Dick Van Dyke stars in Coldplay video as he turns 99
3 min readDick Van Dyke, beloved for his role in Mary Poppins, has taken center stage in Coldplay’s latest music video as he nears his 99th birthday. Filmed at his Malibu beach home, the poignant video captures Van Dyke reflecting on his life and the process of aging.
“I’m acutely aware that I could go any day now,” Van Dyke admits, “but I don’t know why that doesn’t bother me. I’m not afraid. I feel like I’m going to be okay.”
Set to Coldplay’s ballad “All My Love,” the video, co-directed by Mary Wigmore and Oscar-winning filmmaker Spike Jonze, offers a seven-minute, intimate portrait of the actor. Jonze, known for films like Being John Malkovich, Her, and Adaptation, brings his signature style to the video, which highlights Van Dyke’s enduring legacy. In addition to Mary Poppins, the actor’s career includes iconic roles in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Bye Bye Birdie, and the TV series Diagnosis: Murder.
Van Dyke gives viewers a tour of his home, featuring treasured memorabilia, including a lifesize replica of Bert, his beloved chimney-sweep character from Mary Poppins. He also recreates the famous “Twizzle” dance from The Dick Van Dyke Show, while Chris Martin serenades him on the patio, and later dances barefoot with his wife, Arlene Silver.
The most emotional moment of the video comes when Van Dyke speaks about his four children—Christian, Barry, Stacy, and Carrie Beth. He fondly gazes at a photo of his daughter Stacy being read a bedtime story and shares a moving memory: “I’ve had dreams where I’m feeling sad or lonely, and she comes to comfort me. She really does.”
Later in the video, Van Dyke is joined by his family, including numerous grandchildren, for a joyful dance and singalong. He expresses his admiration for a line in “All My Love”: “Until I die / Let me hold you if you cry,” before the video reaches its heartwarming conclusion. Chris Martin improvises a song for Van Dyke, who watches in awe as the music unfolds. “Did we capture that on film?” he asks. “Can you believe this man?”
“All My Love” is the latest single from Coldplay’s 10th studio album, Moon Music, which topped the charts in October. The band has taken an unconventional approach to promoting the album, including a segment on the shopping channel QVC and an impromptu video for the song We Pray filmed on Dublin’s Grafton Street before a concert at Croke Park Stadium.
An earlier video for “All My Love” featured Martin walking through Las Vegas disguised as a regular person, singing karaoke, and handing out balloons—a scene briefly recreated by Van Dyke in the new video.
The full video will premiere on Coldplay’s YouTube channel at 13:30 GMT on Friday, December 18. A shorter version will be released on December 13, in honor of Van Dyke’s birthday.