We all know that Drew Barrymore became a star thanks to Steven Spielberg. But she recently got the chance to hear another leading lady tell her own story: Catherine Zeta-Jones, who says she has Spielberg to thank for her entire career beginning with The Mask of Zorro.
So how does Spielberg factor into the career of Catherine Zeta-Jones, who he wouldn’t direct until years after she broke out? As it turns out, Spielberg caught Zeta-Jones in the 1996 CBS miniseries Titanic. As the actress told Barrymore on her namesake talk show (via People), “And Steven Spielberg happened to be watching TV on a Sunday night and went, ‘Oh, who’s she? Maybe she should be good in Zorro.’ I get a call the next week [to] go and meet the director Martin Campbell.” (The Mask of Zorro was set up at Amblin Entertainment.)
Zeta-Jones continued, “Next few days, I was screen testing with the gorgeous Antonio Banderas and my old home country icon Anthony Hopkins, who directed me in a play when I was 18 years old, and there I was and I thought to myself, ‘If this ends right now, this has just been a dream come true.’ And then I got the job and it changed my life.”
It, of course, did not end right then, with The Mask of Zorro causing Zeta-Jones’ career to completely blow up and become one of the most desirable actresses in Hollywood, next landing Entrapment and The Haunting. She would soon follow those up with a Golden Globe-nominated turn in Steven Soderbergh’s Traffic, 2001’s America’s Sweethearts and her signature role, Velma Kelly in Chicago, for which she won the Best Supporting Actress Oscar. As for teaming up with Spielberg on the set, Zeta-Jones got the chance to work with him in 2004’s The Terminal.
The Mask of Zorro – which we here at JoBlo.com consider one of the finest versions of the tale – would end up being nominated for two Oscars: Best Sound and Best Sound Effects Editing.
Are you a fan of The Mask of Zorro? What are your thoughts on Catherine Zeta-Jones’ acting career? Let us know in the comments section below!
