Douglas Pops The Question

Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones are engaged.

Douglas, 55, proposed to the 30-year-old Welsh actress on New Year's Eve at his home in Aspen, Colo.

"While no date has been set, they plan to wed later this year. He's now given her a ring," said Allen Burry, Douglas' publicist.

Todd Adair, who represents Zeta-Jones, said the marriage proposal came with a "big ol' diamond ring."

"She's ecstatic, thrilled, and very, very happy," Adair said.

The relationship was said to be on the rocks just last month when Zeta-Jones opted to spend Christmas in Wales. Douglas showed up in time to join her for the holiday.

The two met at the Deauville Film Festival in August 1998 and have been dating since March 1999. They share a Sept. 25 birthday.

In December, the actress, who has starred in The Mask of Zorro and Entrapment, said she was in no hurry to marry the star of Fatal Attraction and Basic Instinct.

She told Harper's Bazaar magazine then that "there are no words of marriage." Douglas separated from his wife of 22 years, Diandra, in 1997.

Daily Variety columnist Army Archerd reports that, when Douglas called his famous dad Kirk Wednesday to say he'd proposed to Zeta-Jones, the elder Douglas told his son, "No one is going to look at the ring -- she is so beautiful herself." Michael said, "Dad, you still have a great line!" Kirk added to their news, "It's about time: I want more grandchildren."

But their decision robs Kirk Douglas of another line when reporters asked him if his son would marry Zeta-Jones: "I would say, 'I'd marry her myself but my wife won't let me.'"