Months after Chuck Norris died on March 19, 2026, at age 86, his widow, Gena Norris, sat down for her first wide-ranging interview since his death. She exclusively told Men’s Journal how she plans to carry the businesses they built together forward, support Kickstart Kids, and preserve his legacy. She also reflects on Chuck’s philosophies, how he felt about the famous Chuck Norris Facts, the film she believes he should be remembered for, and the private man behind the public icon.

Throughout the interview, Gena refers to her husband as both Chuck and Carlos. She explained the meaningful reason why: “Before I answer these questions, there’s one little thing I should probably explain. I’m going to call my husband Chuck throughout the interview because that’s the name the world knows. But his real name was Carlos Ray Norris. ‘Chuck’ was a nickname he picked up while serving in the Air Force, and it stuck.…