Mary Steenburgen was quite impressed with Ted Danson when they met.
The Book Club: The Next Chapter star, 71, exclusively told PEOPLE on the Golden Gala red carpet on Friday, Jan. 3, that at first she thought Danson, 77, was a “smooth” guy because of his acting job — but quickly found out he was the opposite when she started dating him.
“I admired him so much as an actor, but I didn’t know him personally,” she recalls The man inside actor, whom she married in 1995. “And I had this stupid idea that he was, like, maybe a smooth guy.”
“How wrong I was,” she adds. “Shiny guys don’t say, ‘God,’ after making love. I would like to apologize to my grandchildren.”
Ted Danson and Mary Steenburgen at the Golden Gala on January 3, 2025.
Gilbert Flores/GG2025/Penske Media via Getty
Ted Danson Raunches Marriage to Mary Steenburgen Ahead of 30th Anniversary: ’Celebrating How Lucky We Are’ (Exclusive)
The actress explained that there was more to Danson than meets the eye — something she’s learned over the years — including his enthusiasm for “fighting to keep the world’s oceans safe and successful” and his “kindness” on sets.
“And there’s a reason why Ted is appreciated by everyone who works with him… Ted sets the tone,” Steenburgen raves. “He’s just so loving and enjoys acting so much that all of us who work hard away from our families for long hours on set are dictated by his kindness.”
“As his wife, I have seen the respect and love the team has for Ted, I have always been very proud of him,” she continues. “I also fell in love with the father he is and with his beloved daughters… Ted loves them with all his heart, yet he still had the space to love my Lilly and Charlie so perfectly. It’s pretty exciting to go through life with Ted Danson.”
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(718x406:720x408)/ted-danson-mary-steenburgen-academy-awards-031124-1-d283a810dd03402db17845bd4d5c4dae.jpg)
Ted Danson and Mary Steenburgen at the 96th Academy Awards held at Ovation Hollywood on March 10, 2024 in Los Angeles, California.
Gilbert Flores/Variety via Getty Images
Ted Danson is thankful he didn’t meet wife Mary Steenburgen until his 40s: ‘Thank God’ (Exclusive)
The couple — who met in 1983 and will celebrate their 30th wedding anniversary in October — shared with PEOPLE in November the secret to their long-lasting marriage, which included a “4:30 a.m.” one-on-one time.
“The most fun is early in the morning … coffee in bed, playing Wordle, Connections and Spelling Bee, talking, laughing and sharing,” he added, referring to the online games he created The New York Times. – For both of us, it’s like heaven on Earth.
“Even if she works in a different time zone, we’ll wake up in time to play our games and drink coffee over the phone,” he added.
Never miss a story — subscribe to PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Danson, who met Steenburgen in his 40s, also previously said he believes he met the actress at the right time.
“I did, about a year ago [I met her]I decided I wanted to become a more emotionally mature, honest human being,” he said. “I worked very hard at it or I don’t think Mary Steenburgen would have seen me.”
Before they got together, Steenburgen was married to Malcolm McDowell, with whom she shares children Lilly Walton, 43, and Charlie McDowell, 41, and Danson was previously married to Casey Coates, with whom she shares daughters Kate, 44, and Alexis (39).
Categories: Trends
Source: HIS Education