Catherine Zeta-Jones has paid an emotional tribute to Bonnie Tyler following the singer’s unexpected death, revealing the extraordinary family connection they shared and recalling the unforgettable moment the Welsh music legend performed at her wedding to Michael Douglas.

The Oscar-winning actress, 56, said she was “heartbroken” by Tyler’s passing and described her as a “one-of-a-kind artist” whose friendship had been an important part of her life.

Tyler died aged 75 on July 8 after suffering ongoing health complications and spending weeks in intensive care in Portugal. She leaves behind her husband Robert Sullivan, to whom she had been married for more than five decades.

While Tyler was known around the world for her unmistakable husky voice and enormous hits including Total Eclipse of the Heart and Holding Out For A Hero, she also had a much more personal connection to Zeta-Jones.

The two women were related by marriage, with Sullivan being Zeta-Jones’s cousin. Their family relationship ultimately became a genuine friendship, and Tyler was even invited to perform at Zeta-Jones’s wedding to Douglas in 2000.

Zeta-Jones shared her tribute on Instagram on Thursday, shortly after news of Tyler’s death became public.

“My heart is broken with the news that our dearest Bonnie Tyler has passed away,” she wrote. “[She] has been such a part of my life.”

Alongside her emotional words, the actress posted a photograph of herself with Tyler, explaining that it had been taken the night before she married Douglas.

The memory appeared to capture just how close the two had become, with Zeta-Jones remembering not only Tyler’s extraordinary musical ability but also her personality away from the stage.

“She sang and rocked it at my wedding. An extraordinary woman with vocals to match,” Zeta-Jones wrote.

“A one-of-a-kind artist, who so easily could have been a comedian because she was one of the funniest people I ever met. Thank you Bonnie for the joy you brought so many.”

Her tribute then turned toward Wales, the country Tyler had remained deeply connected to throughout her life.

“Sleep tight beautiful lady. We shall forever ‘Keep a Welcome in the Hillsides’ of Wales for you,” she added, before sending her love to Sullivan and the rest of Tyler’s family.

The emotional message offered a glimpse into a side of Tyler that fans rarely saw. Despite becoming an international superstar, she remained strongly attached to her Welsh roots and was remembered by friends and family as someone who had never allowed fame to change her.

Her connection to Zeta-Jones was particularly special because it crossed both family and professional worlds.

Tyler previously spoke about performing at Zeta-Jones and Douglas’s wedding when she discussed the unforgettable occasion with the BBC in 2001.

The singer revealed that she eventually took to the stage at around midnight, performing her iconic hit Total Eclipse of the Heart for the wedding guests.

The performance came after hours of waiting while surrounded by lavish food and drink.

“I like to have a drink, you know, but not before I sing,” Tyler explained.

She recalled drinking just one glass of vintage champagne from around 7:30pm until after she came off stage at approximately midnight.

According to Tyler, there was an abundance of vintage red wine and champagne around her, but she resisted drinking more until after her performance.

“And I couldn’t drink any of it, you know, until I came on stage. I made up for it then though!” she joked.

The anecdote was typical of Tyler’s warm and humorous personality, which Zeta-Jones specifically highlighted in her tribute.

Behind the worldwide success and decades of performances, Tyler was frequently described as down-to-earth and fiercely loyal to the people closest to her.

Her relationship with Sullivan was perhaps the clearest example.

The couple married in 1973 and remained together until Tyler’s death, building a life that largely existed away from the intense glare of celebrity.

Sullivan was a businessman and former Olympic judoka, while Tyler continued touring and recording music around the world.

Their marriage lasted more than 50 years, making their relationship one of the enduring partnerships in the entertainment industry.

Zeta-Jones’s tribute also served as a reminder of how Tyler’s influence stretched beyond music.

For millions of fans, she was the powerful voice behind some of the biggest anthems of the 1980s. For those who knew her personally, she was also a wife, relative, friend and famously funny companion.

Her death came after a difficult period in which concerns about her health had intensified.

Around two months before she died, Tyler was placed into an induced coma following emergency intestinal surgery.

Her family and representatives later provided updates about her condition, saying in mid-June that she was no longer in a coma but remained “very unwell and in intensive care” at a hospital in Portugal.

At the time, her loved ones had hoped she would recover.

“Although her condition is improving it is a slow process. Her doctors remain confident that she will make a good recovery but it is going to take time,” they said.

The statement also revealed that Tyler was aware of the enormous support she was receiving from fans around the world.

“We want to tell you that she is aware of, and very grateful for, your good wishes,” her representatives said.

Her eventual death therefore came as a devastating shock.

Tyler’s family and team announced that she had “unexpectedly passed away” in hospital in Portugal as a result of the illness she had been receiving treatment for.

They asked fans and the media to respect the family’s privacy as they came to terms with the loss.

The singer’s passing prompted an outpouring of tributes from across the entertainment industry, with fans remembering the remarkable career of an artist whose voice became instantly recognisable around the world.

Total Eclipse of the Heart remains her signature song, while It’s a Heartache, Holding Out For A Hero and If You Were A Woman (And I Was A Man) further cemented her status as one of the defining voices of her generation.

Yet Zeta-Jones’s tribute focused on something much more intimate than chart success.

She remembered the woman behind the superstar, the relative who became a friend, the performer who sang at one of the biggest moments of her life and the person whose sense of humour could rival her extraordinary vocals.

That personal connection makes her farewell particularly poignant.

Tyler was not simply a famous singer who happened to perform at Zeta-Jones’s wedding. She was someone woven into the actress’s family story, someone who had shared important memories with her and someone Zeta-Jones clearly considered part of her life.

And perhaps fittingly, Zeta-Jones chose words connected to Tyler’s homeland to say goodbye.

By referencing “Keep a Welcome in the Hillsides” of Wales, she acknowledged the place Tyler never stopped calling home, despite her decades of international fame.

For an artist who remained proud of being Welsh throughout her extraordinary career, it was a deeply personal final tribute.

As fans continue to celebrate Tyler’s music, those closest to her will remember a different legacy: the wife who shared more than 50 years with Sullivan, the family member who remained connected to her Welsh roots, and the friend who could fill a wedding dance floor with one of the greatest power ballads ever recorded.

Zeta-Jones’s message made clear that behind the legendary voice was a woman whose warmth, humour and generosity left an equally lasting impression.

And for those who knew Bonnie Tyler personally, that may be the part of her legacy that matters most.