This Woman Married ‘Elf’ Star 23 Years Ago Following an Awkward Proposal & They Have 3 Sons with Swedish Names

• This woman met her famous husband at an acting class.
• They briefly dated and became friends for five years before rekindling their romance.
• Although the showbiz star's proposal was awkward, the couple has been married for more than two decades and shares three children.

This woman married one of the most iconic stars in Hollywood, who once admitted that his proposal was "kind of funny." The couple shares three children with names that honor their mother's roots.

This woman hails from Sweden, where she introduced her famous spouse to a European song tradition called the "Eurovision Song Contest" in 1998.

She and her spouse had visited her family in her native country and went to her cousin's place for dinner. She asked him whether he wanted to sit and watch "Eurovision," and he had no idea what it was, asking, "What is that?"

The star recalled the experience in a June 2020 interview: "[...] I just sat there in front of the TV transfixed as to what was going on. I had had no idea. I could not believe this amazing show."

Aside from introducing her longtime partner to one of Europe's famous song competitions, this woman is also into art. She was raised in Boston and graduated with a B.A. in Art History from Pomona College in 1991.

She reportedly learned how to conduct auctions at the now-defunct Butterfield & Butterfield and did the same for Los Angeles Modern Auctions around 2014. At the time, she also served as the trustee at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.

This woman also had a seat on the board of overseers at the Hammer Museum around that period. After studying in California and staying there, she became interested in the city's artists and art history.

In addition, she and her well-known husband reportedly have John Baldessari's 2009 suite of prints in their Hollywood Hills home, including a small sculpture of Mark Twain beside it.

Who Is This Woman & “Elf” Star Who Met at an Acting Class?

The woman whose husband starred in the 2003 hit movie "Elf" is Viveca Paulin, and she is married to actor Will Ferrell. The couple crossed paths at an acting class and dated briefly.

While remaining cordial, Ferrell moved to Los Angeles, where he needed rent money. Paulin was working at an auction house then, and she found him a typing gig.

The comedian later joined the Groundlings improv troupe and eventually landed a comedy gig on "Saturday Night Live" in 1995, where he won a poll for the worst-ever performer, and he ultimately left for New York.

During that same period, Ferrell was dating someone else, but he and Paulin would talk "for two hours" on the phone. To him, it felt like "five minutes." The star of "The Other Guys" would cut the conversation short while on a call with his girlfriend. Ferrell admitted in a July 2012 interview:

“[…] For me, Viv was the one that got away."

While on a hiatus from filming "SNL," Ferrell, who became the highest-paid actor in show business by 2005, went to LA. He revealed Paulin invited him over for a drink and told him she still liked him. The movie star recounted:

"I was stunned. [...] I went, 'I just told my uncle that I'm going to marry you one day!'"

She drove him home, and upon arrival, he tried to kiss her, but she opted to kiss him on the cheek instead. He asked what would happen between them moving forward, and they eventually decided to rekindle their romance following five years of friendship.

Ferrell, who turned down $29 million for "Elf 2," popped the big question after the pair started pursuing each other. He was asked about his awkward proposal in a November 2006 interview.

"It started serious but ended up comedic," revealed the writer. He proposed to the actress at the beach where they had one of their first dates, but she was not into it as she finds the beach "creepy at night." But he convinced her to stick it out because the evening was supposed to be "romantic." Ferrell explained:

"I was trying to think of what I was going to say and it just turned into, 'So I, uh, really like you and, uh, anyway….' Then I went down to a knee—at least I think I did—and proposed. So it was kind of funny, but not on purpose."

Ferrell & Paulin Have Been Married for over Two Decades – They Share Three Kids

The couple tied the knot in August 2000 and welcomed three sons together in 2004, 2007, and 2010 respectively. They gave them Viking names: Magnus, Mattias, and Axel.

The father of three revealed that his first son's name (intended to be a tribute to his wife's Swedish roots) caused some controversy. The lovebirds both loved the idea of a Scandinavian name, which he caught "flack" for.

In addition to paying homage to his spouse, Ferrell has jokingly acknowledged her role in his life. During his acceptance speech at the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor in 2011, he thanked Paulin for making him a dad, noting they have a good life together. The producer further said:

"But I do have to say sometimes you get a little lippy, okay! You got a big mouth, and you like to run it. And I'll tell you one thing, and one thing only, okay, tonight is my night, all right?"

Ferrell once shared that Paulin understands his sense of humor. In February 2020, he divulged that he sends her flowers on Valentine's Day along with "very interesting notes" that make fun of her.

The four-time Emmy Award winner considers himself lucky to be married to Paulin. In December 2015, the couple and their kids attended the red carpet event for "Daddy's Home," in which the family patriarch stars alongside Mark Wahlberg.

The California native gushed about the mother of his kids, a renowned art auctioneer, saying, "My wife is very attractive, I just realized. […] I don't know why she chose me." Ferrell and Paulin have been married for 23 years.