Actor Josh Duhamel has offered rare insight into the dynamics of his marriage to pop superstar Fergie, revealing that navigating their relationship during the height of her fame presented significant personal challenges.
During an appearance on The Megyn Kelly Show on Monday, March 25, the 53-year-old actor addressed questions about whether the disparity in their celebrity status created tension during their decade-long marriage.
"It was a huge shift [in my life] because she was a massive star at the time and so it was a big adjustment for me, if I'm being honest," Duhamel acknowledged. When host Megyn Kelly pressed further about whether either partner struggled with whose star shined brighter, Duhamel responded with disarming honesty: "Yeah, probably. It's probably my own ego more than anything."
The actor admitted that he felt as though he existed "in [Fergie's] shadow a lot of the time," noting that the dynamic likely bothered him more than it affected his former spouse. The couple married in 2009, the same year Fergie achieved unprecedented commercial success with the Black Eyed Peas, scoring two Billboard number-one hits with "Boom Boom Pow" and "I Gotta Feeling."
Duhamel and Fergie, whose legal name is Stacy Ann Ferguson, welcomed their son Axl Jack in 2013 before ultimately separating in 2019. Despite the challenges that led to their divorce, the actor emphasized the positive relationship they maintain as co-parents.
"Fergie is a very normal person, at the end of the day. A good mom. We have a great relationship," Duhamel stated. He particularly praised the cordial dynamic between his ex-wife and his current spouse, former Miss World America winner Audra Mari, whom he married in September 2022.
"She and my wife actually get along great," Duhamel said. "I want to make sure everybody is just copacetic. I just want peace and I don't want any in-fighting between anybody. They've been very civil, thankfully, in the way they approach this thing. It could be ugly but, thankfully, it's not."
The harmonious co-parenting arrangement was recently demonstrated when Fergie publicly congratulated Duhamel and Mari on their pregnancy announcement earlier this month. The couple, who share two-year-old son Shepherd Lawrence Duhamel, revealed they are expecting a daughter. Fergie responded to the Instagram announcement with warmth, commenting, "Welcome the cuteness!"
In a separate podcast appearance on The Skinny Confidential in March, Duhamel elaborated on the fundamental differences between his marriages while maintaining respect for both women. "We're just very different. Fergie and I, we just have different views of the world. And that's OK, you know," he explained. "But I have no regrets about that. We have a beautiful son."
The actor described Fergie as "very wholesome" and "very nonconfrontational," qualities he expressed gratitude for given their ongoing parenting partnership. He noted that the 50-year-old singer has stepped away from much of the spotlight in recent years, focusing on motherhood.
Duhamel's candid reflections offer a nuanced perspective on the complexities of high-profile relationships and the ego challenges that can arise when one partner's career eclipses the other. His willingness to acknowledge his own insecurities while praising his ex-wife's character demonstrates a maturity that has evidently contributed to their successful co-parenting arrangement.
The actor concluded his remarks by emphasizing his current contentment: "I'm extremely happily married now to my wife, Audra. We have a beautiful son and a little girl on the way." His story serves as a reminder that even seemingly glamorous celebrity marriages face universal challenges, and that respectful separation can ultimately benefit all parties involved, particularly the children.