Dick Van Dyke took another shot at love after losing his long-time partner, Michelle Triola, with talented makeup artist Arlene Silver.
With a 46-year age gap, many believed their relationship would never work, but the couple has proven everyone wrong with 13 years of marriage and a love that lasts.
Defying all the odds and the negative believes, here is the real story behind Van Dyke and Silver’s 46-year age difference.
A Chance Encounter Turned into an Instant Connection
Van Dyke and Silver first met at the 2006 Screen Actors Guild Awards. At the time, Silver was at the event as a makeup artist while the legendary entertainer was an honored guest.
Then 81, the iconic actor was instantly charmed by Silver, who was 35 at the time.
“I never approached a strange woman in my life,” he told Entertainment Tonight. “She walked by and I jumped and I said, ‘Hi, I'm Dick.’ I had no idea she was half my age. Beautiful.”
Recalling the start of their story, Silver confessed to the Huffington Post that she remembered “seeing Van Dyke at the catering table with his bow tie and his big smile.”
After introducing himself, the first thing she asked him was, “Weren’t you in Mary Poppins?”
“I knew who he was but I wasn’t sure why I knew who he was,” she explained. “I was not familiar with all his work. He has so much work I can’t believe I missed it.”
From Platonic to Romantic Relationship to a Wedding
After their first meeting, Van Dyke and Silver did not jump into a relationship yet. In fact, their relationship was strictly platonic at first.
“We were friends for so long that when I told people that I know, they were happy about [our relationship],” Silver revealed to ET.
Their relationship slowly blossomed and it was not until 2011 that they started dating.
In a different interview with Parade in 2013, Silver fondly remembered the day her feelings for Van Dyke changed.
“When we were working together on a movie, there was one time when we were doing a night shoot... and he was laughing like he always does, but it was the way he was lit or something—he had on a sweater and I thought, 'Wait a minute!' I just felt a little different.”
A Wedding to Remember
A year after they started dating, Van Dyke and Silver finally tied the knot in a private ceremony in Malibu.
Van Dyke was already 86 then while his wife was 40. Despite the age difference, the Chitty Chitty Bang Bang star called marrying Silver “one of the smartest moves I ever made.”
“She’s just the most joyful person. He influences everybody else to be more joyful, playful,” he continued.
Silver, on the other hand, credited her husband for helping her find new confidence by letting her sing in front of a huge crowd.
“He got me to sing up on a stage and sang in front of 1,500 people for the first time,” she said. “He’s just the most joyful person.”
As Van Dyke was thankful that he never grew up, Silver described their dynamic as “enjoying a second childhood together.”
Addressing the Age Gap
Van Dyke understands that no one thought his relationship with Silver would ever work out.
However, 13 years into marriage, he told People that they still “get along so well.” “We just care about each other so much,” Silver added.
She also found it “eerie” that their relationship worked, despite knowing couples of the same ages who never lasted.
Anyhow, there is no denying that their age difference was an initial concern for Silver. But she later saw it “irrelevant,” especially when they are together that they never even think about it.
Van Dyke shared the same sentiment, saying, “She’s very mature for her age, and I’m very immature for my age, so it’s just about right.”
Hence, he has his youthful spirit to thank for the success of their marriage.
“Emotionally I’m about 13 … She’s very, very wise for her age,” he continued. “The age difference kind of stopped her. I had to convince her that it was meaningless. I am so happy.”
As Silver said, “Love is ageless.”
No matter what people say, Van Dyke and Silver have proven that their love is real and their marriage is built to last.
Their relationship is a powerful testament to the idea that love knows no age, defying societal expectations about relationships.