Catherine Zeta-Jones reveals strict ultimatum she gave Michael Douglas before dating her

Michael Douglas has opened up about the early days of his relationship with wife Catherine Zeta-Jones, who he first met at the Deauville Film Festival in France in 1998.

The Oscar-winning actor, 82, discussed the start of their romance on the Oct. 30 episode of The Graham Norton Show.

He had seen her in The Mask of Zorro and immediately asked his publicist to arrange an introduction. When they met, he told her, "You know, I'm going to be the father of your children."

Before any of that could happen, Douglas said Zeta-Jones laid down a condition. "When I courted Catherine, she told me, 'If we are doing this, you need to clean your act up,' " he shared.

"I was divorced and seeing some other people at the time, so I had to call five women to break things off."

Douglas had previously written about the calls in his memoir, One Helluva Ride.

He explained that, following his 1995 separation from first wife Diandra Luker, he had been seeing women who lived in different cities, but Zeta-Jones made it clear she wanted an exclusive relationship.

Recalling the exchange, he wrote: "I told her wait here I have to make five quick calls. 'Five? You have to make five calls?'".

The memoir also revisits the couple's 2013 separation, and their reconciliation the following year.

Douglas described the reconciliation to The Sunday Times as a mutual effort. "We're good. We're in good shape," he said.

Ahead of the book's release, Douglas also revealed that Zeta-Jones had not yet read his memoir.

Last November, Zeta-Jones celebrated the couple's 25th wedding anniversary with a series of throwback photos, including a snapshot from their wedding day and a picture from their first meeting.

The Chicago star captioned the post: "I love you today as I did then. Thank you sweetheart♥️."

What helps Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones' marriage last?

Douglas, now 82, has also shared what he believes helps keep the couple's marriage on track.

The Ant-Man star told PEOPLE earlier this month that humor and communication have helped sustain their marriage. "A good sense of humor doesn't hurt, number one. And talking things out," he said.

Douglas added that the couple avoid saying 'never' and 'always' during arguments and try to consider each other's perspective. 'But you gotta have fun,' he told the publication.

Douglas and Zeta-Jones, who were introduced at the Deauville Film Festival in 1998, wed in November 2000 and share two children, Dylan and Carys.