Denzel Washington Says He's 'Blessed Beyond Measure' with Wife Pauletta: 'She Holds Everything Together'

Denzel Washington and Pauletta Washington have been married since 1983

Denzel Washington praises his life with wife Pauletta.

While Washington, 68, appeared on a new episode of Tom Brady’s radio show Let’s go! with Tom Brady, Larry Fitzgerald and Jim Gray on SiriusXM, the actor shared his plans for Thanksgiving and praised his wife of 40 years for her preparations to host guests.

“The missus is getting everything ready. The long table is outside. People are coming from all over. She told me she had a problem this morning around 11 o’clock, like they brought in the wrong size turkey or something,” Washington said. “So she had to go get an extra turkey or something.”

– And I don’t do anything in the kitchen but eat – he said with a laugh. “She threw me out of there. She said, ‘You have nothing to do with this. Just go make some money and get out of the way.’ ”

With Pauletta, 73, taking over kitchen duties for the holidays, Washington has to admire his wife’s contribution to their family.

“I am grateful and blessed beyond measure with the greatest woman in the world, who is not only a beautiful woman and a great wife and I love her, a great mother to our children, but she holds everything together,” he said. added.

Denzel Washington’s Four Children: Everything You Need to Know

Pauletta Washington and Denzel Washington February 26, 2017

George Pimentel/FilmMagic

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Washington and Pauletta met on the set of his first film in 1977 Wilma. After meeting at a mutual friend’s party some time after filming, the couple married in 1983. They have four children: John David, Katia and twins Malcolm and Olivia.

Denzel Washington and Pauletta Washington March 25, 1991 Laura Luongo/Liaison

In 2018, Washington joked to PEOPLE about what makes his marriage work: “I do what I’m told. I’m keeping my mouth shut.”

“What comes to mind: safety, food, a beautiful home. The difference between a house and a home, there’s a big difference,” he added at the time. “You can buy a house, but that doesn’t make it a home – and not to say that a man can’t make a home a home, but my wife made our house a home, and raised these beautiful children and protected them and sacrificed for them. She did heavy lifting.”

Categories: Trends
Source: HIS Education