Dennis Quaid is in on the joke. In a new interview, the actor, 65, opened up about his eye-raising engagement to Laura Savoie, a 26-year-old PhD student.
“That was really a laugh,” the Parent Trap star told The Guardian in a new interview, published on Monday, November 25, of the news coverage about the whopping age difference. “I thought it was wonderful, actually.”
After Us Weekly broke the news in October that the pair were getting married, fans took to social media to point out the nearly 40-year age difference. However, it “really doesn’t bother” them, Quaid said.
“Everyone comes from the perspective of their own life and so I can’t comment on the way they feel; I can’t even get angry,” the Texas native continued. “I didn’t go out looking for an age gap or someone really younger than me. I met her at a business event and then the relationship developed. You have no control over who you fall in love with.”
Quaid, who has been married three times (to P.J. Soles, Meg Ryan and Kimberly Quaid) also added that it takes a lot to get him to commit.
“I don’t fall in love easy. But I can’t let what a few people think control all that,” the Midway actor added. “I’ve been married three times and this is the final one, I know it is. I feel like I have a real partner in life.”
Dennis and Kimberly share 12-year-old twins. He also shares son Jack Quaid, 27, with ex Ryan.
The Dog’s Purpose star opened up about his engagement shortly after popping the question, revealing that it happened at Turtle Bay in Oahu, Hawaii.
“It was kind of spontaneous. It was very much a surprise,” Dennis told Extra. “I had the ring in my pocket … It has been kind of a month-and-a-half plan … I wanted it to be private.”
He then revealed exactly how he popped the question: “She was actually taking a selfie of us, and I put the ring in front and said, ‘Will you marry me?’ — and then she fell down.”
