Meet Reba McEntire’s Happy Place co-star and IRL boyfriend Rex Linn: he plays her romantic interest on the TV sitcom, has also been in CSI: Miami and Django Unchained, and started out in banking
The couple first met while filming Kenny Rogers’ The Gambler Returns: The Luck of the Draw in 1991 – then their friendship blossomed into a romance during the pandemic
Happy Place isn’t just another rerun of Reba or Malibu Country – this time, McEntire’s character isn’t a divorcee. Her character, Bobbie, has a love interest, and here’s the fun part: he’s played by none other than McEntire’s current real-life partner, Rex Linn.
McEntire and Linn’s relationship goes back to 1991, but sparks didn’t fly until 2020. Before finding love with Linn, the country superstar had been married twice – first to Charlie Battles from 1976 to 1987, and then to her manager Narvel Blackstock from 1989 to 2015.
It wasn’t until after her mother’s death and a deep connection during quarantine that the lovebirds turned their long-time friendship into something more. Since then, the couple has been inseparable.
From how he met Reba to his love of dogs, here’s everything you need to know about Rex Linn.
They have known each other for decades
As reported by People, the couple’s love story took off during the pandemic after they reconnected in the wake of Reba’s mother dying. However, the couple first crossed paths while filming Kenny Rogers’ The Gambler Returns: The Luck of the Draw in 1991, Reba shared on an episode of Watch What Happens Live in 2020.
“We kept in contact over the years; we both know the same people,” she said. “So it was just like good friends getting back together and having dinner.” Then their bond deepened as they began texting, calling and getting to know each other.