Michael Caine has been entertaining audiences for over six decades. Born on Mar. 14, 1933, in Rotherhithe, London, Michael was raised in poverty and began working at a young age to support his family. Despite facing many challenges, he persevered and eventually became one of the most beloved and respected actors of his generation.
Michael’s acting career began in the 1950s when he appeared in small roles on British television. He soon moved on to stage productions and landed his first film parts. However, it was his breakthrough role as Lieutenant Gonville Bromhead in the 1964 film “Zulu” that put him on the map. From there, he went on to star in a string of successful films, including “Alfie,” “The Italian Job,” “Sleuth” and “The Man Who Would Be King.” In recent years, he’s appeared in hits such as Christopher Nolan’s “The Dark Knight” trilogy and “Kingsman: The Secret Service.”
Michael’s performances are marked by his ability to portray a wide range of characters, from charming and debonair to gritty and intense. He has been nominated for six Academy Awards and won two, for his roles in “Hannah and Her Sisters” and “The Cider House Rules.” He has also won numerous other awards throughout his career, including two Golden Globes, a BAFTA, and a Screen Actors Guild Award. In 2000, he was knighted for his services to drama.
Despite his success, Michael has remained humble and grounded throughout his life. He is known for his work ethic and dedication to his craft, and he has inspired many aspiring actors.
However, Michael revealed he would not be where he is today without one special woman in his life who has stuck by his side for 50 years through thick and thin.
Michael found his true love the second time around after he divorced his first wife, actress Patricia Haines, in 1958. In January 1973, he wed the woman who would be his wife for five decades now, Guyanese model and actress Shakira Caine (née Baksh). Michael first saw Shakira in a commercial for a popular coffee brand in the ’70s and was smitten immediately. He recounted on “The Jonathan Ross Show” that he was prepared to go to great lengths to find her:
“I saw this lady on the television, in a commercial and fell in love instantly. I just watched her and I thought ‘That’s the woman for me’ and said to my mate ‘We’re going to Brazil in the morning, we’re gonna find her.’”
Much to his surprise, Shakira wasn’t Brazilian and was, in fact, Indian, and lived nearby on Fulham Road, London.
However, it took him time to convince Shakira to meet him. He called her every day for 10 days until she finally agreed.
“I got her number from the ad agency. She couldn’t get rid of me on the telephone, so she decided to come out with me and get rid of me,” he told People in 2018.
That same year, he gushed about Shakira to Radio Times:
“I fell in love with her in about eight minutes. It took her two hours to fall in love with me. She saved my life, really.”
Prior to meeting Shakira, Michael had been living an unhealthy film star life and credited Shakira for his decision to get healthy, adding he lost 30lbs because of her support and encouragement.
“Without her, I’d have been dead long ago. I used to drink a bottle of vodka a day and smoke several packs of cigarettes,” he told Express.
Having celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in January 2023, Michael and Shakira are enjoying their golden years together, and they are even doting grandparents of three nowadays. The couple shares one daughter, Natasha, while Caine has another daughter from his previous marriage. In March 2023, Michael turned 90, and admitted he’s not as sprightly as he used to be since developing spinal stenosis, which hampers his mobility.
After his 2021 film “Best Sellers,” rumors he was retiring surfaced. “Funnily enough, it has turned out to be what is my last part, really,” Caine told People. “Because I haven’t worked for two years, and I have a spine problem, which affects my legs. So, I can’t walk very well.” He also told The Guardian, “I can’t walk and I can’t stand for very long and now I don’t know whether my bloody memory’s going,” and added, “My mind’s not as agile as it used to be.”
Michael now uses a cane to help him get around, including on date nights. In December 2021, the pair were spotted on a night out at Langan’s Brasserie in Mayfair while In November 2022, the loved-up pair were seen at a bar in London. While Michael was usually seen with a cane, in February 2023, the actor had upgraded to a wheeled walking frame while out celebrating his wife’s 76’s birthday.
Despite his health woes, it’s clear the pair are as inseparable as they used to be. “We’re very happy in our own company,” Michael once said and added “Shakira is the only person I ever met who didn’t have a bad side. There’s no bad side. It’s all good.”
In 2018, he summed up their relationship succinctly: “We fell in love at first sight. We’ve been in love at first sight for 47 years.”
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