Inside Josh Duhamel and Fergie’s Strong Co-Parenting Relationship

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Josh Duhamel and Fergie don’t combine their holidays and vacations with their son, Axl, who is now 12 years old.

Despite being separated in 2017 and divorced in 2019, they’ve found a way to successfully co-parent their children and maintain a friendly relationship.

I was so touched to hear Josh Duhamel talk about Fergie – or Stacy Ann Ferguson, as she was born – in Us Weekly last September. He called her an incredible mom, and it really resonated with me. He said we all need to support each other to make their family work, and I think that’s just beautiful. It’s a lovely sentiment and shows how much they care about creating a strong family unit.

This also includes Josh Duhamel’s wife, Audra Mari. They’ve been married since 2022 and have a two-year-old son named Shepherd Lawrence Duhamel. Duhamel has also thanked his ex-wife for making Mari feel comfortable.

He shared on The Jess Cagle Show in 2023, after announcing he and Mari were expecting their first child, that Audra had welcomed them into her life. He added that things could have been much more difficult, and you never really know what to expect in these situations.

Given all the difficulties Duhamel and Fergie faced before their breakup, it was hard to predict what would happen.

From the start of their eight-year marriage, they always presented a united front, even though they faced many rumors.

And Fergie made clear that she did not look at their breakup as the E.N.D.

In September 2017, Fergie told People magazine that she and Josh Duhamel were still very close and cared deeply for each other, which is why they waited months to publicly announce their separation earlier that year. She explained that things were starting to feel awkward, and they realized there would never be a good time to make the announcement, so they just decided to go ahead with it.

And for Axl, she added, “We just wanted to get adjusted in private.”

A month after the initial news, Fergie explained on The Talk that while they were no longer a couple romantically, she still loved Josh and they were committed to making their relationship work in a different way.

Despite the difficulties of their split, the Grammy-winning artist emphasized that maintaining their relationship as parents was the most important thing.

Duhamel has explained that his marriage ended because he and Fergie had fundamentally different perspectives on life, and she was much more at ease with public attention than he was.

Looking back, it was overwhelming,” he explained in a 2023 interview with Graham Bensinger. “I longed for a simpler life and realized I’m just not comfortable with the Hollywood scene—the red carpets and everything that comes with it. While I’ve gotten better at navigating it, it took me a while to feel like I truly belonged. Hollywood and L.A. can be draining if you don’t watch out.”

As someone who’s always believed in connecting with your roots, I was really touched to hear that the former Las Vegas contestant eventually made his way to Minnesota. He shared with TopMob News last year that growing up in the North Dakota wilderness, he’s thrilled to now give his own kids that same experience – a chance to connect with nature and a simpler way of life. It’s wonderful when you can share your upbringing with the next generation!

He told People magazine that despite working in film and television, he considers himself someone who values simplicity and self-reliance. He wants to maintain fundamental skills, especially in a world increasingly dominated by technology, so he can provide for his family.

Fergie continues to live in Los Angeles, which means she and Josh Duhamel have to travel more to share time with their son. However, they both make a big effort to enjoy every moment they have with him.

The singer shared a heartfelt message for her son Axl’s 12th birthday on August 29th, expressing how proud she is of his growing independence and kindness. She wrote about how much joy she gets from watching him discover his interests and grow up, adding that she feels incredibly lucky to be his mother.

To celebrate Axl’s twelfth birthday, Duhamel took him and a few of his friends to Legoland in California. He later shared a heartfelt message online, writing, “Thank you for making these the best 12 years of my life, kid. I love you.”

Following his split from Fergie, Josh Duhamel openly shared his desire to have more children and his hope of finding a partner with whom he could start a family.

He clarified on Dax Shepard’s Armchair Expert podcast in 2018 that he wasn’t simply looking for casual relationships. He expressed a desire to find a partner with whom he could build a family, emphasizing his continued love and respect for Fergie, the mother of his child. While their relationship didn’t last, he stated he would always support her.

He recently shared that he and Fergie are on good terms, telling The Skinny Confidential that she’s a wonderful mother and thankfully, very easygoing. He added that they have a positive relationship, and that she gets along great with his daughter, Audra.

As long as Axl is doing well, that’s the most important thing. Josh Duhamel and Fergie expressed this sentiment when they separated, saying they’ll always support each other and their family.

See Fergie and Duhamel’s sweetest photos with son Axl:

Oh my gosh, I was SO excited when I saw pictures from the Pandora Summer Crush event in 2016! It was Fergie, Josh Duhamel, and their adorable little Axl Jack Duhamel, all together! Seriously, they looked like the perfect family. I saved the photo immediately, it’s one of my favorites!

In 2017, Axl was spotted with his mother, Fergie (whose full name is Stacy Ann Ferguson), at an event held at SiriusXM Studios in New York City.

Fergie and Axl snapped a selfie at a pirate party when he was 4 years old.

Fergie and Josh took their son to the Los Angeles Dodgers against the Boston Red Sox in 2016.

The father-son duo had some fun at the Monster Jam Celebrity Event in 2018.

Josh and Axl get silly at the red carpet premiere of The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part in 2019.

In 2019, Josh celebrated his son Axl Jack’s 6th birthday, sharing that Axl always keeps things exciting and wishing him a very happy birthday.

The actor from All My Children shared a fun photo with his birthday message, capturing a moment of them enjoying a lake outing.

Axl became close to his grandfather, Jon Patrick Ferguson, in July 2020. Fergie shared a heartfelt birthday message, writing, “Happy 73rd birthday dad!! We love you so much.”

“Happy 7th Birthday #AxlJack,” the musician wrote in 2020. “You are my world.”

She shared a birthday message for her son along with a cute photo of him smiling while on a boat.

In May 2023, singer Fergie shared a sweet photo of herself and her son, Axl Jack, both wearing Burberry outfits, writing, “I’m so thankful to be Axl Jack’s mom.”

On Father’s Day 2023, Josh shared a sweet message on Instagram, writing, ‘To my little guy…you make me so happy. Love you!’

In August 2023, Fergie celebrated her son Axl’s tenth birthday by sharing a collection of photos, including this playful one.

She wrote a birthday message saying, “Happy 10th birthday to my sweet, funny, energetic, loving, intelligent, chatty, and creative superhero fan! I love you, Axl Jack.”

Axl became a big brother in January 2024, when Josh welcomed baby boy Shepherd with wife Audra Mari.

As an avid soccer fan, Axl rang in his 11th birthday in 2024 while wearing his favorite jersey.

Watching you grow up has been such a joy,” Fergie shared on Instagram. “I’ll always be your number one supporter, no matter what, and I love you more than words can say.

Although Axl is still young, Fergie marked his twelfth birthday by celebrating all the different sides to his personality.

She shared on Instagram on August 29, 2025, how proud she was of her child’s growing independence and kindness. Seeing her child explore their interests and mature fills her with happiness, and she feels incredibly fortunate to be their mother.

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2026-03-04 01:23