Dick Van Dyke Appears In Coldplay Video At Nearly 99 Years Old

Dick Van Dyke appears at nearly 99 years old in the music video for Coldplay’s “All My Love.” The seven-minute production was made in the period leading up to the Mary Poppins star’s 99th birthday and filmed at his residence in Malibu. Built around Van Dyke’s recollections, the video looks across his life while also giving him space to discuss aging. Instead of functioning solely as a presentation of Coldplay’s song, it places his memories, career keepsakes and family at the center of the film.

One of Van Dyke’s reflections addresses the possibility of death directly. He acknowledges being keenly conscious that his life might end on any given day, but says the thought does not worry him and that he has no fear of it. His remarks establish the video’s personal focus as “All My Love,” described as a tender ballad, plays alongside scenes from his home. The setting allows the account of his past and his thoughts about getting older to unfold among objects and people connected with his life.

Mary Wigmore and Spike Jonze share directing credit on the project. Jonze is identified as an award-winning filmmaker whose work includes Being John Malkovich, Her and Adaptation. Together, the directors incorporate Van Dyke’s collection of memorabilia into the seven-minute piece. One prominent item is a life-sized likeness of Bert, his character from Mary Poppins. By filming these possessions inside his Malibu home, the video connects his reminiscences with physical reminders of his entertainment career.

Van Dyke also returns to a dance associated with his television work. He performs “The Twizzle,” the flexible routine featured on The Dick Van Dyke Show, while Coldplay’s Chris Martin plays guitar outdoors on the patio. The sequence gives Van Dyke an opportunity not only to talk about his past but to revisit part of it through movement. Martin’s live accompaniment places a member of Coldplay directly within the home setting used throughout the production.

A second dance brings Van Dyke together with his wife, Arlene Silver. Both wear bowler hats, and they perform barefoot. The scene is one of several occasions on which the film moves from Van Dyke’s individual memories to his relationships with those closest to him. His participation in “The Twizzle,” Martin’s guitar playing nearby and the dance with Silver are presented as distinct parts of the video rather than as material separate from the reflections on his age and career.

Watch the full performance on page two