Mary Steenburgen Says She Thought Husband Ted Danson Was ‘Slick’ Until He Said “This” Phrase ‘After Making Love’ (Exclusive)

Mary Steenburgen was pretty impressed by Ted Danson when they met.

The Book Club: The Next Chapter star, 71, exclusively told PEOPLE on the Golden Gala red carpet on Friday, Jan. 3, that she initially thought Danson, 77, was a “slick” guy due to his acting work — but quickly found out he was the opposite when she started dating him.

“I admired him so much as an actor, but I didn't personally know him,” she recalls of Man on the Inside actor, whom she married in 1995. “And I had this stupid idea that he was, like, maybe kind of a slick guy.”

“How wrong I was,” she adds. “Slick guys don't say, ‘gosh-a-rooni,’ after making love. I'd like to apologize to my granddaughters.”

Related: Ted Danson Raves About Marriage to Mary Steenburgen Ahead of 30th Anniversary: 'We Celebrate How Lucky We Are' (Exclusive)

The actress explained that there was more than initially meets the eye with Danson — which is something she’s learned over the years — including his enthusiasm for “fighting to keep the oceans of the world safe and thriving” and his “kindness” on sets.

“And there is a reason that Ted is treasured by everyone who works with him … Ted sets the tone,” Steenburgen gushes. “He's just so loving and takes such joy in acting that all of us who are hard at work away from our families for long hours get to work on a set that is dictated by his kindness.”

“And as his wife watching the respect and love that crews have for Ted has always made me very proud of him,” she continues. “I also fell in love with the sort of father that he is and with his beloved daughters ... Ted loves them with all his heart and yet had space in there to love my Lilly and Charlie so perfectly as well. It's pretty thrilling to go through life with Ted Danson.”

Related: Ted Danson Is Grateful He Didn't Meet Wife Mary Steenburgen Until His 40s: 'Thank God' (Exclusive)

The couple — who met in 1983 and will celebrate their 30th wedding anniversary in October — shared with PEOPLE in November the secret to their long-lasting marriage, which included one-on-one time together at “4:30 in the morning.”

"The most fun is the early mornings … coffee in bed, playing Wordle, Connections, and Spelling Bee, talking and laughing and sharing," he added, referencing the online games created by The New York Times. "To both of us, it's like heaven on Earth."

"Even if she's working in a different time zone, we will wake up in time to be able to play our games and have coffee over the phone," he added.

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. 

Danson, who met Steenburgen in his 40s, also previously shared that he believed he had met the actress at just the right time.

"I had, about a year before [I met her], decided I want to become a more emotionally mature, honest human being," he said. "I worked very hard at it or I don't think Mary Steenburgen would've even seen me."

Before finding each other, Steenburgen was married to Malcolm McDowell, whom she shares children Lilly Walton, 43, and Charlie McDowell, 41, and Danson was previously married to Casey Coates, whom he shares daughters Kate, 44, and Alexis, 39.

Read the original article on People