Josh Duhamel recently shared the surprising moment when the 21-year age gap between him and his wife, Audra Mari, truly hit him.
Although the couple rarely thinks about the difference in their ages, the actor admitted that one old family photo suddenly made him see things differently and even led him to joke that he was “officially too old” for his wife.
Josh Duhamel Says An Old Family Photo Changed Everything
Duhamel shared the story during a recent appearance on The HoneyDew With Ryan Sickler podcast. While looking at an old photograph of himself holding his newborn sister, Kassidy, he suddenly realized something surprising. Kassidy and Mari are almost exactly the same age.
Related: 8 Gritty Western TV Series for Fans of ‘Yellowstone’
Remembering the moment, Duhamel said, “I looked at the photo, and I looked at my wife, and I said, ‘You know, you and Kassidy are exactly the same age.’” The discovery caught him off guard because he had never compared the two before.
Laughing, he added, “Is that a highlight or a lowlight? I’m not sure,” before recalling that he told Mari, “‘Ooof, I am officially too old for you’ … They’re literally like months apart in age. I never looked at it like that until I saw that photo. I was like, ‘Wait a second.’”
The photograph dates back to a time when Duhamel was 21 years old and playing football at Minot State University. Recalling the day he found out his family was growing, he said, “Kassidy came along … and I was playing football at Minot State University. Go Beavers! Warming up on the sideline.”
He then added, “And I remember looking up at the stands, and I see my mom and [she] has this bump. And I’m like, ‘What the— Is my mom pregnant?’ … I was 21 years old … and she’s having another baby. And I was like, ‘Oh my god, you gotta be kidding me!’ So, now we love it.“
Josh Duhamel And Audra Mari Have Grown Their Family
The actor and Mari began dating in 2018 and tied the knot in 2022 after four years together. Since then, their family has continued to grow with the arrival of their son in January 2024 and their daughter in May 2026.
In case you missed it: Addictive New Crime Thriller Just Broke Every Netflix 2026 Premiere Record
Although people often notice the couple’s 21-year age difference, Duhamel’s recent comments suggest it has rarely been something they think about in everyday life. It took an old family memory to make him see the timeline of their lives from a completely different perspective.
Mari has also spoken openly about the age difference in the past. During a 2023 interview with Graham Bensinger, she explained that it does not usually affect their relationship but becomes part of the conversation when they discuss having children.
“I will say, the age thing doesn’t normally come into conversation, but it definitely does when speaking of having babies,” Mari said. She added, “I really do believe he would have five more kids if he was even 40 right now. It’s probably true. We’ll definitely have a few, though. Hopefully, God willing.”
Since making those comments, the couple has welcomed both a son and a daughter.
You might also like to read: Why Netflix Didn’t Bring Millie Bobby Brown Back As Eleven For New ‘Stranger Things’ Series
