GENE Kelly’s widow, Patricia Ward, has opened up about the large age gap she had with the Hollywood star during their relationship.
Patricia married the Singin’ in the Rain star at the age of 31 when he was 78, giving them a nearly 50-year age gap.
“(The) funny thing is, I never really even thought about it because he was so young at heart,” she told Fox News.
“He was young in the way he spoke, in his demeanor, in his brightness of his mind, certainly.”
Patricia said that she never saw a problem with their difference in age until tabloids started making a “big deal” out of it.
She added that her parents never saw any issues with their age difference as well, despite meeting when Patricia was 26 and he was 73.
The couple met in 1985 when Patricia was writing for a TV special about the Smithsonian – a special that Gene happened to be hosting.
After working on the TV special together, the Xanadu star asked Patricia to assist him with his memoir.
The two were married from 1990 until Gene’s death in 1996 at the age of 83.
Gene died at his Beverly Hills home after years of ill health.
In the final years of his life, he suffered two strokes that contributed to his decline.
Patricia was Gene’s third wife, and he shares three children from previous marriages.
While speaking with the outlet, Patricia also admitted she didn’t know who the famous actor was when they met.
“I did not know who Gene Kelly was when I first met him,” she admitted.
“That always surprises people. In fact, some people think I’m making it up.”
She explained that meeting him without any preconceived notions was the “best way” to get to know him.
“Everybody else comes in there like, ‘Oh my God, I love you,’ and I didn’t know who he was,” she said.
“I didn’t know what he represented. I didn’t know his films at all.”
