Dick Van Dyke is days away from a milestone birthday and celebrating with friends!
On Thursday, Dec. 5, the legendary actor opened up about turning 99 years old this month during an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live!.
Joined by Coldplay frontman Chris Martin, who was on the late-night show to talk about the group’s “All My Love” video, Van Dyke — who stars in the music video — didn’t shy away from poking fun at his age.
Martin, 47, dished on one of his favorite moments of the video shoot, when Van Dyke’s son Barry, 73, approached the Mary Poppins actor and asked: “Dad, can I turn the pool slide on?”
“It was so sweet because it was like a son and his dad,” Martin recalled as he and the audience laughed. “But they’re collectively 176 [years old],” he joked.
Fallon pointed out that not only is Van Dyke’s age impressive, but the ages of his children are too. Van Dyke is also Dad to son Christian, 74, and daughters Stacy, 68, and Carrie, 63.
“I’m old enough to be Joe Biden’s father,” he quipped of the 82-year-old president.
Although Van Dyke shared that he experiences dementia every once in a while, he said with a laugh, “Like, right now, I think I’m on the Jimmy Kimmel Show.”
“Happens to me too,” Kimmel assured. He also shared a story of when he saw Van Dyke earlier that day and asked him how he was doing.
“‘Very old,’ ” he said Van Dyke told him.
Over the course of his 70-year career, Van Dyke has captivated audiences with his iconic performances in films like Mary Poppins and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and shatter records — including becoming the oldest Daytime Emmy winner for his role as Timothy Robicheaux on Days of Our Lives in June — along the way.
In September, the esteemed actor joked that he was “looking for work” after he won an award for outstanding variety special at the 2024 Creative Arts Emmy Awards for his 2023 birthday special, Dick Van Dyke 98 Years of Magic.
After accepting his award, he reflected on his illustrious career while answering questions from reporters.
“I’ve been in the business 75 years. I can’t believe that I’m still here and performing,” he said before laughing, “I’m looking for work if anybody has.”
When the entertainer turned 98 last year, he told PEOPLE he planned on celebrating the occasion in a low-key fashion, surrounded by several of his grandchildren.
“I’m not much on traditions, I don’t think,” he said, explaining that he finds joy and gratitude “every day” of his life. He added, “My wife brings me a cup of coffee in the morning. I get it in bed. I get treated like a king around here.”
While Van Dyke continues to live large, he admitted that his nineties have come with an unexpected challenge — he’s outlived many of his friends including Norman Lear, who died at the age of 101 in December 2023.
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“I had a bunch of friends there to say nice things, but Mary Tyler Moore, Morey [Amsterdam] and Rosie [Rose Marie], Carl Reiner, Norman Lear, all the people that I always loved and associated with are gone, so I’m having to make new friends,” he said.
“I’m happy to say people come to me,” he added. “I don’t have to go out looking.”
Van Dyke celebrates his 99th birthday on Dec. 13, 2024.
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