Josh Duhamel has addressed the 21-year age gap with his wife Audra Mari, who he said is "more mature" than him.
During an appearance on "the Not Skinny But Not Fat" podcast, the actor, 52, said he initially had no romantic interest in Mari, 31, saying that he initially thought she was "too young" for him.
"It was truly platonic for years," Duhamel said, according to E! News, saying that he told himself: "'I'm not even going to go there.'"
Duhamel added that he considered Mari nothing more than a friend when he invited her to a barbecue at his home. But after meeting the former Miss World America in person, his view began to change.
"She's more mature than I am," he said. "That's how we started dating."
Duhamel began dating Mari in late 2018 and said he soon recognized that she was the one.
"We're perfect for each other," he told E! News in 2022. "She's an amazing girl. She keeps me grounded. She keeps it real."
In September 2022, Duhamel and Mari got married in their home state, North Dakota. Nearly two years later, they welcomed their son, Shepherd Duhamel. Josh Duhamel also shares 11-year-old son Axl Duhamel with his ex-wife Fergie.
The couple now spends time together in the rural Midwest.
"Part of the reason I built my place out in Minnesota, deep in the woods, is it's removed from everything," Duhamel said in an April interview with Parade. "Once we get there, it's really about everybody taking care of each other — making memories, spending time with family and friends."
Relocating has allowed for his two sons to "get back to basics."
"My son is going to have memories of this place forever," Duhamel said. "He's not on his iPad when he's out there. He's out there in the boat with me, or he's playing soccer on the beach, or he's out there in the woods doing whatever I'm doing."
He added, "And then I have a little baby who's going to experience the same thing. It's not just about having all the amenities and all the luxuries that we become so used to. It's really about family. It's about legacy."
Zoe Papadakis ✉
Zoe Papadakis is a Newsmax writer based in South Africa with two decades of experience specializing in media and entertainment. She has been in the news industry as a reporter, writer and editor for newspapers, magazine and websites.