Ted Danson Was a 'Mess' as 'Cheers' Ended, But It Led to Him Reconnecting with Wife Mary Steenburgen
The actor reconnected with wife Mary Steenburgen while filming 'Pontiac Moon' after 'Cheers' ended in 1993
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Ted Danson is speaking candidly about ending his long-running sitcom Cheers — and how it led to his romance with wife Mary Steenburgen.
During a reunion with the show’s cast members at the ATX TV Festival in Austin, Texas, on Friday, the panel discussed what led to the end of the iconic sitcom after 11 seasons.
After it was hinted that it was partially Danson's fault, the star reacted, saying, “In my defense, we’d all been talking for a couple of years [about ending the series],” before he playfully admitted, “Okay, sorry. It was me.”
“My life was a hot mess at the time, and if I had not stopped and gotten it together, I would never have met my wife,” he continued.
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Related: Ted Danson and Mary Steenburgen's Relationship Timeline
Danson first met longtime love Steenburgen, 70, in 1983 when he had auditioned to play her spouse on Cross Creek. However, it wasn’t until after Cheers ended in 1993, and he starred with her in the 1993 film Pontiac Moon, that their relationship took off.
"I wasn't ready for anything like a relationship. We just kept working together and becoming better and better friends," Steenburgen recalled to PEOPLE in 2021.
Their friendship took a romantic turn after Danson invited Steenburgen on a canoe trip with friends in Mendocino, California. "It was very magical," he said. "We came back in love, to be honest, or I'll say smitten."
The couple tied the knot on Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts, a year later, and they have since starred in several projects together, including Curb Your Enthusiasm and It Must Be Love.
Despite Cheers ending when it did, Danson told Entertainment Tonight that he only has fond memories whenever he watches back episodes.
"It still makes me laugh when I watch sometimes. It's funny and it's great to see my friends and they make me laugh,” he explained.
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Discussing playing character Sam from 1982 to 1993, Danson continued, "I was so blessed. I got my introduction to this business with [Cheers creators] Jimmy Burrows and [Les Charles] and Glen Charles, who are like half-hour aristocrats. I mean, they were some of the best in the business and that's how I got introduced to half-hour [television]."
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