Michael Learned and Ralph Waite, who played husband and wife on ‘The Waltons’, had an undeniable on-screen chemistry, and the pair was also in love off-screen.
The popular TV show about a depression-era family living in Virginia’s rural Blue Ridge Mountains ran for a decade from 1971 to 1981.
While the show was airing, fans often wondered if Learned and Waite, who were remarkable together as a couple on-screen, had something going on between them off-screen as well.
Speaking to the Daily Mail during a 2019 interview, Learned, 84, confessed that she and her costar, Waite, were ‘definitely in love’ in real life and even went on a date once.
“We had a deep love for each other that we would have ruined if we had taken it that extra step, and we didn’t. We never did. We thought about it, but we didn’t,” she told the outlet.
After their first date, the pair mutually decided to put a full stop to their real-life romance as it was going to make things messy. However, Michael admitted that their work bond turned into a lifelong friendship and Ralph became her ‘spiritual husband.’
“And I think that’s why we became a spiritual husband and wife if you will, and I miss him terribly. His wife is a very good friend. But what Ralph and I had was something that came across on screen.”
The Living Dolls actress, who at one point said she was ‘going to tear up’ just thinking about her old friend, Waite, who died in February 2014, added that he had some of his faults.
“He was a complicated man,” she explained. “He had a lot of issues. He lost a daughter from leukemia and I think that’s when he started drinking. He was a minister before he became an actor. He had so many colors to his life and his character and he was deeply honest with himself and God conscious I think, and complicated. And because we remained the kind of friends we remained, none of that bothered me.”
She said she believed if they did get married in real life, they would have issues with other as they were both ‘very complicated’ individuals.
“But if we’d been married or something, I might have had a problem with his complicatedness and he might have with mine. We’re both very flawed human beings, but I loved him dearly, what can I say? And he loved me.”
Michael admitted that in her youth, she struggled with a serious habit, and Waite saved her life when it got out of hand.
The 84-year-old veteran star revealed that initially, the casting team had reservations about casting her for the role of Olivia Walton as they thought she was ‘too young’ to play the character. However, her chemistry with Ralph later convinced them that she was the perfect choice. In a similar vein, discussions around representation have become increasingly important in the entertainment industry. Wayne Brady’s pansexuality discussion highlights the growing awareness of diverse identities and how they can enrich storytelling. As more artists share their experiences, audiences are afforded a broader understanding of the human experience.
The actors remained close friends until Waite’s passing in February 2014.
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Source: Daily Mail
