Will Ferrell and wife Viveca with their sons Mattias, Axel, and Magnus© Getty Images

Will Ferrell's three handsome sons are so grown up – see photos of his beautiful family

The Anchorman actor shares his sons with his Swedish wife Viveca Paulin

US Deputy Editor
June 14, 2024

Will Ferrell brings humor to everything he does - and that includes raising his three boys.

The comedian and his wife, Viveca Paulin have brought up three dashing sons, Axel, 14, Mattias, 17, and Magnus, 20, and it would appear that they've not only inherited his height - two of his boys tower over their 6ft 2 dad - but his wit too. 

In fact, Magnus' recent TikTok post featuring Will went viral when he revealed the most embarrassing thing Will has ever done to him. 

"Dressed as a medieval lord to embarrass me at prom 10000/10," Magnus wrote, alongside a photo of himself looking unimpressed as the Elf star stood next to him in full costume. "True story," he added. 

Thousands of fans commented on the hilarious post branding Magnus "mini Will Ferrell."

Many didn't realize he had a son, let alone three. 

Here's everything we know about Will and Viveca's children.

His wife Viveca Paulin

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Will Ferrell says his Swedish-born wife gets his humor

Will isn't the only actor in his household, his wife, Viveca is a Swedish actress and auctioneer. They met in 1995 at an acting class and connected instantly. 

After a few years of dating, they married in August 2000, and Will has credited the success of their marriage in part to their shared sense of humor. 

In an interview with Elle, Will praised his wife when he said:  "Viveca is the one who keeps our family grounded. She’s always been my biggest supporter and has an incredible sense of humor, which is crucial in our household."

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Will Ferrell met his wife in the 90s

He recalled the "simple" thing he loves most about her - that she understood his jokes: "I sent her flowers every day for a week with a card, like, 'You're the fifth-prettiest woman in the office.' She loved it. We had a shorthand with each other."

Viveca was the woman responsible for introducing Will to the Eurovision Song Contest during a visit to her home country in 1998. The experience inspired his movie, Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga. 

Magnus Paulin Ferrell

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Will Ferrell and his oldest son Magnus

The couple welcomed their first son, Magnus Paulin Ferrell, in March 2004. 

His bold name has caused a stir over the years but Will defended their choice of moniker when he said: "My wife was born in Sweden and we loved the idea of a Scandinavian name. I've gotten a lot of flack: 'What kind of ego do you have to have to name your child the great one?' That is not it at all.'"

Magnus has mocked his name too and when a fan commented on TikTok video saying they were surprised by the name, he quipped: "It's diabolical." 

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Will Ferrell has the full support of his family

Will has applauded Magnus for his jokester personality and described him as "very subtly funny." 

He once humorously remarked: "Magnus is at that age where he's starting to realize who his dad is, and I think he's a bit horrified."

That being said, Magnus stepped into the spotlight for an appearance in Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues with his dad but his passion is music. He plays keyboard in a band with two of his friends and regularly updates Instagram with their musical ventures. 

Magnus attends the University of South California, which is Will's alma mater. 

Mattias Paulin Ferrell

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Mattias is Will's middle son

In December 2006, Will and Vivica's family grew with the birth of Mattias. Will once again joked about his son's Swedish name when he told Jay Leno that he thought the English meaning of the moniker was "one who eats fire," before confirming, "it's a very popular name in Sweden."

Mattias actually means "gift of god."

When his boys were younger, Will likened parenting to looking after inmates. 

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Will Ferrell and his wife with their two oldest children

"I sometimes equate it to what it must be like running a prison," he told People. "What happens with three boys is you end up barking out orders like, 'Upstairs now!' 'Brush teeth!' 'Lights out!' There is so much chaos you can’t really take the time to articulate."

However, Will adores being a dad and in an interview with Parade, he revealed: "Being a father to Mattias and his brothers is the most rewarding role I've ever had. It's a lot of work, but seeing them grow and develop their own personalities is just incredible."

Axel Paulin Ferrell

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Will Ferrell has fun with his youngest son Axel

The youngest of the Ferrell clan, Axel Paulin Ferrell, was born in January 2010 and his birth completed the family.

Discussing Axel’s impact on the family, Will once said, "With Axel, our family feels complete. He’s got this wonderful, mischievous spirit that keeps us all on our toes. Parenting is never dull in our house."

Will has often spoken about the joy and chaos of having three boys and frequently includes anecdotes about his sons in his stand-up routines and interviews.

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Will Ferrell says parenting is never dull in his house with three boys

He also says that one of his favorite things to do is embarrass them, especially when they've been naughty. 

"If they've been mouthing off or something, I turn up at dinner wearing just my underpants to warn them," he told BANG Showbiz in 2017.

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