Will Ferrell Shares the Simple Secret to His Decades-Long Marriage

Will Ferrell revealed to People the simple secret that keeps his marriage exciting and fresh. The former SNL star has been married to Vivica Paulen for 24 years. The couple shares three children.

"I think we were drawn to each other initially through our shared sense of humor,” Ferrell reflected and that has remained the foundation of our relationship," Ferrell, who has partnered with PayPal, says. "I think, ultimately, that's our bond, making each other laugh."

But it’s not all smooth sailing. Despite their rapport, Ferrell says Paulen can occasionally be “a tough nut to crack.” "Every now and then I'll get her to laugh, and she'll be like, 'Okay, okay. You still got it,’” he laughed.

Ferrell continued of his “partner in crime” and life: "Through all of life's ups and downs and raising a family—and with everything everyone has to deal with, especially with how hectic lives can be these days—it's always great to have this partner in crime that you can kind of step away from the fray and just share a thought and share a moment with, where you're both kind of still on the same page, and you get to kind of connect that way," he reflected.

Ferrell and Paulin initially met during an acting class in 1991, but it wasn’t until they reconnected several years later that their romance began in earnest. “We were just friends for five years,” Ferrell said, “and then we circled back to each other.” The couple married in 2000 and subsequently welcomed three sons: Magnus, Mattias, and Axel.