Josh Duhamel is saddling up for a return to television in a new Western series that’s sure to fill that Yellowstone-sized hole in your heart. The Netflix drama Ransom Canyon stars the 52-year-old actor alongside Minka Kelly. People on social media have already begun to compare the series to a country version of Friday Night Lights meets Yellowstone, but fans might not know much about Josh beyond the camera.

You may recognize the actor from his roles in Transformers, Jupiter’s Legacy, When in Rome, Las Vegas, and Safe Haven, but the North Dakota native is a family man through and through. Here’s what we know about his wife, Audra, and son, Shepherd.

Who is Josh Duhamel’s Wife?

Stephane Cardinale – Corbis
The Ransom Canyon actor has been married to his wife, Audra Mari, since September 2022. The pair were first seen together in 2019, sparking rumors about a new romance. During an appearance on Live with Kelly and Mark, Josh revealed that he first DM’d Mari after she was crowned Miss North Dakota USA in 2014. She finished runner-up in that year’s Miss USA and later claimed the title of Miss World America in 2016.

At first, Josh was worried about their age difference, but that didn’t stop them from quickly forming a connection. While dating, the two remained low-key and private with their relationship until January 2022 when they made a very special announcement: their engagement! Josh popped the question on Audra’s 28th birthday and shared the news with fans on Instagram.

Josh shared his proposal story on The Drew Barrymore Show. He decided to pop the question during a trip to Little Palm Island by putting a message in a bottle. He said, “I went up to the concierge and asked if they had an old wine bottle, they did. Took some stationery from the hotel, burned the edges.” He had it perfectly timed with the concierge so that Audra would find the bottle after dinner. Of course, she said yes!

A few months later, in September 2022, the actor and model officially tied the knot in Fargo, North Dakota. The ceremony was held on the rooftop of a local hotel, but Josh almost didn’t make it down the aisle due to a back injury he sustained the night before. “The one day you have to be able to walk is down that aisle,” he said during an appearance on The Late Late Show with James Cordon. “And it was, like, touch and go right up until an hour before the wedding.”

Do Josh Duhamel and Audra Mari have children together?

A year after their wedding, the couple made a special joint announcement on Instagram that they were expecting a child together. While the Ransom Canyon star already had a son from his previous marriage to singer Fergie, this was his first with Audra.

On January 11, 2024, Josh and Audra welcomed their son, Shepherd Lawrence Duhamel. Since his birth, the couple has devoted their home life to living off-the-grid. The actor built a cabin in the woods of Minnesota for his family. In an interview with Country Living, he revealed that he wanted to be away from everything: “We’re about 40 minutes from civilization. It’s an exhale whenever we get here.” He added, “Here my kids get to be kids—catching frogs, collecting sticks. They come home and they’re filthy, and I think that’s so good for them.”