How did Josh Duhamel meet Audra Mari? ‘Ransom Canyon’ actor reveals being platonic with wife for years because of 21-year age gap

Actor Josh Duhamel, known for his recent role in Netflix’s Ransom Canyon and past performances in Transformers and Life as We Know It, recently opened up about his relationship with 31-year-old model and former Miss World America, Audra Mari.

Duhamel and Mari first started talking in 2019 when he reached out to her via Instagram. He knew her accomplishments in the pageant world and decided to send her a message to support her.

In the May 10, 2025, episode of the Not Skinny But Not Fat podcast, Duhamel discussed the dynamics of his relationship with his wife, Audra Mari, and how the relationship went from being platonic to romantic despite the age gap. The actor said:

"It was truly platonic for years before that because I was like, ‘No, she’s too young for me. I’m not even going to go there. Then, we started DMing back and forth.”

After a mutual friend intervened, Duhamel and Mari kept on talking. (He also mentioned that their North Dakota roots had brought them together.)

“Then, I invited her to a barbecue, still thinking it was totally platonic just as a friend from [North Dakota]. There aren’t many people from there. But she did come, and I saw her and I was like, ‘Holy s***, this girl’s beautiful,’” Duhamel said.

He added:

“But then she’s more mature than I am. That’s really how we started dating and it’s been a beautiful thing. We’ve been married now for over two years. She’s an amazing mother.”

Despite their mutual admiration, Josh Duhamel initially saw Mari as someone he simply respected and rooted for. Over time, however, his perception changed, and he realized that there was a deeper connection between them than he had first assumed.

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Josh Duhamel and Audra Mari's relationship timeline

The love story between Josh Duhamel and Audra Mari began in 2019, when Duhamel, impressed by Mari’s success in the pageant sphere, contacted the model through her Instagram.

He later invited Mari to his place for a barbecue and was amazed by her presence. What followed was a slow but progressive courtship. Two years later, their friendship blossomed into a romantic relationship, with the duo being seen together at the end of 2019. They had their first public outing in Toronto, where they were seen kissing at the airport.

The next year marked a turning point in their relationship. On Mari's 28th birthday in January 2022, Duhamel proposed to her during an impromptu beach walk.

What made the proposal even more special was the romantic way Josh Duhamel planned it. He talked to the hotel concierge to provide a bottle containing his proposal to wash ashore just when he and Mari were walking along the beach. Duhamel, who had not planned the engagement, confessed:

"Then that morning, it kinda hit me — I was like, 'You know what? You guys have any empty bottles around here?' And I went and talked to the concierge. So we planned it all out — I was gonna walk her down there as this thing was floating up."

He added:

"I turned around and made up another story about like, 'You know what? Let's play some cornhole.' [She was like], 'I'm in heels. I don't wanna play [cornhole]. By the time we got back, the bottle was sitting there. I said, 'Hey, there's a bottle!"

They tied the knot later that year, in September 2022, during a lovely, intimate ceremony in Fargo, North Dakota. In 2023, the couple announced they were expecting their first child. On January 11, 2024, they had their son, Shepherd Lawrence Duhamel.

Josh Duhamel also has another son, Axl Jack Duhamel, from his previous marriage to singer Fergie. Axl was born on August 29, 2013, and is now 11 years old. He is the only child from their eight-year marriage.

Duhamel and Audra shared the news of their pregnancy in an Instagram post, along with a photo of their baby scan, captioned:

“Baby Duhamel coming soon 🤍”

Fergie was quick to offer her congratulations, saying:

“I am truly happy for you guys🥰🥰 Axl can’t wait to be a big brother.”

By 2025, Josh Duhamel and Audra Mari had decided to prioritize their family life even further and adopted a more private lifestyle. The couple moved out to a house in the woods of Minnesota, off the grid, to enjoy their peaceful life in a secluded arrangement.