bodyType

customContents

entityId

printArticlePageQuery

filter

article

body

urlAlias

articleSectionsContent

articleSeoArticle

articleSourceHeaderArticle

contentSchemaRenderContent

contentSubHeadlineContent

contentHeadlineContent

mainImagePrintArticleArticle

authorBlockPrintArticleArticle

contentSponsorTagContent

articlePianoPaywallContent

scmpYoutubeContent

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

query printArticlePageQuery(
  $entityId: String!
  $customContents: [CustomContentInput]
  $bodyType: BodyFormatTypeEnum
) {
  article(filter: {entityId: $entityId}) {
    entityId
    body(customContents: $customContents, type: $bodyType) {
      json
    }
    urlAlias
    ...articleSectionsContent
    ...articleSeoArticle_3o8td4
    ...articleSourceHeaderArticle
    ...contentSchemaRenderContent
    ...contentSubHeadlineContent
    ...contentHeadlineContent
    ...mainImagePrintArticleArticle
    ...authorBlockPrintArticleArticle
    ...contentSponsorTagContent
    ...articlePianoPaywallContent
    ...scmpYoutubeContent
    ...hooksTrackPageViewArticle
    id
  }
}

fragment articlePianoPaywallContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...hooksPaywallPromiseContent
}

fragment articleSectionsContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  sections {
    value {
      ...helpersCheckIfNewsSectionInFirstIndexSection
      ...entityLink
      name
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment articleSeoArticle_3o8td4 on Article {
  ...hooksArticleSeoArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
  ...helpersGetArticleTypeArticle
  entityId
  publishedDate
  updatedDate
  summary {
    text
  }
  subHeadline {
    text
  }
  body(customContents: $customContents, type: $bodyType) {
    text
  }
  keywords
  sections {
    value {
      name
      id
    }
  }
  topics {
    name
    entityId
    id
  }
  urlAlias
  authors {
    name
    id
  }
  images {
    style(filter: {style: "768x768"}) {
      url
    }
  }
  readingTime
}

fragment articleSourceHeaderArticle on Article {
  urlAlias
  ...entityLink
}

fragment authorBlockPrintArticleArticle on Article {
  ...defaultArticleDateContent
  ...authorNamesArticle
}

fragment authorNameAuthor on Author {
  ...entityLink
  name
  entityUuid
}

fragment authorNamesArticle on Article {
  authorLocations
  authors {
    entityId
    location
    ...authorNameAuthor
    id
  }
}

fragment blockquoteQuoteContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...contentShareWidgetContent
}

fragment checkersCheckContentContainsStarlingImageContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  topics {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment contentHeadlineContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  headline
  socialHeadline
  ...contentHeadlineTagContent
  ...helpersUseContentSponsorContent
}

fragment contentHeadlineTagContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...hooksContentHeadlineTagContent
}

fragment contentNewsletterWidgetContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  topics {
    relatedNewsletters {
      ...helpersMassageToNewsletterItemNewsletter
      id
    }
    id
  }
  sections {
    value {
      relatedNewsletters {
        ...helpersMassageToNewsletterItemNewsletter
        id
      }
      id
    }
  }
  ... on Article {
    relatedNewsletters {
      ...helpersMassageToNewsletterItemNewsletter
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment contentSchemaRenderContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...blockquoteQuoteContent
  ...imageContent
  ...inlineWidgetContent
  ...photoGalleryWidgetContent
  ...scmpYoutubeContent
}

fragment contentShareWidgetContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  entityId
  urlAlias
  shortUrl
  socialHeadline
  headline
}

fragment contentSponsorTagContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...helpersUseContentSponsorContent
}

fragment contentSubHeadlineContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  subHeadline {
    json
  }
  summary {
    json
  }
  ...contentSchemaRenderContent
}

fragment defaultArticleDateContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...hooksArticleDateUtilsContent
}

fragment entityLink on BaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias {
  __isBaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias: __typename
  __typename
  entityId
  entityUuid
  urlAlias
  urlRedirect {
    toUrl
    id
  }
  application {
    entityId
    id
  }
  ... on Section {
    fullSectionPath {
      entityId
      id
    }
    parentSection
  }
  ...helpersAppBarVariantBase
  ...helpersApplicationBase
  ...helpersCheckIsPlusArticle
  ...helpersStyleSectionContent
}

fragment helpersAppBarVariantBase on BaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias {
  __isBaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias: __typename
  ...helpersCheckIsLiveArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPlusPage
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesPage
  ...helpersCheckIsPostMagazineArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsStyleArticle
  ...helpersSectionContent
  ...helpersStyleSectionContent
}

fragment helpersApplicationBase on BaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias {
  __isBaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias: __typename
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesPage
  ...helpersCheckIsPlusPage
}

fragment helpersCheckIfNewsSectionInFirstIndexSection on Section {
  name
}

fragment helpersCheckIsAmpEnabledArticle on Article {
  entityId
  types {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
  sections {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
  disableOffPlatformContent
  sponsorType
  published
  ...helpersCheckIsPlusArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
}

fragment helpersCheckIsLiveArticle on Article {
  flattenTypeIds
  liveArticle {
    status
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersCheckIsMainTopicContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  topics {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersCheckIsPlusArticle on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ... on Article {
    paywallTypes {
      entityUuid
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersCheckIsPlusPage on Page {
  urlAlias
}

fragment helpersCheckIsPostMagazineArticle on Article {
  sections {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle on Article {
  sections {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersCheckIsPostiesPage on Page {
  urlAlias
}

fragment helpersCheckIsStyleArticle on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  sections {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersGetArticleTypeArticle on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ... on Article {
    types {
      value {
        entityId
        id
      }
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersMassageToNewsletterItemNewsletter on Newsletter {
  entityId
  name
  alternativeName
  description {
    text
  }
  summary {
    text
  }
  homepageDescription {
    text
  }
}

fragment helpersSanitizeArticleTypeEntityIdsArticle on Article {
  types {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersSanitizeAuthorTypesArticle on Article {
  authors {
    types
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersSanitizedAuthorEntityIdsArticle on Article {
  authors {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersSectionContent on Section {
  fullSectionPath {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersStyleSectionContent on Section {
  fullSectionPath {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersUseContentSponsorContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  topics {
    entityId
    sponsor {
      ...sponsorTagSponsor
      name
      type
      id
    }
    id
  }
  ... on Article {
    sponsorType
  }
  ...helpersCheckIsMainTopicContent
}

fragment hooksArticleDateUtilsContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  createdDate
  publishedDate
  updatedDate
}

fragment hooksArticleSeoArticle on Article {
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPostMagazineArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsStyleArticle
  ...hooksContentHeadlineTagContent
  ...helpersCheckIsAmpEnabledArticle
  entityId
  headline
  socialHeadline
  types {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
  authors {
    entityId
    id
  }
  images {
    generic_og: style(filter: {style: "og_image_scmp_generic"}) {
      url
    }
    styles(filter: {styles: ["og_image_posties_article", "og_postmag", "og_image_style", "og_image_scmp_analysis", "og_image_scmp_explainer", "og_image_scmp_editorial", "og_image_scmp_fact_check", "og_image_scmp_debate", "og_image_scmp_live", "og_image_scmp_obituary", "og_image_scmp_opinion", "og_image_scmp_review", "og_image_scmp_series", "og_image_scmp_generic"]}) {
      url
      style
    }
    type
  }
  urlAlias
}

fragment hooksContentHeadlineTagContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  __typename
  ... on Article {
    types {
      value {
        name
        entityId
        description {
          text
        }
        id
      }
    }
    ...helpersCheckIsStyleArticle
  }
  flag
  sections {
    value {
      name
      id
    }
  }
  ...hooksContentHelperContent
}

fragment hooksContentHelperContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...helpersSanitizeArticleTypeEntityIdsArticle
  ...helpersSanitizeAuthorTypesArticle
  ...helpersSanitizedAuthorEntityIdsArticle
  flag
}

fragment hooksPaywallPromiseContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  entityId
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
}

fragment hooksTrackPageViewArticle on Article {
  entityId
  publishedDate
  headline
  sections {
    value {
      name
      id
    }
  }
  urlAlias
  authors {
    name
    id
  }
  entityUuid
}

fragment imageContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  headline
  ...checkersCheckContentContainsStarlingImageContent
}

fragment inlineWidgetContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...contentNewsletterWidgetContent
}

fragment mainImagePrintArticleArticle on Article {
  images {
    title
    url
    isSlideshow
    size_652x446: style(filter: {style: "652x446"}) {
      url
    }
  }
}

fragment photoGalleryDialogContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  __typename
  ...contentShareWidgetContent
}

fragment photoGalleryWidgetContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...photoGalleryDialogContent
}

fragment scmpYoutubeContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  entityId
  urlAlias
  publishedDate
}

fragment sponsorTagSponsor on Sponsor {
  name
  type
  images {
    url
  }
}


sections

types

disableOffPlatformContent

sponsorType

published

headline

socialHeadline

authors

images

publishedDate

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

keywords

topics

readingTime

authorLocations

entityUuid

Rob Woollard

IT'S THE STUFF of which fairy tales are made. Talented young performer from tiny village lands role as understudy to lead in West End musical only to get thrust into the spotlight when principal falls ill. Understudy excels, earns rave  reviews, heads to Hollywood, forges a  successful movie career, marries into Tinseltown royalty, wins an Oscar and lives happily ever after.

Any screenwriter trying to persuade a studio to make a film of Catherine Zeta-Jones' life might have trouble getting the project  approved on the grounds of plausibility.  Even Zeta-Jones has to pinch herself sometimes to believe the twists and turns of a career that have seen her transform from, in her own words, a 'dumb  little Welsh girl' to bona-fide screen goddess - a latter-day Rita Hayworth or Ava Gardner - feted by the likes of Esquire magazine as 'the most beautiful woman on the planet'.

The 36-year-old actress is back on the silver screen this month in The Legend of Zorro, starring opposite Antonio Banderas in a long-awaited follow-up to the 1998 box-office hit The Mask of Zorro.  Shooting the sequel was  a sentimental journey, she says, allowing her to revisit the character of the fiery Elena that launched her movie career seven short years ago.

'Elena means a lot to me personally and professionally because it was the role that got me recognised internationally,' Zeta-Jones  says between sips of tea at a Beverly Hills hotel.

Elena also helped her win the heart of the man to whom she's been married for five years, the actor and producer Michael Douglas, with whom she has two children. 'He fell in love with me after watching that movie,' Zeta-Jones says. 'At least that's what he says - and I've never questioned him.'

Reprising Elena was 'like visiting an old friend', Zeta-Jones says. 'When I walked on set and saw Antonio in his Zorro outfit it brought tears to my eyes.'

The Legend of Zorro is set a decade after the original. Zorro and Elena are married with a 10-year-old son as California struggles to become the 31st state of the union in the face of murder and intimidation orchestrated by a shadowy secret society determined to prevent it.

By Hollywood standards, the  sequel has been a long time coming. Although one has been regularly mooted  since the success of the first film, it took a while for the pieces to fall into place. 'I really thought Zorro was behind me,' Zeta-Jones says. 'But the thought of a sequel was always in the back of my mind, and whenever Antonio and I would meet up for dinner we'd talk about it.

'So I'm glad we got the script we did. I wanted to make sure that we could make a movie that had the excitement and the charm and the fun of the first - something that adults as well as kids can enjoy. And it's hard to find all those elements.'

The movie is a deliberate throwback to the swashbuckling romps of the 1930s and 40s, and required its principal actors to undergo hours of training for  bewilderingly intricate sword play.  'I was happy to be involved in the sword-fighting scenes when I saw the script,' Zeta-Jones says. 'I certainly didn't want to be the mother stuck at home. But it was fun. It's like dancing to me - the choreography is  similar.'

Indeed, her background in dancing and singing helped her win the best supporting actress Oscar in 2002 for her performance as Velma Kelly in the film version of the Broadway musical Chicago.

Born in Swansea, Zeta-Jones grew up in the fishing village of Mumbles a few miles down the road. Her precocity was spotted at an early age, and by 10 she  was  the star attraction in an amateur dancing troupe.

She later starred in productions of Annie and Bugsy Malone, and by the time she was 15, she'd reached London's West End as second understudy in a production of 42nd Street. When the musical's star and first understudy both fell ill, Zeta-Jones got her break. The play's producer was in the audience and was so impressed  he decided  to keep her on for the rest of the run, for which she won critical acclaim.

That stroke of fortune helped her land the role of Mariette in the hit 1991 television series The Darling Buds of May (based on the novels of H.E. Bates). It thrust her into the public eye and made her a target for the tabloids and gossip columnists.

Fed-up with the tabloid attention - 'I felt hunted' - and disillusioned with the lack of opportunities in the British film industry, Zeta-Jones  moved to Los Angeles in the early 90s. 'I always wanted to be in film,' she says. 'Back then, the whole Cool Britannia thing hadn't started. And the film industry in the UK was dead. The centre of the movie-making world was here, so that's why I came.'

An unknown in Hollywood, Zeta-Jones had to start almost from scratch, but had no difficulty getting regular work. In 1996, she appeared in a television docu-drama about the sinking of the Titanic, and once again the gods smiled on her. Steven Spielberg saw her performance and convinced Martin Campbell, The Mask of Zorro's director, to cast her as Elena.

While Zorro was awaiting release she landed  a role opposite Sean Connery in Entrapment and went on to appear in The Haunting with Liam Neeson, later in 1999. But her talent as an actress in weighty roles was only  seen for the first time the following year, with her spellbinding performance in Steven Soderbergh's Traffic.

Zeta-Jones' portrayal of a drug kingpin's wife who discovers that she'll do anything to defend her family and her comfortable existence won wide praise - but  wasn't enough to secure a best supporting actress Oscar nomination. Nevertheless, it confirmed her arrival as a serious Hollywood player.

Ferociously ambitious earlier in her career, Zeta-Jones admits that her priorities have changed since her marriage to Douglas in 2000 and the  birth of her children, Dylan, five, and Carys, two. She hasn't worked for much of the past year, choosing instead to  spend time  with her children. She and Douglas have homes in New York, Mallorca and Canada, but now spend most of their time in Bermuda, where Dylan is at school. Like many Hollywood couples, Douglas and Zeta-Jones try to plan their filming schedules to ensure that one of them is free for parenting duties.

'I think for any working mother it's hard,' she says. 'The logistics of your life change. Before, you could just pack up and go wherever work dictated.  But the flipside is that, when I'm on set  working, I can have my kids with me. If I was  in an office I couldn't do that. And when I'm not working, I'm not working, so I've got all the time for them. But it's exhausting. I almost find myself saying, 'You know, kids, I've got to go to work - I need a rest'.'

Whether Zeta-Jones' children follow their  parents into the  industry remains to be seen.   She says she'd be happy to see  them pursue careers in showbusiness, but Douglas is less enthusiastic.

'If they wanted to be actors, I'd support them wholeheartedly,' she says. 'Acting's been great to me.' And she says both children - who sport the Douglas dimple - were actors 'from the moment they popped out'.

'But Michael might have a different take on it because he's been through that. He grew up as 'the son of Kirk', which is a different dynamic from me. Nobody knew me, nobody cared. But when you're 'the son of' or 'the daughter of' people  look at you in a different way. Michael can talk about it more eloquently than me, but the bottom line is that it's harder.'

A decade spent in Hollywood may have given Zeta-Jones' speech an American twang, but the underlying Welshness  remains. Indeed, she places great importance on staying in touch with her roots, where she's regarded as something of a folk hero. 'I was back over there in August with my kids getting spoiled rotten by my family,' she says. 'And I saw a girl that I hadn't seen in 21 years. It was great. We met up and our kids got together. I have a lot of good friends from school and my teenage years that I stay in contact with.'

That tightly knit network of family and friends has helped to ensure that Zeta-Jones has remained  down-to-earth, while  also giving her the confidence to pursue her career.

'When I first came to the US, a lot of my drive and ambition came from the fact that I knew I could always go back to my family and friends if it didn't turn out right. And it was important to know that I could go back and be Catherine without my family looking at me and saying, 'Why did you fail so miserably?'.'

The Legend of Zorro opens on Thursday



The Z factor