Will Ferrell's sons with his wife, Viveca Paulin, had the unique experience of being raised by one of Hollywood's most iconic funnymen. "If [my kids have] been mouthing off or something, I turn up at dinner wearing just my underpants to warn them," Ferrell once revealed to BANG! Showbiz. "I can only imagine, but I sometimes equate [parenting boys] to what it must be like running a prison." Ferrell met and fell in love with Paulin prior to finding fame on Saturday Night Live. The couple tied the knot in 2000 and welcomed three sons over the next decade: Magnus, Mattias and Axel. "We have a standing rule that [the kids] get to pick out my Halloween costume, no matter what it is," Ferrell revealed to People in 2017. "I was a poop emoji a couple years ago." Will Ferrell Makes Rare Red Carpet Appearance With Wife Viveca Paulin Keep scrolling for the actor's family guide following their surprise appearance in Disney+ and Hulu's A Very Jonas Christmas Movie in 2025. Viveca Paulin Paulin is a Swedish-American actress and auctioneer. Ferrell first hit it off with his now-wife when they attended the same acting class in 1995. Paulin and Ferrell tied the knot on August 12, 2000, in Los Angeles, shortly before he returned as a cast member on Saturday Night Live's 26th season that fall. She worked with her husband on his 1998 SNL spinoff movie, A Night at the Roxbury, and used her experience running auctions while voicing an auctioneer in Disney's 2018 hit Ralph Breaks the Internet. Away from the big screen, Ferrell and Paulin welcomed their eldest son, Magnus, on March 7, 2004, with Mattias following on December 30, 2006, and Axel arriving on January 23, 2010. Ferrell explained to People that it was important to honor his wife's Swedish heritage by picking Scandinavian names for all three of their sons. For example, "Magnus" in Swedish roughly translates to "great" in English. Amy Sussman/Getty Images "My wife was born in Sweden and we loved the idea of a Scandinavian name," he said. "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." Speaking to People ahead of his 25th anniversary, the Elf star opened up about the key to his successful marriage. "I think we were drawn to each other initially through our shared sense of humor, and that has remained the foundation of our relationship," he said. "I think, ultimately, that's our bond, making each other laugh." Describing his wife as a "tough nut to crack," Ferrell bragged: "Every now and then I'll get her to laugh, and she'll be like, 'OK, OK. You still got it.'" Ferrell and Paulin now split their time between New York City and Orange County, California. (Ferrell was raised in Irvine, California.) Magnus Ferrell The couple's oldest son was born in March 2004. During a 2006 appearance on The Megan Mullally Show, Will revealed that Magnus spoke more Swedish than English because of his mother. Years later, when Magnus was 13, he caused a little trouble between Will and his The Other Guys costar Mark Wahlberg by hitting up Wahlberg's oldest daughter, Ella, on Instagram. "I thought [Magnus] was a lovely lad until I found out that he has formed some sort of communication with my oldest child," an annoyed Wahlberg revealed on The Ellen Degeneres Show. Will assured his costar that Magnus was "a good kid," so Wahlberg seemingly eased up on the possibility of their two children becoming friends - or more. "In actuality, as I've thought about it, I've come to understand that it is inevitable that she'll be with somebody," Wahlberg conceded. "So if it could be with someone like Will, I would be happy." 'Elf' Cast: Where Are They Now? As he grew into his teenage years, Magnus formed a band with his friends - and Will even once joined them on stage in San Diego to spoof his "More Cowbell" sketch from SNL. After enrolling at his dad's alma mater, the University of Southern California, Magnus convinced Will to DJ at one of his frat parties. Magnus has more recently attempted to carve out his own niche in the entertainment industry as a musician. Speaking exclusively to Us Weekly in May 2025, Magnus said that he picked a career path where he could succeed on his own merits. "The great thing about me wanting to do music is that I have to make good music for people to react to good music," Magnus explained at the time. "Sure, there's been opportunities, and I've gotten extra opportunities because of my parents, but I still had to show up for the occasion." Magnus credited his parents with helping him avoid the typical pitfalls that kids of celebrities face. "I'm so grateful," he told Us. "I could have turned out a very wildly different human being, but I'm so thankful. I didn't really even know what [my dad] did until I was 11." Mattias Ferrell Prior to Mattias' arrival, Will was asked on The Late Show With David Letterman whether he and Paulin were expecting a boy or girl. "You know, I don't know if I do [know its s