Dick Van Dyke has opened up about meeting his wife, Arlene Silver, for the first time and how he managed to stay healthy till this age.
Dick met Arlene back in 2006
Van Dyke is an Emmy-winning legend from Mary Poppins and Night at the Museum, and Arlene’s a make-up artist. The couple ended up tying the knot in 2012. Been married for 13 years now, which is impressive to say the least.
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They first met backstage at a show
In an interview with People, the 99-year-old shared that’s where he and Arlene first crossed paths.
“She walked by and for some reason, I just jumped up and said, ‘Hi, I’m Dick,’” he said.
The actor admitted that at that time this move was totally out of character for him
He laughed about it later, saying he’d never just gone up and said hi to a random girl before. Said he was always way too nervous to do something like that.
“There’s something about [Silver]” that got to him, he said. And turns out, “I was right.”
The actor is 99 now, and Arlene’s 53
They’re actually really private about their relationship most of the time, but it looks like they’re doing great and still super happy together.
People had A LOT to say when they found out about the age gap
Lately, though, Dick and Arlene have been a bit more open to talk about their marriage, even the whole age-gap thing. Dick even shared what “everyone” was saying when they first got together, and honestly, it’s pretty sweet hearing it from him.
The couple reflected on their 13 years of marriage
Fast forward to now—13 years married—and at the Dick & Arlene Van Dyke Present Vandy Camp event on April 20, the two looked back on everything. Dick talked about how much they’ve proven “everyone” wrong over the years.
People doubted their relationship would last
He said that when people first heard about their relationship, it was all “everyone [saying] it wouldn’t work.” But now? “We get along so well.”
And Arlene backed that up
She said, “Yeah. I mean it’s like eerie how well it works. People the same age don’t last.”
What really seems to make it stick is how much they’ve got each other’s backs
Arlene said they “care about each other” a lot, and Dick’s always made her feel like she can “do anything.”
He said ‘exercise is the answer’
Dick admitted it’s that “positive attitude” that keeps him going—and yeah, that’s partly thanks to Arlene too.
“I still go to the gym three days a week and work out,” he said. “I advise everybody to do that, because that’s what ages people—it’s just a stiffening up and not exercising their muscles and their lungs.
