He proposed with a message in a bottle — Josh Duhamel's wife, Audra Mari, and their story so far
Josh Duhamel’s wife, Audra Mari, is a model, television host, and former beauty queen who won Miss World America 2016. The two began dating in 2019 and tied the knot in September 2022. They share two children, a son, Shepherd, born in 2024 and a daughter, Rocca de Leon, born in May 2026.
Source: Getty Images
TABLE OF CONTENTS
- Key takeaways
- Profile summary
- Who is Josh Duhamel's wife?
- Josh Duhamel and Audra Mari's relationship timeline
- October 2019: Josh Duhamel and Audra kiss at the airport
- December 2019: The couple attend a party in Los Angeles together
- January 2020: Duhamel confirmed his relationship with Mari
- September 2021: Josh and Audra attend a concert together
- 8 January 2022: Josh Duhamel and Audra Mari got engaged
- January 2022: Fergie supports Josh Duhamel and Mari's relationship
- 28 January 2022: Josh Duhamel shares how he proposed to Audra Mari
- May 2022: Josh Duhamel and Audra Mari start wedding planning
- September 2022: Josh Duhamel and Audra Mari walk down the aisle
- September 2022: The couple made their red-carpet debut as a married couple
- September 2023: Josh and Audra are expecting their first child together
- September 2023: Josh reveals how he first met Audra Mari
- January 2024: The pair welcome their first child together
- May 2024: Josh Duhamel celebrates Audra Mari on her first Mother's Day
- April 2025: Josh Duhamel opens up about his off-grid life with Audra Mari
- May 2025: Duhamel speaks about the age gap between himself and Mari
- May 2026: Josh and Mari welcome their second child together
- FAQs
Key takeaways
- Josh Duhamel and Audra Mari’s love story began in 2019 when he slid into Audra’s social media DMs after noticing her pageant achievements.
- The couple made their first official public appearance together at a Christmas party in Los Angeles in December 2019.
- In January 2022, Duhamel proposed to Mari on her 28th birthday by placing a handwritten proposal message inside a bottle that washed ashore on a beach.
- The pair married on 10 September 2022 in Fargo, North Dakota, at Olivet Lutheran Church, the exact church where Mari was baptised and confirmed.
- Josh and Audra share two children: a son, Shepherd, and a daughter, Rocca de Leon.
Profile summary
Full name | Joshua David Duhamel | Audra Diane Mari |
Gender | Male | Female |
Date of birth | 14 November 1972 | 8 January 1994 |
Age | 53 years old (as of 2026) | 32 years old (as of 2026) |
Zodiac | Scorpio | Capricorn |
Place of birth | Minot, North Dakota, United States | Fargo, North Dakota, United States |
Current residence | North Dakota/Minnesota, United States | North Dakota/Minnesota, United States |
Nationality | American | American |
Ethnicity | Mixed | Mixed |
Religion | Christianity | Christianity |
Sexuality | Straight | Straight |
Height in inches | 6'3'' | 5'10'' |
Height in centimetres | 190 | 178 |
Weight in pounds | 187 | 121 |
Weight in kilograms | 85 | 55 |
Hair colour | Light brown | Blonde |
Eye colour | Hazel | Green |
Father | Larry Duhamel | Jeff Mari |
Mother | Bonnie L. Kemper | Kaley Mari |
Siblings | 3 | Katelyn Mari |
Relationship status | Married | Married |
Spouse | Audra Mari | Josh Duhamel |
Children | Axl Jack Duhamel, Shepherd Lawrence Duhamel, Rocca de Leon | Shepherd Lawrence Duhamel, Rocca de Leon |
Education | Minot High School, Minot State University | Davies High School, North Dakota State University |
Profession | Actor, former model | Model, TV host, beauty queen |
Net worth | $12 million | $1million - $5million |
Social media |
Who is Josh Duhamel's wife?
The American actor is married to Audra Mari, an American model, television host, and pageant titleholder. Born on 8 January 1994 in Fargo, North Dakota, Audra Mari achieved notable success in 2016 when she won the Miss World America title and went on to represent the United States at Miss World 2016, where she finished in the top six overall.
Source: Getty Images
Josh Duhamel and Audra Mari's relationship timeline
Josh Duhamel and Audra Mari began their relationship in 2019. At first, they kept things private and away from the public. As time went on, their bond grew stronger, leading them from dating to engagement, marriage, and eventually building a family together.
In a 2022 interview with Access Hollywood, when asked what makes Mari the one, the Love, Simon actor shared:
She’s a very sweet girl. Very similar interests — we’re from North Dakota, we love lake life. She’s got a cabin not far from mine. We just match. She’s an amazing person.
In a February 2022 interview with Entertainment Tonight, Josh Duhamel also opened up about his feelings for Audra Mari, saying:
Oh, I knew that pretty early on,...She's an awesome girl, [and] she's perfect for me. We're both from North Dakota, and I think there's a commonality that we have. She's great.
Here is a closer look at their relationship timeline.
Source: Getty Images
October 2019: Josh Duhamel and Audra kiss at the airport
Josh Duhamel and Audra Mari were first romantically linked after being photographed kissing at the Toronto airport on 2 October 2019, as reported by People. At the time, Josh Duhamel was in Canada filming his superhero television series, Jupiter's Legacy, and Mari, who was based in the United States, flew out to visit him.
December 2019: The couple attend a party in Los Angeles together
On 7 December 2019, Josh and Audra Mari attended a holiday party in Los Angeles together, marking one of their first public outings as a couple just weeks after Duhamel finalised his divorce from Fergie.
According to Hollywood Life, they kept PDA minimal but were described as inseparable throughout the evening.
Source: Getty Images
January 2020: Duhamel confirmed his relationship with Mari
On 10 January 2020, Josh Duhamel publicly acknowledged his relationship with Audra Mari during an appearance on The Dan Patrick Show, where he affectionately referred to her as “my girl” and confirmed he was in love.
When host Dan Patrick asked him if he was in love. Duhamel replied, “Yeah! There you go.”
September 2021: Josh and Audra attend a concert together
In September 2021, Josh Duhamel and Audra Mari attended a concert together in their home state of North Dakota, enjoying a night out with Mari’s friends and even sharing backstage moments at a Joan Jett and the Blackhearts performance.
Source: Getty Images
8 January 2022: Josh Duhamel and Audra Mari got engaged
On 8 January 2022, Josh Duhamel proposed to Audra Mari while they were on vacation in Islamorada, Florida. He planned a surprise beachside proposal on her 28th birthday using a message in a bottle.
As they walked along the beach, Mari found the bottle, and inside was a note that read, “Audra Diane Mari, Will You Marry Me?”
Duhamel later announced the engagement on Instagram with a photo of the couple smiling on the beach while holding the note. He captioned it,
It’s on!! She found a message in a bottle that washed ashore and said YES!!
January 2022: Fergie supports Josh Duhamel and Mari's relationship
On 11 January 2022, shortly after Josh Duhamel and Audra Mari’s engagement was announced, a representative for Fergie, Josh Duhamel's ex-wife, told People that she was happy for Josh.
Duhamel and Fergie, who were married for eight years, have remained on good terms while co-parenting their son. The source said:
They co-parent really beautifully together and communicate about many things. They both want happiness for the other and cheer each other on still [...] There seems to be zero bad blood.
Source: Getty Images
28 January 2022: Josh Duhamel shares how he proposed to Audra Mari
On 28 January 2022, during an interview with Access Hollywood, Josh Duhamel shared the story of how he proposed to Audra Mari, revealing that he wanted something simple but memorable. He explained that while they were on a beach vacation, he worked with the hotel staff to place a bottle in the sand with a handwritten note.
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.
May 2022: Josh Duhamel and Audra Mari start wedding planning
About four months after their engagement, the popular actor revealed on 19 May 2022 that he and Audra Mari were preparing their wedding.
Speaking at a People event for The Thing About Pam, Duhamel shared that Mari was handling most of the planning because she was very organised, while he mainly helped by giving his opinion when needed.
Source: Getty Images
September 2022: Josh Duhamel and Audra Mari walk down the aisle
On 10 September 2022, Josh Duhamel and Audra Mari got married in a private ceremony in Fargo, North Dakota, surrounded by close friends and family. They exchanged vows at Olivet Lutheran Church, where Mari was baptised and confirmed.
Mari wore a long-sleeved gown by Leah Da Gloria, while Duhamel wore a classic Ralph Lauren tuxedo. The formal dinner and reception took place at the Drekker Brewing Company.
September 2022: The couple made their red-carpet debut as a married couple
On 21 September 2022, just eleven days after their wedding, Josh Duhamel and Audra Mari walked their first red carpet as a married couple at Harmony Gold Theatre in the Los Angeles premiere of Josh’s movie Bandit.
Josh wore a sleek black suit with shiny shoes, while Audra chose a chic black silk blazer-style dress with heels and a silver necklace.
Source: Getty Images
September 2023: Josh and Audra are expecting their first child together
On 11 September 2023, Josh Duhamel and Audra Mari announced they were expecting their first child together. The couple shared the news in a joint Instagram post, just one day after celebrating their first wedding anniversary.
The post included Polaroid photos showing ultrasound images, along with the caption, “Baby Duhamel coming soon,” confirming they were expecting a baby boy.
September 2023: Josh reveals how he first met Audra Mari
On 13 September 2023, during an appearance on the morning talk show Live with Kelly and Mark, the Shotgun Wedding actor opened up about how he first met Audra Mari. He revealed:
I slid into her DMs…She’d won some pageants and stuff…I root for people who do really well for North Dakota, because there aren’t really many of us, and I really root for them.
He added:
I invited her over to a BBQ one weekend, and she came, and I was like, ‘Wow, you’re beautiful. We started dating, and you know, here we are, 5 years later, with a baby on the way. She’s a pretty amazing girl, she really is.
Source: Getty Images
January 2024: The pair welcome their first child together
On 11 January 2024, Josh Duhamel and Audra Mari welcomed their first child together, a son named Shepherd Lawrence Duhamel. The couple announced the birth of their baby boy five days later via a joint Instagram post, sharing a sweet black-and-white photo of the newborn's tiny feet.
May 2024: Josh Duhamel celebrates Audra Mari on her first Mother's Day
On 12 May 2024, the former fashion model publicly celebrated Audra Mari’s very first Mother's Day, praising her transition into motherhood and her role as a stepmother. Duhamel took to his Instagram Stories to share a sweet, smiling selfie of the couple alongside an emotional message honouring Mari's new role. According to People magazine, he wrote:
Here's to you my love on your first Mother's Day. What an amazing mommy you are to our baby Shepherd and Axl couldn't ask for a better step mother. We're beyond blessed to have you in our lives. And to all the mothers out there, thank you for holding it down and for raising us up. Happy Mother's Day.
Source: Getty Images
April 2025: Josh Duhamel opens up about his off-grid life with Audra Mari
On 10 April 2025, Josh Duhamel said he and Audra Mari enjoy living off the grid at a quiet cabin he built in the Minnesota woods. In an interview with Parade, he explained that the remote home, located about 40 miles from the nearest store and around an hour and a half from North Dakota, helps them escape Hollywood and live a simple family life.
Source: Getty Images
May 2025: Duhamel speaks about the age gap between himself and Mari
On 14 May 2025, during a guest appearance on the episode of the Not Skinny But Not Fat podcast, Josh Duhamel addressed his 21-year age gap with Audra Mari, admitting he initially held back from dating her because he thought she was too young.
It was truly platonic for like years before that, because I was like 'Nah, she's too young, I'm not even going to go there,' and then we started DMing back and forth,
May 2026: Josh and Mari welcome their second child together
On 16 May 2026, Josh Duhamel and Audra Mari welcomed their second child together, a baby girl named Rocca de Leon Duhamel. The couple announced the news in a joint Instagram post, sharing that their daughter was born on 5 May 2026.
FAQs
- Who is Josh Duhamel? Josh Duhamel is an Emmy Award-winning American actor and former fashion model, best known for his television roles in All My Children, Las Vegas, and the Transformers film franchise.
- Who is Josh Duhamel's wife? The Hollywood actor is married to Audra Mari, a former beauty pageant queen, model, and television host.
- What is the age difference between Josh Duhamel and his new wife? Josh and his wife, Audra Mari, have a 21-year age difference. Josh is 53 years old, having been born on 14 November 1972, and Audra is 32 years old, having been born on 8 January 1994.
- How old was Audra Mari when she met Josh Duhamel? Audra Mari was 25 years old when she began dating Josh Duhamel in 2019.
- Who was Josh Duhamel's first wife? His first wife was Stacy Ann Ferguson, better known by her stage name Fergie, whom he married in 2009 and officially divorced in 2019.
- Do Audra and Fergie get along? They have an excellent and very supportive relationship.
- Who are Josh Duhamel's kids? Josh Duhamel has three children: a son with his ex-wife Fergie, and a son and daughter with his wife Audra Mari.
Josh Duhamel and former Miss World America Audra Mari first connected online in late 2018 and got engaged in January 2022. They tied the knot in September 2022 and have since welcomed two children together. The couple, who share a 21-year age difference, bonded over their shared North Dakota roots.
Legit.ng recently published an article about Hayden Christensen and Rachel Bilson’s relationship. The two were together for nearly a decade from 2007 to 2017, remaining one of Hollywood's most famously low-key couples despite their high-profile individual careers.
After meeting on the set of the 2008 film Jumper, they became engaged, took a brief break in 2010, and welcomed a daughter, Briar Rose, in 2014. Though they split in 2017, they maintain a highly successful, amicable co-parenting dynamic.
Proofreading by Kola Muhammed, copy editor at Legit.ng.
Source: Legit.ng
