United Kingdom, May 20 -- Josh Duhamel thought he wasn't "even going to go there" when he first met his wife Audra Mari.

The 52-year-old actor has reflected on the 21-year age gap between him and Audra, 31, and how for a long time their relationship was strictly "platonic".

He told Amanda Hirsch's 'Not Skinny But Not Fat' podcast: "It was truly platonic for years."

He added that when they first crossed paths, he thought: "I'm not even going to go there."

Initially he saw the former Miss World America as "just a friend" before inviting her to a barbecue, having bonded over being from North Dakota.

He explained: "[I was] still thinking it was totally platonic, just as a friend from NoDak. There aren't many people from there."

However,...