Will Ferrell Reveals His Secret To 24 Years Of Happy Marriage

Will Ferrell isn’t just one of Hollywood’s funniest stars—he’s also a devoted husband to Swedish actress and auctioneer Viveca Paulin, whom he married on August 12, 2000.

The pair first met in 1991 during an acting class in Los Angeles, forming a friendship that blossomed into a lasting relationship. Eventually, the couple welcomed three children: Magnus, Mattias, and Axel.

In a new interview, Will Ferrell shared his secret about 24 years of marriage with his wife, Viveca Paulin, and how their love has stood the test of time.

Laughter has been a cornerstone of Will Ferrell and Viveca Paulin's enduring marriage.

"I think we were drawn to each other initially through our shared sense of humor, and that has remained the foundation of our relationship," Ferrell told PEOPLE Magazine. "I think, ultimately, that's our bond, making each other laugh."

While Ferrell admits that his 55-year-old wife can occasionally be "a tough one to crack," he admitted, "Every now and then I'll get her to laugh, and she'll be like, 'Okay, okay. You still got it.' "

"Through all of life's ups and downs and raising a family — and with everything everyone has to deal with, especially with how hectic lives can be these days — it's always great to have this partner in crime that you can kind of step away from the fray and just share a thought and share a moment with, where you're both kind of still on the same page, and you get to kind of connect that way," the "Elf" actor continued.

When it comes to holiday shopping for his wife, Will Ferrell says there's one gift he never has to worry about.

"She doesn't really like jewelry. She's afraid she'll lose it, so I get a break," he shared with PEOPLE. "She totally lets me off the hook."

Despite this, Ferrell prides himself on his gift-giving skills. "I actually really love gift-giving, especially if I can zero in on that very specific, special gift," he added.

Ferrell and Paulin's story began in 1991 when they met in an acting class, though their romance was short-lived at first. "It was kind of too much too fast at too young ... like the intensity level was like, ‘Oh woah,' " Ferrell said in July during an appearance on the "MeSsy" podcast. "Then we were just friends for five years and then we circled back to each other."

In 2000, Ferrell and Paulin got married, though not before Ferrell’s proposal, which was a bit on the awkward side.

"It started serious but ended up comedic," the actor told PEOPLE in 2006. "I took her to this beach where we had had one of our first dates. She wanted none of it. She was, like, 'The beach is creepy at night.' I was, like, 'Shut up, this is supposed to be really romantic.' "

However, Paulin’s remark caused the actor to lose his focus. "I was trying to think of what I was going to say and it just turned into, 'So I, uh, really like you and, uh, anyway …' Then I went down to a knee — at least I think I did — and proposed," Ferrell said. "So it was kind of funny, but not on purpose."

The couple now share three sons: Magnus, Mattias, and Axel, who were born in 2004, 2007, and 2010, respectively.

Originally from Sweden and raised in Boston, Viveca Paulin is deeply connected to both cultures. In a conversation with the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, Will Ferrell recalled that it was Paulin who first took him to Sweden in 1998. During that trip, she and her cousin introduced him to Eurovision, igniting his long-standing fascination with the famous song contest.

"We were visiting her family in Sweden and her cousin had asked us for dinner," Ferrell recalled, per PEOPLE. "It was in the month of May, and my wife asked, 'Should we sit down and watch Eurovision?' I said: 'What is that?' and she said, 'You don't know what Eurovision is?' It was the night of the final, and I just sat there in front of the TV transfixed as to what was going on."

The experience ultimately inspired Ferrell to create his 2020 film "Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga."

Ferrell and Paulin are both dedicated to giving back. They’ve made donations to causes like Cancer for College, which helps cancer survivors pursue higher education, and the University of Southern California’s Swim with Mike Foundation, which aids student-athletes who have suffered catastrophic injuries or illnesses.

In 2018, the couple also established the Viveca Paulin and Will Ferrell Scholarship Fund, which provides a full scholarship for female soccer players at USC. This initiative was particularly meaningful to Paulin, who played soccer at Pomona College, and aligns with the couple’s passion for the sport, as their three sons are also soccer players.