Hollywood loves a train wreck. We're basically programmed to expect celebrity marriages to go up in flames after eighteen months, usually involving a cryptic Instagram post and a leaked prenup. But then there’s Will Ferrell and Viveca Paulin.
They’ve been married for over 25 years. In "famous person years," that’s basically a century.
Honestly, it’s kinda weird how little drama there is here. You don’t see them in the tabloids. They aren’t airbrushing their lives for a reality show. They’re just... there. Solid. Usually at a Lakers game or a museum benefit, looking like two people who actually enjoy each other's company.
But if you think Viveca is just "the wife" of the guy who played Buddy the Elf, you’re missing the most interesting half of the equation.
It started with a breakup (basically)
They met in 1991. Will wasn't "Will Ferrell" yet. He was just a guy in a summer acting class at the South Coast Repertory in Orange County. Viveca was a Swedish-born art history student who had moved to the U.S. and was also dabbling in acting.
They dated. It was intense. Too intense, apparently.
Will has talked about how it was "too much too fast" for where they were in their lives. They actually broke up and stayed "just friends" for five years. Five years! That’s a long time to sit in the friend zone.
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While Will was moving to New York and grinding through the early years of Saturday Night Live, he’d still talk to Viveca on the phone for hours. He’s gone on record saying she was "the one who got away."
The pivot happened when he came back to LA for a visit. She confessed she still had feelings. He didn't play it cool. He reportedly told his uncle he was going to marry her before they even officially started "courting" again.
They finally tied the knot in August 2000.
Viveca Paulin is not your typical "Hollywood Wife"
If you see Viveca in a movie, it’s usually a bit of a wink to the audience. She was "Porsche Girl" in A Night at the Roxbury. She voiced an auctioneer in Ralph Breaks the Internet. But her real world is the high-stakes art market.
She's an auctioneer. A serious one.
She worked at Butterfield & Butterfield and later Los Angeles Modern Auctions (LAMA). If you’ve ever watched a professional auction, it’s basically performance art, and Viveca is a pro. She’s also a heavy hitter in the museum world, serving on the boards of LACMA (Los Angeles County Museum of Art) and the Hammer Museum.
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Basically, she’s the one with the "real" job.
Will even worked for her briefly before his big break. He was an appraisal coordinator, which sounds fancy but mostly involved him typing up appraisals from a Dictaphone. He calls it his "last civilian job."
Raising "The Dudes" in the chaos
They have three sons: Magnus (born 2004), Mattias (2006), and Axel (2010).
The kids seem to have inherited the "funny gene," but in that annoying teenage way where they just roast their dad constantly. Magnus is a musician now—he’s at USC and has his own band. Will famously DJed a frat party for him, which is either the coolest or most embarrassing thing a dad could ever do.
Mattias and Axel are big into sports. Will and Viveca actually coached their soccer teams together. Can you imagine showing up to AYSO and Ron Burgundy is the one blowing the whistle?
The family splits time between a $20 million estate in Los Angeles (which they bought from Ellen DeGeneres years ago), a loft in New York, and a place in Sweden. They’re raising the boys to be bilingual, though Will admits his Swedish is... shaky at best.
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The secret sauce: Laughter and Charity
When people ask what the secret is, Will usually says it’s just making each other laugh. It sounds like a cliché, but they clearly lean into the absurdity of their lives.
They also put their money where their mouth is. They are massive supporters of Cancer for College, a charity started by Will’s fraternity brother Craig Pollard. It provides scholarships to cancer survivors. They don’t just write checks; they host massive comedy benefits and golf tournaments. Since 1993, the foundation has awarded over $6 million in scholarships.
They also founded the Viveca Paulin-Ferrell Scholarship at USC specifically for female soccer players.
What we can learn from them
Most celebrity couples try to be a "brand." Will and Viveca just seem to be a family.
They’ve managed to stay grounded by:
- Keeping their professional lives separate: She has the art world; he has the comedy world.
- Valuing history: They were friends for half a decade before they were a "power couple."
- Embracing the mundane: Coaching soccer and going to art galleries keeps them out of the toxic Hollywood bubble.
If you want to support their mission, you can check out Cancer for College to see how they're helping survivors get through school. Or, next time you're in LA, head to LACMA—you might just see Viveca's influence on the walls.
Next Step: Look into the "Cancer for College" scholarship programs or check out Magnus Ferrell's latest music on Spotify to see the next generation of this creative family in action.