Hugh Jackman and his wife Deborra-Lee Furness have been married for 21 years. In a new interview with People, Hugh shared memories of the day they met.

“My first job out of drama school — it was a massive break for me. I was really scared,” he shared with editor in chief, Jess Cagle. “Deb, she was a big star. I get picked up, and Deb is in the front seat of the car. I’ll never forget. She took off her seatbelt and she turned around and put out her hand and took off her sunglasses and said, ‘Hi, I’m Deborra-lee Furness, nice to meet you.’ I remember thinking, ‘I like this girl.’”

He continued: “Deb and I were already best friends, and I realized, I’ve got a crush on my leading lady. This is the thing you do not do. It’s unprofessional and embarrassing… I didn’t talk to Deb for a week,” he remembers. “Then I was like, ‘This is not a good plan.’”

Eventually, “I invited 20 people [over for dinner]. She came over and I said, ‘Deb, give me a hand with the dessert.’ My dad was a great cook, and he taught me how to make crêpes suzette. It’s a good hour to make crêpes suzette. She said, ‘I noticed you haven’t talked to me in like a week, what’s going on?’ I said, ‘I got a crush on you. I’ll get over it, I’m sorry.’ She goes, ‘Oh? Because I’ve got a crush on you too.’ I never in a million years thought she reciprocated.”

Despite their 13-year age difference, Hugh says, “I’m literally the adult in the relationship. She’s just like a little kid. I’m the [one saying], ‘Babe, this is not a legal parking spot.’ ‘Oh, come on, Mr. Goody- Goody.’”