Tim Allen Says Shifting Gears Age Gap Romance Creeps Him

Tim Allen is comfortable talking about cars on “Shifting Gears,” but when it comes to his character’s on-screen romance with Jenna Elfman—an age gap he says is “right at that border”—the 73-year-old actor admits it can feel borderline creepy at a certain point

Tim Allen has spent years charming audiences with jokes, tinkering, and the kind of confidence that makes a room laugh. But when he looks at the age-gap romance at the center of “Shifting Gears,” he admits he feels a flicker of discomfort.

In the ABC comedy, Allen plays Matt Parker, whose love interest is Jenna Elfman’s Eve Drake—about 20 years younger. The 73-year-old actor says he had concerns about the relationship when it was introduced. even as he tries to keep things moving with the story. “It depends on the pictures. It gets creepy for me at a certain age [and] we’re right at that border,” Allen told Us Weekly.

He also framed the issue in terms of appearance and on-camera chemistry. “If Jenna didn’t look so damn nice than our age gap is not that much. I just let my hair go natural and she just looks — especially on camera — quite young.”

Allen’s comments don’t stop at a simple preference. He described how the optics can shift depending on how people are lit and dressed. even joking about how he can end up looking older. “They say when you’re lit better and I go, ‘When I’m lit better, I look probably 68,’” he said. “I just don’t want to be creepy about it — and that’s kind of the borderline image these days.”.

The actor pointed out that the awkwardness hasn’t always come from the romance itself. It’s sometimes sparked by the jokes around it. “It hasn’t really come out — except when they joke about. ‘Well. a guy your age.’ When they have her making jokes about it. it’s not my preference. ” Allen said. His view. though. includes a line he’s willing to draw: “But I said. ‘It’s admitting what is there. ’” adding that there are moments where production choices make it feel less jarring. “There’s times — and I’ll give it to them — that they lit right and in the right clothing so it doesn’t look creepy.”.

Allen said he didn’t originally sign up to watch another relationship storyline play out on screen. “I just wanted a car show about a widower to deal with grief,” he explained. When the romance was added, he initially went along because he knew Elfman. “They threw this romance in there and I know Jenna so I said, ‘That’s not the problem. It’s just that I’m feeling way too old for her.’”.

Now, he’s curious where it all goes next. He’s been paying attention to how audiences reacted: the relationship was off for a stretch and then back on by the end of season two. Allen said he’s ultimately open to the direction because Elfman brings something genuinely lively to the show. “She’s so fun to be around and it’s brought out a whole different part of that show and brought a different audience to that show. ” he shared.

He’s also clear about what he wants to protect. “I’m really out there for the car guys and I make sure the car stuff is fun and exciting. Then the office is cool and now you’ve got romance for the people that want that.” In his telling. the flirting wasn’t forced—it took shape naturally and started working. “Because it turns out the flirting and the actual activity between these two characters is working and I said. ‘All right. I’ll go there.’ [Jenna is] really good at this and the romance is kind of generated quite by accident.”.

The conversation lands as “Shifting Gears” heads toward what comes next: the series has been confirmed to return for a third season, along with more ABC renewals.

Tim Allen Jenna Elfman Shifting Gears ABC Matt Parker Eve Drake age gap romance Jane Hajduk season two third season renewal Toy Story 5