Inside Ransom Canyon star Josh Duhamel’s private life off-screen with ‘beautiful’ wife and 3 children

Josh Duhamel is back on our screens in the anticipated second season of Netflix’s romantic neo-Western drama, Ransom Canyon. The 53-year-old actor plays ranch owner Staten Kirkland, who has an on-again, off-again relationship with concert pianist Quinn O’Grady (Minka Kelly). 

With Josh back in the spotlight, audiences might be intrigued to know more about his real-life relationship. 

Keep reading to find out more about his life off-screen, including his famous wife and three children.

Who is Josh’s wife Audra Mari?

Audra Mari, 32, is a model, presenter and beauty pageant titleholder from Fargo, North Dakota. 

Audra, who is 21 years Josh’s junior, was crowned Miss North Dakota USA in 2014 and Miss World America in 2016. As a model, she has posed for H&M and Ocean Drive magazine.

The pair began messaging on Instagram and remained friends for years before their relationship turned romantic. 

“It was truly platonic for years before that because I was like, ‘No, she’s too young for me. I’m not even going to go there,'” Josh said on the Not Skinny But Not Fat podcast, before revealing: “Then, we started DMing back and forth.”

After bonding over having roots in North Dakota, where they are both originally from, the pair formed a strong connection. 

Josh shared: “Then, I invited her to a barbecue, still thinking it was totally platonic just as a friend from [North Dakota]. There aren’t many people from there,” and went on: “But she did come, and I saw her and I was like, ‘Holy [expletive], this girl’s beautiful.'”

“She’s more mature than I am,” he confessed, adding: “That’s really how we started dating and it’s been a beautiful thing.”

Josh and Audra’s engagement and wedding

Josh popped the question in January 2022 at a scenic sandbar on the beach during a trip to Little Palm Island.

Speaking with Access’ Mario Lopez and Kit Hoover, the actor admitted that he didn’t know exactly how he was going to propose until he got there. 

“That morning, it kinda hit me — I was like, ‘You know what? You guys have any empty bottles around here?’ And I went and talked to the concierge,” he said. “So we planned it all out — I was gonna walk her down there as this thing was floating up.”

But things didn’t go exactly to plan, as when they arrived the message in the bottle was nowhere to be seen. 

“I turned around and made up another story about like, ‘You know what? Let’s play some cornhole.’ [She was like], ‘I’m in heels. I don’t wanna play [cornhole],'” the actor recalled. 

Fortunately, the bottle eventually turned up and Audra accepted his proposal.

Sharing the joyous news on Instagram, Josh penned: “It’s on!! She found a message in a bottle that washed ashore and said YES!! @audramari.” 

The couple tied the knot in September 2022, exchanging vows in the same church where Audra had been baptised in North Dakota. 

“Not only is it home to us, but it was so convenient for everyone we love to get to,” Audra told Vogue. “I guess the romantic in me always feels like we’re just two small-town kids from North Dakota who found each other in Los Angeles. But we will always be home, no matter where we are in the world.”

Josh and Audra’s family life

In January 2024, Josh and Audra welcomed their son, Shepherd Lawrence Duhamel.

In May earlier this year, the couple announced the arrival of their second child, a daughter named Rocca de Leon Duhamel. 

Josh, who shares an 11-year-old son with his ex-wife, Fergie, spends most of his time at a lakeside property in northwest Minnesota he bought almost 20 years ago. 

“Part of the reason I built my place out in Minnesota, deep in the woods, is it’s removed from everything,” he told Parade. “The closest store is 40 miles away. Once we get there, it’s really about everybody taking care of each other — making memories, spending time with family and friends. You really get a chance to get back to the basics. 

“You’re not consumed by all these other distractions. When you’re out there, it’s really about having fun, making sure everybody’s warm, everybody’s got food and water.”