After a decade of marriage, charming Kadek Mahardika – who shot to fame in AAMI’s cheeky ‘Rhonda and Ketut’ TV commercials – still reckons the love of his life, Laura, is “hot … like a sunrise”.
That flirty catchphrase quickly made Kadek a household favourite back in 2012, as he romanced sunburnt ‘safe driver’ Rhonda (played by award-winning actress Mandy McElhinney) on a make-believe Balinese holiday advertising car insurance.
It’s a line, and character, that Kadek can’t shake – but his wife isn’t 100 per cent convinced that he means the compliment in real life.
“Oh my God, did you hear that long pause before he said it to me?” the funny, confident nurse tells New Idea with an infectious laugh. “You’re in trouble, Kadek!”
10 years of bliss
Kadek and Laura have invited us into their suburban Melbourne home to celebrate their milestone 10th wedding anniversary alongside their children Mila, 12, and Lenny, nine.
The happy couple officially tied the knot on May 30, 2015, and hope to relive their wedding with an overseas celebration sometime soon. It could possibly even turn into a vow renewal!
“Getting together with everyone in Bali, all our family and friends, I like that,” says a smiling Kadek, who works in the mining and resources industry.
“We’ll have a big, big party,” he adds – just like the one they enjoyed 10 years ago, when the pair tied the knot in a lavish East-meets-West ceremony at a trendy beachside venue in Nusa Dua.
As sunshine peeped through morning rain clouds, there was a traditional welcome performed by Kadek’s gorgeous nieces. When day turned to night, a spectacular Balinese fire dance was performed on the sand.
“Our wedding was one big party to be honest, so fun,” recalls Laura, 33.
She had met Kadek, 41, at a mutual friend’s nuptials four years before their own. “It feels like it was only yesterday, but now we’ve made it to our 10th anniversary,” she adds.
So what’s the secret of their successful marriage?
“I think it’s me,” quips down-to-earth Laura, whose doting partner gave her a diamond band eternity ring to mark their special anniversary. “There’s always somebody who has to be the calm one. I’m very patient, I can tell you that much,” she adds. “Kadek doesn’t know how to sit still, and I think it’s getting worse with age, actually.”
“Not true,” interjects Kadek, who admits he has his spouse saved as ‘The Boss’ in his mobile phone contacts. “She just gives me a lot of jobs to do,” he adds.
There’s still a long list that needs to be started, says Laura, because Kadek’s “always busy in his garden”.
“Sometimes I wonder what I’ve married!” she says with a grin. “It can be hard to be with somebody from a different culture, but we try to understand each other and make it work.”
What is the meaning of Ketut?
While it’s clear Kadek and Laura’s romance is hotter than ever, could Ketut and Rhonda’s fling ever have worked out this well? Technically, we’ll never know, since the last set of AAMI ads went to air in March 2022 – but the couple are convinced they have them beat.
Australians were entranced by the AAMI ads from the very first screening a decade ago, with thousands of Facebook likes devoted to the odd couple’s relatable love affair.
In fact, the series of commercials proved so popular that Kadek and Mandy even appeared in character at the Melbourne Cup Carnival on Derby Day in 2012. Gruen, the long-running ABC show that analyses how advertising works, has labelled the AAMI commercials as “iconic”.
Fans used to chase Kadek down the street, or bail him up at shopping centres, just to get a selfie with the genial identity. Nowadays, Kadek doesn’t get recognised or stopped as often, with the devoted dad and husband telling New Idea that his main goals in life are for him, Laura, Mila and Lenny to “be a good family and go on more holidays”.
But secretly, he still hankers for the limelight, having recently featured on Sam Pang’s new talk show.
“I think I’d like to get more TV gigs … reality, whatever. “Hopefully, in the future, I really want to do some of that. I’m good with cooking, building … bring it on,” he says with a chuckle. “Maybe one day I’ll go into the jungle on I’m A Celebrity … because I’m good at talking!”
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