In an industry where marriages routinely unravel before a movie finishes post-production, Will Ferrell and Viveca Paulin have quietly passed the 25-year mark—raising three sons and sharing an irreverent sense of humor that began in a California acting class in 1995.
While Will Ferrell is known around the world for Elf, Anchorman, and Step Brothers, Viveca Paulin has carved out her own respected lane in Los Angeles. A native of Sweden and an alumna of Pomona College, she spent years on the podium as a fine art auctioneer and remains one of Southern California’s most dedicated contemporary art patrons.
Viveca Paulin Quick Bio
| Full Name | Viveca Paulin-Ferrell |
| Date of Birth | April 24, 1969 |
| Birthplace | Askim, Gothenburg Municipality, Sweden |
| Education | Pomona College, Claremont, California (B.A. in Art History, 1991) |
| Profession | Art Auctioneer, Former Actress, Museum Trustee (LACMA) |
| Spouse | Will Ferrell (married August 12, 2000) |
| Children | Magnus Paulin Ferrell (b. 2004), Mattias Paulin Ferrell (b. 2006), Axel Paulin Ferrell (b. 2010) |
Early Life in Gothenburg and Moving to California
Viveca Paulin was born on April 24, 1969, in Askim, a coastal district just south of Gothenburg, Sweden. Growing up in a family that valued languages, athletics, and visual culture, she moved to the United States in the late 1980s to attend Pomona College, one of the Claremont Colleges in Southern California.
She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in art history in 1991. Rather than returning immediately to Sweden, Paulin stayed in the Los Angeles area, splitting her twenties between gallery work and auditioning for television and independent film roles.
Acting Roles and Meeting Will Ferrell in 1995
During the late 1990s, Paulin booked guest appearances and supporting parts in several comedies and action pictures, including Money Talks (1997), Martial Law (1998), and best-friend comedy A Night at the Roxbury (1998)—where she briefly appeared as a Porsche girl—as well as a cameo as an auctioneer in Theimal and Younger years later.
In 1995, she enrolled in an acting workshop at South Coast Repertory in Costa Mesa. One of her classmates was a tall, curly-haired improv comedian from Irvine named Will Ferrell. The two hit it off right away and dated briefly, but within a few months Lorne Michaels hired Ferrell for Saturday Night Live, requiring him to move across the country to New York City.
Five Years as Friends and an August 2000 Wedding
Instead of forcing a long-distance relationship while Ferrell was working 80-hour weeks at 30 Rockefeller Plaza, the pair stayed close friends for five years, talking on the phone and catching up whenever Ferrell returned to California during SNL summer hiatuses. During a trip to visit mutual friends in Seattle, both realized their timing had finally lined up.
On August 12, 2000, Viveca Paulin and Will Ferrell married in a summer ceremony in Sweden, surrounded by her extended Swedish family and his closest comedy friends. Since then, Ferrell has practically become an honorary citizen of Sweden—learning conversational Swedish, spending every summer at the family’s lakeside house in Gnesta outside Stockholm, and celebrating traditional Swedish holidays like Midsommar.
Career as an Art Auctioneer and LACMA Trustee
While her acting credits were fun, Paulin’s real professional passion remained art history. She trained as a fine art specialist and auctioneer, working with Bonhams & Butterfields and later Los Angeles Modern Auctions (LAMA). Her poise at the gavel also made her a sought-after charity auctioneer across Los Angeles and New York.
Together with Ferrell, she has assembled a serious collection of modern and contemporary art—featuring works by Ed Ruscha,Karl Haendel, and Richard Diebenkorn—and serves on the board of trustees of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA). She and Ferrell have also hosted major fundraisers for Cancer for College, an organization providing college scholarships to cancer survivors.
Raising Three Sons: Magnus, Mattias, and Axel
Viveca and Will are parents to three sons, each given a traditional Scandinavian first name paired with her surname as a middle name:
- Magnus Paulin Ferrell (born March 7, 2004), an aspiring musician and singer-songwriter studying at the University of Southern California.
- Mattias Paulin Ferrell (born December 30, 2006).
- Axel Paulin Ferrell (born January 23, 2010).
Ferrell has often joked that living with Viveca and three teenage boys keeps his ego in check—and that Viveca is actually the funnier half of their marriage because she never hesitates to roast his outfits on the way to awards shows.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Will Ferrell’s wife Viveca Paulin from?
Viveca Paulin was born in Askim, near Gothenburg on the west coast of Sweden, and moved to California to attend Pomona College.
When did Viveca Paulin and Will Ferrell get married?
They married on August 12, 2000, after first meeting in an acting class in 1995.
What does Viveca Paulin do professionally?
She is an art historian, contemporary art auctioneer (formerly with Bonhams and Los Angeles Modern Auctions), and a trustee at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA).
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