Dick Van Dyke, a charming nonagenarian with a career spanning over seven decades, has taken on yet another role: music video star. At 98 years old, he dances barefoot in the backyard of his Malibu, California home, becoming the centerpiece of Coldplay’s latest music video, “All My Love.”
Known for his iconic performances on The Dick Van Dyke Show from 1961 to 1966 and his memorable dance in Mary Poppins 60 years ago, Van Dyke showcases his signature moves while Coldplay’s frontman, Chris Martin, plays an upright piano.
The video, directed by Spike Jonze and Mary Wigmore, was filmed in October. A director's cut lasting over seven minutes was released on Friday, with a shorter version set to debut on December 13, coinciding with Van Dyke’s 99th birthday.
Van Dyke, introduced with a title card stating his birth year of 1925, humorously acknowledges his age. When a voice prompts him to close his eyes and think of those who have been significant in his life, he complies but quickly opens them, quipping, “I’m too old for this — I’ll pass out and go to sleep,” followed by a playful, “I’ll take a nap!”
On “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” Martin shared that the idea to cast Van Dyke in the video was his and Jonze’s. He mentioned that he and Van Dyke are neighbors and had met several years prior.
“This really may be the most fun thing I’ve ever done,” Martin expressed about the video. “It makes me so grateful. It’s a big deal for me.”
The video features a montage of photographs showcasing Van Dyke’s family and highlights from his extensive career, including a memorable image with Mary Tyler Moore, his co-star from The Dick Van Dyke Show, along with Mary Poppins memorabilia. Dressed in a suit and tie but barefoot, Van Dyke dances and displays some of his classic comedic moves.
Many scenes capture his wife, Arlene Silver, and family surrounding him. At times, he reflects on aging, family, and love, stating, “I’m acutely aware that I could go any day now, but I don’t know why it doesn’t concern me. I’m not afraid of it. I have this feeling, totally against anything intellectual, that I’m going to be all right.”
Van Dyke concludes by expressing his gratitude for being able to “play and act silly” as a profession.
