Josh Duhamel Faces Backlash After Saying He Wants to Date ‘Someone Young Enough to Have Kids’

Josh Duhamel is facing some online backlash for saying he wants to date someone “young enough to have kids” after splitting up with ex-wife Fergie.

“I want to have more kids in the next few years. So it’s more about finding someone young enough to have kids,” the 46-year-old Transformers actor told Dax Shepard on the Armchair Expert podcast, notes Us Weekly. “It’s not as if I’m out there just trying to f– anything, that’s really not who I am. I’m trying to find a girl that I can be with and have a family with, you know?”

Duhamel, who shares 5-year-old son Axl with Fergie, broke up with Fergie, 43, in September 2017. He dated Baby Driver actress Eiza Gonzalez, 28, for a few months earlier this year, before breaking up in July.

The actor’s comments on “finding someone young enough to have kids” lit a fire on Twitter and Facebook, where some were offended by the comments. Others were concerned he’s forgetting about the son he already has.

“I think I’m somewhat offended by that part of his statement… You don’t get to choose to have kids even being ‘young enough.’ I was young enough for all my 20’s. Reading statements like this, it #hurts,” one person wrote.

“This is so sexist i want to throw up,” added another.

“Is he young enough to be a father again? He should focus on his son first… so sexist, I’m dissapointed [sic],” another wrote.

“Wow. My opinion of him just changed drastically. ‘Young enough to have kids’ I had my daughter at almost 41. Look for someone you get along with. Then you’ll have a happy family,” one mother wrote on Facebook.

“Another 45 year old looking for something younger. What a cliche. Appreciate your age and women of your age,” another Facebook user wrote.

Aside from the controversial comment, Duhamel told Shepard he likes the “chase” when it comes to dating.

“Maybe that’s part of my problem, is that I like the action, I like the chase… I like all that stuff,” Duhamel explained. “I think it’s genetic. I think it’s primal for us to have that. There’s certain people that you see and you just want. It’s not always the most beautiful person, there’s something that happens… and often times, those people that you have that for don’t have that for you.”

Duhamel said he had a “great relationship” with Fergie and always will.

“Ferg and I had a great relationship. I love that girl and I always will. Unfortunately we didn’t work, but I will always have her back and she is the mother of my baby,” he added. “She’s awesome. So I’m just trying to find somebody. That’s kind of what I’m looking for.”

Duhamel recently appeared in Love, Simon and can also be seen in Taco Bell commercials.

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