Dick Van Dyke’s relationship with his wife has been questioned due to their almost 50-year age gap.
But the Mary Poppins actor, 99, and his wife, Arlene Silver, 53, have been married for the last 13 years.
Speaking to People on Sunday, he said the reason why their marriage works is because “we get along so well.”
“We just care about each other so much,” Silver chimed in.
“Everybody said it wouldn't work,” Van Dyke said while his wife added, “Yeah. I mean it's like eerie how well it works. People the same age don't last.”
The couple first met at the Screen Actors Guild Awards in 2006 where Silver was working and Van Dyke was appearing during the ceremony. Although Van Dyke was 81 and she was 35 at the time, the two didn’t strike up a romance until after Van Dyke’s longtime partner Michelle Triola Marvin died from lung cancer in 2009.
“I never said hello to a strange girl in my life. I was too scared,” the Chitty Chitty Bang Bang star told People about their first meeting. “But I was at a show backstage and she walked by, and for some reason, I just jumped up and said, ‘Hi, I'm Dick.’ There's something about her and got me, and I was right.”
“He's made me feel like I can do anything,” Silver said.
Van Dyke previously admitted in an interview with People in 2013 that he was initially afraid his relationship wouldn’t be accepted due to the 46-year age gap, but he was surprised by his family’s reaction.
“My grandkids call her Grandma. My four kids just love her,” he said at the time.
The actor also joked about Silver keeping him young. When speaking to Yahoo in 2023, he was asked about his “secret for staying so youthful.”
“Having a beautiful young wife half my age to take care of me – that works!” he replied.
He went on to credit his wife with helping him maintain a “positive attitude,” as well as going to the gym “three days a week” to work out.
“I advise everybody to do that, because that’s what ages people,” he continued. “It’s just a stiffening up and not exercising their muscles and their lungs. Exercise is the answer.”
The Bye Bye Birdie actor also chalked up his age-defying qualities to simply having good genes.
Van Dyke was previously married to Margie Willett from 1948 to 1984. Together, the former couple had four children: Christian, Barry, Stacy, and Carrie Beth. In 1976, Van Dyke began dating his longtime partner Michelle Triola Marvin, who would live with Van Dyke for more than 30 years until her death.
Elizabeth Hurley debuts new relationship with Billy Ray Cyrus
Ivanka Trump and Karlie Kloss enjoy family vacation amid feud speculation
Aaron Rodgers reveals he’s in a ‘serious relationship’ amid ‘different phase of life’
The Kardashians’ luxurious Easter baskets include a $900 designer purse
Amelia Dimoldenberg reveals the Chicken Shop date who actually wanted to kiss her
Pork products sold at Aldi spark health alert over possible metal contamination
