As the nation mourns the loss of legendary actress Betty White one Hollywood star has made a startling admission about his feelings for the beloved actress.
The Golden Girls star died of natural causes at her home in Brentwood, CA on December 31 at the age of 99, just 17 days short of her 100th birthday.
President Biden, former President Barack Obama, and even the Army paid tribute to the veteran actress whose career earned her a place in the Guinness Book of World Records for the longest time spent in television.
As well as bringing a smile to the faces of all who watched her, Betty White also had a killer sense of humor off stage.
Comedian Kathy Griffin who was Betty White’s co-star on the comedy television series Suddenly Susan, recalled the moment she first met her, sharing her story on Twitter of when the two met in the 1990s.
“Betty White. Where do I begin? I’ve known her long, but I think the first time I met her was when she was a guest star on Suddenly Susan in the late 90s. Everyone was very excited she was on the show. I had accidentally parked in her parking spot that day. She walks in, yells from the back of the soundstage for everyone to hear, ‘Where’s that redheaded b*tch who stole my parking spot???’ SWOON. A friendship was born.”
The American icon even joked that the secret to her long life was a diet of hot dogs and vodka and avoiding anything green.
Betty constantly made reference to her male co-stars particularly Ryan Reynolds who she starred alongside her in the 2009 movie The Proposal with Sandra Bullock.
The two shared a mutual adoration which they played out in the media with Ryan joking that Betty was his ex-girlfriend.
Ryan says he has been a fan of hers “for as long as I can remember.”
He added: “I heard that scripts for Golden Girls were only 35 pages, which makes sense because so many of the laughs come from Betty simply looking at her castmates,” he says, also joking that she was “a typical Capricorn. Sleeps all day. Out all night boozing and snacking on men.”
Betty responded to Ryan but couldn’t help but include her actual crush, a man she says she has admired for decades.
In a Dec. 28 interview with People, Betty said, “I’ve heard Ryan [Reynolds] can’t get over his thing for me but Robert Redford is The One.”
Back when Betty played Sue Ann on The Mary Tyler Moore Show, she made a reference to Robert Redford in the episode “Chuckles Bites the Dust,” as reported by Thrillist.
Betty’s character Sue Ann joked in this episode, “I want to be cremated and have my ashes thrown on Robert Redford.”
When she celebrated her 97th birthday in 2019, her agent said in a statement, “In the evening, Betty is playing poker with friends that she has played with for decades. As for her birthday wish, Betty is waiting for Robert Redford to call!”
Robert never responded much to Betty’s playful references to her crush on him but did release a touching statement after her passing.
“Betty lived life devoted to her craft and her love of animals. She made us all laugh, including me,” as reported by E News.
He then added: “I had a crush on her too!”
Betty had admitted worshiping the Hollywood star “from afar” saying that if she ever met him she’d probably “faint.”
The only time Robert did respond to the news of Betty’s adoration he had the perfect gentlemanly response: “I can’t imagine being loved by anybody better.”
In reality Betty never really got over the death of her late husband Allen Ludden who died in 1981. Responding to a question from Larry King as to whether she would ever consider marrying again she said: “Once you’ve had the best, who needs the rest?”
We must always remember the outstanding wit and light-hearted approach to life that Betty White had and use it as an inspiration.
Rest in peace Betty White, you will forever hold a place in our hearts.
