Josh Duhamel opens up about the age gap with his wife

Josh Duhamel and his wife, Audra Mari, have built a family while navigating a 21-year age difference. During the July 13 episode of “The HoneyDew with Ryan Sickler,” the 53-year-old “Ransom Canyon” actor recalled the moment the gap suddenly felt real.

Duhamel saw a photograph of himself at age 21 holding his newborn sister, Kassidy. He then realized that Kassidy and Mari, 32, are the same age and were born only months apart.

How the age gap first became clear

As of July 21, 2026, Duhamel is 53, and Mari is 32, resulting in a 21-year age difference between them. Duhamel said he had not previously viewed the gap through the comparison that occurred to him after seeing the family photograph.

He explained that his youngest sister, Kassidy, was born while he was attending Minot State University at age 21, and seeing himself holding her as an infant made him realize that Kassidy and Mari are now the same age.

Duhamel discussed the realization on Episode 394 of “The HoneyDew with Ryan Sickler.” He also said the age difference rarely comes up in his relationship with Mari, although it has influenced conversations about having more children.

A photo that changed his perspective

Duhamel came across an old family photo of himself holding his baby sister. He was only 21 years old in the picture at that time. His sister Kassidy was just a tiny infant back then.

He compared that old photo to his current life with his wife today. He suddenly noticed that Kassidy and Audra actually share the same birth year. The strange coincidence caught him completely off guard in the moment.

Duhamel jokingly told his wife that he was now officially too old for her. He explained that the two women are only months apart in age. He admitted he had never once thought about it that way before.

How Duhamel and Mari first connected

Duhamel, who is from Minot, North Dakota, initially followed Mari online after her success in North Dakota beauty pageants. Mari grew up in Fargo, approximately 4 hours from Duhamel’s hometown. Their mutual friends eventually stepped in and helped bring the pair together.

A friend later met Mari in Santa Monica and discovered that she and Duhamel had already been following each other online. Duhamel subsequently invited her to a barbecue at his home, viewing the invitation as a friendly gathering between 2 people with North Dakota roots. He was genuinely not thinking about dating her at that particular point.

Duhamel said he was immediately attracted to Mari when she arrived, but initially ruled out dating her because he believed she was too young. Their communication remained platonic before eventually becoming romantic.

Why did he initially wait before dating her

Duhamel said he initially decided against pursuing Mari because he believed she was too young for him. Their early communication remained platonic while they got to know each other. Their easy friendship stayed comfortable and completely pressure-free for several years.

His perspective changed as their conversations continued. Duhamel later said Mari was more mature than he was, and the friendship eventually developed into a romantic relationship. Their genuine bond grew slowly and naturally over a long period.

The couple began dating around 2019. Duhamel has since described the relationship positively, saying that getting to know Mari changed his initial concerns about their age difference. This slow-and-steady start helped build lasting trust between the 2 of them.

Fun fact: Duhamel won a Daytime Emmy Award in 2002 for his soap opera role on All My Children.

Their journey from friendship to marriage

Duhamel and Mari began dating around 2019 after a period of platonic communication, and they announced their engagement in January 2022. They eventually decided together that it was time for the next big step.

The couple married on September 10, 2022, at Olivet Lutheran Church in Fargo, North Dakota, in Mari’s hometown and their shared home state, with family and close friends gathering to celebrate.

They welcomed their son, Shepherd Lawrence, in January 2024, and their daughter, Rocca de Leon, in May 2026. Duhamel is now a father of 3, including his older son, Axl, from his previous marriage to Fergie. The family has grown closer with each passing year.

Balancing family life and career demands

Duhamel and Mari split their time between Fargo, North Dakota, and a rural property in Minnesota, and the family has been shifting more of its life to the Midwest.

In July 2026, Duhamel completed the sale of his longtime Los Angeles-area home in Encino, calling it the house that served as his transition space after his divorce and before he started a new family with Mari.

Duhamel has described the Minnesota property as a place where his children can spend time outdoors and where the family can enjoy a quieter, more self-sufficient lifestyle, though he has also acknowledged that acting can require lengthy absences from his children.

His acting career continues alongside that move: Duhamel stars as Staten Kirkland in Netflix’s “Ransom Canyon,” whose second season premiered on July 23, 2026. Still, he always prioritizes time with his wife and children whenever possible.

His previous marriage and co-parenting relationship

Duhamel was married to Stacy Ann Ferguson, professionally known as Fergie, from 2009 until their divorce was finalized in 2019. They share a son, Axl Jack, who is 12 as of July 2026.

Duhamel has said the marriage ended because he and Fergie grew apart and developed different outlooks on life, and that he has no regrets about their relationship, since it gave them their son.

Duhamel has praised Fergie as a kind, non-confrontational mother and described their co-parenting relationship as amicable. He has also said that Fergie and Mari get along well, calling it a positive relationship between his ex-wife and his current wife.

The age-gap joke draws attention

Duhamel’s remark became an entertainment-news story after the podcast episode. He delivered the comment as a joke after realizing that Mari and his youngest sister were born only months apart, and some fans reacted negatively to how the moment was framed online.

He said he had never considered the age difference through that comparison before, framing the realization as a humorous coincidence rather than a sign of trouble in the marriage.

Duhamel has continued to speak positively about Mari in interviews, describing their relationship as one built on friendship and mutual respect that grew stronger over time. He has said he considers himself fortunate to have married her and expects their bond to last.

Little-known fact: Duhamel won Male Model of the Year in 1997, beating runner-up Ashton Kutcher.

TL;DR

• Josh Duhamel, 53, and his wife, Audra Mari, 32, have a 21-year age gap.
• He realized the gap’s true size when he compared Mari’s age to his younger sister’s.
• The pair first connected through mutual North Dakota roots and friends.
• They married in 2022 and now share 2 young children together.
• Duhamel was previously married to Fergie, with whom he shares a teenage son.

If you liked this story, don’t forget to follow us for more exclusive content.

This article was made with AI assistance and human editing.

If you liked this, you might also like:

• Josh Duhamel shares update on relationship with ex-wife Fergie
• Josh Duhamel faces backlash after comments on The Megyn Kelly Show about actors and politics
• Katy Perry and Justin Trudeau joke about their age gap in a new photo