living up to expectations or preconceptions, being put on pedestals I never asked for. No. Maturity in itself, just years spent, gives you that, and it's comforting." — from a 2026 interview with AARP