Throughout his life, Josh Duhamel has repeatedly had to prove his abilities to those around him and make dramatic twists in his fate. He could have become an excellent dentist, earned a degree in biology, and pursued a career in the modeling business. In 2000, Josh managed to break into the film industry. Over the next 20 years, Duhamel managed to get typecast as a "soap opera actor" and yet made his way onto the big screen.
Actor Josh Duhamel
By 2020, Josh's name was well known to all Hollywood directors. He felt confident both in action films and detective stories, as well as in dramas and romcoms. His charm and inner energy captivated Fergie, the lead singer of The Black Eyed Peas [jl:{"ctype":3,"ids":1303}], who became his first wife. At the end of 2022, he married for the second time to "Miss World America" Audra Mari, who was almost twice as young as the actor.
Childhood
Josh Duhamel was born on November 14, 1972, in the small town of Minot, North Dakota. Josh's mother was a school teacher, and his father worked as an advertising agent. After Josh was born, the family was blessed with three girls whom Josh was very close to.
When Josh was a teenager, his parents divorced. He saw how difficult it was for his mother to support a large family on her own, so he decided to choose a stable profession - dentistry, which would provide him with a secure future and began preparing for admission.
Josh Duhamel in his childhood
In 1990, he enrolled at the University of North Dakota. Back in school, he was passionate about football, and now he played for the university football team and studied well. I earned a degree in biology, which I needed to enter university to continue studying dentistry., he recalled in an interview.
In 1995, he ended up in Los Angeles - taking professional development courses. To earn a living, the attractive young man decided to try his hand at modeling. And quite successfully: Josh walked on runways, participated in photo shoots, and in 1997, he even won the title of "Male Model of the Year".
Early Roles
In addition to modeling auditions, Josh actively attended acting tryouts. He was so captivated by life in the big city that he completely forgot about his dream of becoming a dentist. The handsome man was willingly invited to star in music videos (for example, in 1999 he appeared in Christina Aguilera's music video for "Genie In A Bottle").
Christina Aguilera – Genie In A Bottle
He simultaneously attended Scott Sedita's acting studio, even though he wasn't sure about his abilities. "Transitioning from the modeling world to television, even to a soap opera, was tough for me. Nobody expected that I could be an actor," Josh said later.
Josh Duhamel in his youth
In 2000, he landed his debut role in the long-running soap opera "All My Children". His love line with co-star Rebecca Budig made both of them Daytime Emmy laureates in 2003. By this time, Duhamel had already tried breaking into the big screen, but unsuccessfully. However, he got a role in the drama series "Las Vegas", which made him famous.
Josh Duhamel in the series All My Children
For five seasons (2003-2008), Josh played a former military man who helped maintain order in local casinos and identify fraudsters. After the success of the series, the actor decided to break onto the big screens and get out of the status of a soap opera star. But his first steps in this direction could hardly be called successful.
Josh Duhamel in the series Las Vegas
The 2004 adaptation of "The Picture of Dorian Gray" with Duhamel in the main role was met with a lukewarm reception. After that, the actor tried his hand at the horror movie "Turistas" (2006), but the film went unnoticed.
The Picture of Dorian Gray - Trailer
Career Peak
A great opportunity for Josh was the invitation to the blockbuster "Transformers" by Michael Bay in 2007. The director was so inspired by an episode of the series "Las Vegas" in which Duhamel's character returned from Iraq, that he entrusted the actor with the role of Captain Lennox.
Josh Duhamel in the movie “Transformers”
Initially, Josh was skeptical about the offer. I remember thinking about my participation, thinking it might not be the best idea... Actually, that's what I thought for about two months until Michael called me and said he saw me in this project, Duhamel admitted.
Josh Duhamel on the set of the movie “Transformers”
Josh starred in the film alongside Shia LaBeouf and Megan Fox. The movie was phenomenally successful, and Duhamel returned to this role in the sequel "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen" in 2009, and then "Transformers: Dark of the Moon" in 2011.
Josh Duhamel in the movie “Transformers 3: Dark of the Moon”
In 2010, Josh starred in the comedy "Life as We Know It", which received positive reviews from viewers and critics. According to the plot, his character had to take care of his goddaughter who had lost her parents. But the man didn't get along with the girl's godmother (Katherine Heigl). Their harmonious and hilarious duo ensured excellent box office receipts for the film, and Duhamel also received a nomination for the Teen Choice Awards.
Josh Duhamel in the movie “Life as We Know It”
A year later, Josh appeared in the romantic comedy "New Year's Eve", and later starred in Lasse Hallström's "Safe Haven" (2013), the film "You're Not You" (2014) with Hilary Swank and Emmy Rossum.
Josh Duhamel in the movie “You're Not You”
Another significant acting milestone in Josh's career came in 2015 when he landed the lead role in the detective series "Battle Creek". Duhamel played an FBI agent who was assigned to assist a policeman in investigating a high-profile case. Josh's contradictory partner was portrayed by Dean Winters.
If you watch the series to the end, you'll see that this guy has his own issues and real demons that he hides behind a perfect suit and hairstyle, Duhamel said about his character. The series was cancelled after the first season, despite high ratings.
Josh Duhamel in the series “Battle Creek”
In 2016, Duhamel played a minor role in the adaptation of Stephen King's novel "11.22.63". And a year later, he returned to collaborate with Michael Bay for the movie "Transformers: The Last Knight". The blockbuster once again collected record box office, but critics were not thrilled. The action film received nine nominations for the Razzie Awards, including Josh himself for "Worst Supporting Actor".
Josh Duhamel in the movie “Transformers: The Last Knight”.
Duhamel continued to work hard: in 2018, he starred in the drama "Love, Simon" and the multi-part thriller "Unsolved". In 2019, he simultaneously directed, wrote and produced the comedy "Buddy Games". The project also starred Dan Bakkedahl, Kevin Dillon, and Olivia Munn. Despite a fairly small budget, the film made twice as much money at the box office.
Josh Duhamel in the movie “Buddy Games”
The year 2020 brought Duhamel roles in the series "Love, Victor", dramas "The Lost Husband" and "Think Like a Dog". The following year, Josh also gained experience in voice acting, lending his voice to characters in the animated films "Batman: The Long Halloween" and "Night of the Animated Dead". In addition, he starred in the science fiction series "Jupiter's Legacy".
Josh Duhamel in the series “Jupiter's Legacy”
Josh Duhamel's Personal Life
Josh Duhamel has never suffered from a lack of female attention. He dated model Christy Pierce, some co-stars, and in 2004 he met The Black Eyed Peas and, as they say, lost his mind.
Josh Duhamel and Christy Pierce
More precisely, he first saw the band's video on TV and "remotely" fell in love with their lead singer, Fergie. The actor immediately persuaded the producers of "Las Vegas" to invite the band to film in one of the episodes. "When I saw her, I blurted out, 'You're hot!'", Josh recalled about his first meeting with Fergie.
Josh Duhamel on First Meeting Fergie
Soon, Duhamel began dating the singer. In 2007, they announced their engagement, but they weren't in a rush to walk down the aisle. Finally, in 2009, the couple got married.
Fergie and Josh Duhamel's wedding
A few months later, tabloids published an article with revelations from stripper Nicole Forrester, who vividly described an affair with the actor. But the star couple managed to overcome the crisis in their relationship. On August 29, 2013, the couple had a son - Axl Jack Duhamel.
Josh Duhamel and Fergie with their son
From the outside, Josh and Fergie seemed like the perfect family, so the news of their separation in 2017 caught fans off guard. The couple did not disclose the reasons for the breakup, but insiders said that Duhamel allegedly did not want to stop at one child, and the singer was not ready to sacrifice her career.
Josh Duhamel on His Baby
In 2019, the stars officially divorced. Before that, Josh was rumored to have romances with Olivia Mann and Eiza Gonzalez. But soon after the divorce, the actor began dating the holder of the "Miss World America" title, Audra Mari. The 21-year age difference did not bother them. In September 2022, Josh and Audra got married.
Josh Duhamel and Audra Mari's weddingWe're both from North Dakota, and I think we have something in common – Josh said about his young wife.
Josh Duhamel Now
By 2022, Duhamel had starred in over 50 projects. He managed to attain Hollywood star status and became a sought-after actor. Josh proved he could take part in a wide range of genres. In 2022, he starred with Renée Zellweger in the crime drama "The Thing About Pam", and with Abbie Cornish in the action film "Blackout". The thriller "Bandit", in which Duhamel appeared alongside Elisha Cuthbert and Mel Gibson, hit theaters at the end of the year.
Josh Duhamel in 'The Thing About Pam'
The actor also returned to the romantic comedy genre that brought him fame. The premiere of the rom-com "My Pirate Wedding" took place in February 2023. Josh and Jennifer Lopez played a couple of newlyweds who were taken hostage.
The filming almost ended in a tragic accident. According to the plot, Josh and Jennifer had to perform many stunts. During one of them, the actress almost fell off a cliff, but Duhamel saved her life by holding her.
Josh Duhamel and Jennifer Lopez in 'My Pirate Wedding'
In 2023, several projects involving Duhamel were in development. These included the comedy "What's He Got?" and a sequel to "Body Games".
Interesting Facts
Josh owns the restaurant 10 North Main in his hometown. The menu features quite exotic dishes, such as elk meat or pheasant.
Duhamel collects Chrysler cars, especially those manufactured in the 1950s and 60s.
In his spare time, Duhamel enjoys creating jewelry. He often gives finished pieces to his friends.
Among his close circle, John is known as a prolific joker - he loves pranks and absurd situations. For instance, at the 2013 Kids Choice Awards, he decided to mimic his pregnant wife Fergie by wearing a fake belly and donning the same dress.
Duhamel's wedding to Audra Mari was nearly jeopardized. The day before, the actor danced so wildly at his bachelor party that he couldn't get out of bed the next morning. Due to severe back pain, Josh had to seek medical attention.
Important Dates in Life
1995 - Moved to Los Angeles
1997 - Appeared in celebrity music videos, received the "Model of the Year" title
2000 - Acted in the series "All My Children"
2003 - Landed a role in the project "Las Vegas"
2007 - Starred in the action film "Transformers"
2009 - Married Fergie
2010 - Acted in the comedy "Life As We Know It"
2015 - Landed a role in the series "Battle Creek"
2017 - Acted in the film "Transformers: The Last Knight", received a nomination for the Razzie Award
2019 - Directed and produced the comedy "Physical Games", got divorced from Fergie
