Josh Duhamel made a rare comment about his ex-wife Fergie, five years after their divorce.
The actor, 52, shared a brief insight into their coparenting dynamic in an interview with Parade published on Thursday, April 10.
In the interview, Duhamel admitted there was “very little conflict” between the pair as they work at being the best parents possible to their 11-year-old son Axl Jack. He also told the outlet he is still a “work in progress” when it comes to relationships following the breakdown of their marriage.
Since calling it quits with Fergie (real name Stacy Ann Ferguson), Duhamel has moved on with current wife Audra Mari and the couple share 15-month-old son Shepherd.
The Las Vegas alum gave up the fast-paced world of Hollywood for an “off-the-grid” home in Minnesota, which Duhamel describes as being located “deep in the woods” and “removed from everything.”
Speaking to Parade, Duhamel explained that he cherishes the effect living there has on his family, especially his sons.
“My son is going to have memories of this place forever,” he told the outlet. “He’s not on his iPad when he’s out there. He’s out there in the boat with me, or he’s playing soccer on the beach, or he’s out there in the woods doing whatever I’m doing. And then I have a little baby who’s going to experience the same thing. Someday, I hope to pass this on to them [so] they’re able to share it with their kids. It’s really important to me that they have this. It’s not just about having all the amenities and all the luxuries that we become so used to. It’s really about family. It’s about legacy.”
Duhamel and the Black Eyed Peas singer, 50, officially finalized their divorce in November 2019, after separating two years earlier.
According to court documents obtained by Us Weekly at the time, the former couple’s marriage was legally terminated after they reached an agreement on the terms of the judgment on November 22 2019. The pair previously announced their separation in September 2017, but the “Fergalicious” singer didn’t file for divorce until May 2019.
Duhamel and Fergie started dating in 2004. Duhamel proposed in December 2007 and they wed in Malibu in 2009 and welcomed Axl in 2013.
The exes announced their split after eight years of marriage in 2017 via a joint statement to Us Weekly where they insisted they still had “absolute love and respect” for one another despite the break up.
“We decided to separate as a couple earlier this year,” they told Us in a statement in September 2017. “To give our family the best opportunity to adjust, we wanted to keep this a private matter before sharing it with the public. We are and will always be united in our support of each other and our family.”
Fergie later broke down in tears while discussing the pair’s fractured relationship one month after split news broke. “It wasn’t my plan. I wanted to stay married forever,” she said on The Wendy Williams Show in October 2017. “I love Josh. He’s the father of my child.”
Duhamel addressed their divorce during an appearance In Depth with Graham Bensinger in 2023, explaining he never “got comfortable” with the spotlight that comes with fame.
“We both agree that we’re just very different,” he said, adding, “It was just a lot. I missed the simplicity of who I really am.”
Describing Fergie as a “kind person” during the interview, Duhamel also shared, “We had a great time. I think we kind of outgrew each other and had very different interests.”
