Originally appeared on E! Online
Josh Duhamel initially had no interest in winning a date with his now-wife Audra Mari.
The “Ransom Canyon” star shut down any romantic notions when they first connected online as fellow North Dakota natives, recounting that he thought she was “too young” for him.
“It was truly platonic for years,” Duhamel shared on the May 14 episode of the Not Skinny But Not Fat podcast, explaining that he told himself right off the bat: “‘I’m not even going to go there.'”
The 52-year-old said he still saw Mari, 31, “just as a friend” when he invited her to a backyard barbecue one day. However, upon finally meeting the former Miss World America in person, his perspective started to change.
“She’s more mature than I am,” Duhamel told host Amanda Hirsch. “That’s how we started dating.”
And for Duhamel, he knew that Mari, whom he started dating in late 2018, was the one early on in their romance.
During an interview on “In Depth with Graham Bensinger,” Josh Duhamel reflected back on why he and Fergie split.
“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.”
READ: Josh Duhamel Makes Rare Comment on Fergie Divorce
“The Win a Date With Tad Hamilton!” alum married Mari at their home state in September 2022. Almost two years later, they welcomed son Shepherd, who joined Josh’s 11-year-old son Axl with ex-wife Fergie.
These days, the couple settled down for a quieter life in rural Midwest.
“Part of the reason I built my place out in Minnesota, deep in the woods, is it’s removed from everything,” Duhamel explained 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.”
The relocation was also a chance for Axl and Shepherd, 16 months old, to “get back to the basics.”
“My son is going to have memories of this place forever,” Duhamel shared. “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.”
