Break out the cheesecake: The Golden Girls premiered 40 years ago.
Even though Bea Arthur, Betty White, Rue McClanahan, and Estelle Getty – the actresses who played Dorothy, Rose, Blanche, and Sophia – are no longer alive, the special connection they created as older roommates on screen still resonates with audiences today.
As do the stories about how their strong personalities clashed in IRL.
According to series coproducer Marsha Posner Williams, the actresses were incredibly professional while filming. Speaking at a 40th anniversary event for the show – part of the Pride LIVTopMob Hollywood festival – she explained that once the cameras stopped rolling, the two actresses couldn’t stand being near each other.
Oh my god, can you BELIEVE it? Apparently, when Rue McClanahan, Betty White, and Estelle Getty were all ready to renew their contracts after seven glorious seasons, Bea Arthur just flat-out refused! She said, and I quote, ‘No fking way!’ It’s just… heartbreaking! That’s why we only got that one season of *Golden Palace* with Rose, Blanche, and Sophia trying to run a hotel. Seriously, imagine what could have been if Bea had just agreed! It still makes me so mad!
Even if Arthur and White didn’t always get along, learning about their disagreements doesn’t change how enjoyable *The Golden Girls* still is. They clearly had many happy moments too.
In her 1986 Emmy acceptance speech, after winning Best Actress in a Comedy Series for playing the sweetly naive Rose Nylund in the first season of *The Golden Girls*, Betty White famously said, “We’re a matched set, you can’t split us up.” While that was her only Emmy win for the show, she was nominated every year it aired.
The awards continued to pile up, with Rue McClanahan winning in 1987 for her lively portrayal of Blanche Devereaux – her only win out of four nominations. Bea Arthur, famous for her sharp and sarcastic Dorothy Zbornak, won the following year in 1988, also after being nominated four times.
Estelle Getty, famous for her role as Sophia Petrillo-Dorothy’s witty and lively mother from Sicily-was nominated for an Emmy Award seven times for Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy, and she won in 1988. Interestingly, Getty was actually a year younger than her on-screen son, Arthur.
The show won Outstanding Comedy Series in 1986 and 1987.
In her 2007 memoir, *My First Five Husbands…and the Ones Who Got Away*, McClanahan described it as “awkward” having to compete with her co-stars year after year. She also felt Arthur didn’t like losing to White-or even to herself-even though she, as the more famous actress, earned a larger salary.
In her 1995 memoir, *Here We Go Again: My Life in Television*, Betty White described a strange feeling on set after winning an award. Estelle Getty gave her a warm hug and kiss outside the studio, but once inside, all the congratulations from the crew were spoken quietly, as if they were keeping a secret.
However, as the show gained popularity and won Emmys over the years, White explained that they never recaptured the initial, understated vibe. Instead, they embraced the success and celebrated!
When NBC began casting for *The Golden Girls*, Rue McClanahan and Betty White had already worked together on *Mama’s Family*. This existing connection gave them a comfortable working relationship from the start. White often spoke fondly of McClanahan, whom she playfully nicknamed “Roozie,” saying they adored each other.
Betty White was first considered for the part of Blanche, a natural fit after her Emmy-winning role as the lively Sue Ann Nivens on *The Mary Tyler Moore Show*. Similarly, Estelle McClanahan was the producers’ initial choice for Rose, building on her six years playing the somewhat scatterbrained Vivien, a neighbor on the *All in the Family* spin-off.
McClanahan believed she was well-suited for the part of Blanche, and she was delighted when the director of the pilot episode asked her to audition for the role of Rose instead, during her audition. The following day, she and Betty White rehearsed scenes together, with White reading as Rose.
McClanahan explained that she was asked to get Arthur to be on *The Golden Girls*. She felt a strong connection between Arthur’s famous, sharp-tongued feminist character, Maude Findlay, and Dorothy, the show’s independent divorcee.
In her book, McClanahan recalled Arthur telling her he didn’t want to work on the ‘Maude and Vivien Meet Sue Ann Nivens’ episode, calling it ‘Boring!’
However, once she found out that White and McClanahan had swapped roles, she was more interested.
In 2002, Arthur told TopMob News she was impressed by the script, describing it as funny and mature enough to motivate her to return to work.
She said she had no idea the film would become a beloved classic, she simply thought it was a great movie.
Getty, primarily a New York theater actress famous for her memorable role as the grandmother in Broadway’s Torch Song Trilogy, rounded out the group of four.
The “chemistry was plain as a preacher’s daughter,” McClanahan wrote. “Our set was a happy one.
Yet she couldn’t ignore that something was amiss between Arthur and White.
McClanahan shared that she adored both Bea Arthur and Betty White, finding them both incredibly funny. While she felt their on-screen dynamic could have been stronger, it never affected their ability to work together professionally.
Arthur described his collaboration as fantastic, telling TopMob News that everyone involved was strong and contributed to the overall success.
Work was going really well, and any disagreements were handled playfully and publicly, never turning into serious conflicts.
According to McClanahan, Bea Arthur was a very unusual woman. She shared in an interview for the TV Academy’s Archive of American Television that she wouldn’t go to lunch unless Betty White joined her.
Arthur was incredibly patient with White, always waiting for her even when she was late. When the cast of the show stayed for dinner on Fridays after filming, they consistently chose to sit together. In her 1987 autobiography, *Betty White in Person*, White mentioned they shared lunch daily. Both White and McClanahan also pointed out that Arthur was a passionate foodie, sometimes to an extreme.
White described Arthur as discerning, well-informed, and someone who valued expertise – but also a little impatient with those who didn’t share his level of knowledge. She also joked that his straightforward nature annoyed her.
Gillian Getty described Arthur as a very particular eater, which apparently bothered her on-screen daughter.
According to White, Bea Arthur found eating more enjoyable than anything else. ‘It’s her total preoccupation,’ he explained to the Washington Post in 1986. ‘It’s better than sex as far as Bea is concerned.’
McClanahan was also struck by how well the four of them worked together, despite having different personalities and strengths – they all fit perfectly into their roles.
White concurred, remarking in her book, “There could not be four more disparate females!”
The experienced entertainer understood that women were often seen as competitors rather than supporters, particularly within the Hollywood film industry.
She pointed out that rumors sometimes have a basis in truth, especially when it comes to on-set conflicts. Considering how much time and close collaboration goes into making a TV show, it would be incredibly difficult if the cast didn’t get along! Dealing with tension during a dramatic scene is hard enough, but trying to be funny in that environment would be even worse.
Betty White once said she couldn’t imagine what the dynamic on the set of *The Golden Girls* would have been like without mutual support and respect. She added that the genuine affection they all had for each other was a wonderful surprise that no one could have predicted when the show began.
White also noted that from the start, all four of them impressed each other with their skill and dedication. Everyone contributed equally, and any effort one person made was met with an equally strong-or even better-response from another.
She and Arthur quickly formed a strong connection because they both experienced the loss of their mothers around the same time.
White’s mother passed away in November 1985 after being ill for some time. White received the news during rehearsal three weeks later. As she wrote, she went home, but returned to work the next day, mirroring what Arthur had done. She explained that the cast and crew felt like family, and being with them felt like the right place to be.
As a lifestyle expert, I’ve seen firsthand how strong bonds form on set, and it was no different with this cast. During breaks from rehearsing, they’d usually just hang around chatting, and it quickly became a running joke – someone would always point out how much they sounded like Dorothy, Rose, Blanche, and Sophia from *The Golden Girls*! It was a really sweet and funny observation that perfectly captured their dynamic.
Both McClanahan and White remembered that Arthur, accustomed to the strictness of theatrical performances, disliked it when White would directly address the studio audience between scenes – something White often did, having experience with sitcoms and game shows. McClanahan sympathized with Arthur’s preference but sometimes participated in these audience interactions with White.
In 1987, Betty White was surprised on the show *This Is Your Life*-which was then presented as occasional prime-time specials-thanks to the help of Getty, McClanahan, and Arthur. The surprise was staged during a fake photo shoot, and White later wrote about how much effort her friends put into the deception, something they usually disliked doing. It included a reunion with many of her *Mary Tyler Moore Show* castmates, and she expressed her lasting gratitude for their involvement.
Off the set, however, the four ladies mainly ran in different circles.
White—like Rose—was widowed, her third husband (and greatest love) Allen Ludden having died in 1981.
Arthur had been divorced twice, and McClanahan had gone through five marriages. She later married Morrow Wilson in 1997. Getty was married to Arthur Gettleman for 57 years, until he passed away in 2004. Despite this long marriage, she playfully joked that she’d be thrilled to even get a glimpse of Cary Grant, and might even try to collect some bathwater if he ever visited the Golden Girls set.
McClanahan remembers that Getty hosted large birthday parties each summer. They once had a dinner party with around 40 guests that Arthur attended, and Getty joined them for a Christmas party. Aside from these occasions, the four of them mostly saw each other at award shows or work events.
The cast members were very close and friendly. McClanahan grew tomatoes and generously shared them with her colleagues. They all cared deeply about animal welfare, supporting various rescue organizations, and McClanahan and Getty even worked together on events for PETA. McClanahan adopted her third dog through a connection White made with one of Mary Tyler Moore’s brothers.
When they performed together, they genuinely captured the essence of Dorothy, Rose, Blanche, and Sophia-something Arthur often pointed out-though there were a few noticeable distinctions.
Getty was waiting for Arthur and White to join him for lunch with Tom Shales, a writer from the Washington Post, at a restaurant in Hollywood. He wondered where two older women were, and while waiting, chatted with McClanahan, who had already arrived, about the Golden Globe he’d recently won.
“It’s in a niche,” Getty said, “with my other icons.”
When asked if she spent time with her ‘Dorothy’ co-stars outside of work, the actress who played her mother said that everyone had very different schedules. She admitted she’d enjoy socializing with them, but it seemed they weren’t allowing her to.
Yet Arthur’s favorite part of the show was the dynamic between Sophia and Dorothy.
She told TopMob that one of her favorite episodes was when Sophia signed them up for a mother-daughter beauty pageant at Shady Pines, the nursing home Sophia was so happy to have left. For the talent portion, they performed as Sonny and Cher, singing ‘I Got You Babe.’ She especially loved all the scenes focused on motherhood.
It was only fitting that Arthur and Getty won their Emmys on the same night.
Getty started her speech with a playful, “Imagine this: California, 1988!” which got a great reaction from the audience. She quickly expressed her gratitude, saying she didn’t have much time, and thanked everyone close to her – her family, friends, and the cast and crew of *GG*. But most importantly, she credited three incredible women – her daughter, Bea Arthur, and Bea’s roommates, Rue McClanahan and Betty White – as the reason she was standing there at all.
Getty said landing her first big TV part at 61 was a huge surprise. She told the *Post* it was scary enough to get the job, but even more daunting to work alongside legends like Betty White, Bea Arthur, and Rue McClanahan.
“And don’t you forget it,” White joked.
You know, people always ask me and Arthur about our dynamic, and honestly, it’s always been pretty easy. I’ve always had good relationships with women throughout my life, and Arthur feels the same way. We just connect with people, you know?
“My best friends are women,” Getty concurred.
To which White added, “Oh, mine aren’t. I like to be with men better. But I get along with women.”
Arthur and White both admitted to having similar preferences – he liked men and dogs, and she wished the characters on The Golden Girls had a pet. While White enthusiastically suggested Rose could have a rabbit, Arthur responded with his characteristic skeptical look, reminiscent of Dorothy.
As a longtime fan, I was thrilled when Arthur agreed to return for another season! After six years of working together, White, Getty, and McClanahan were probably expecting a change, but we were all so happy to hear he was staying on, especially since he’d already left *Maude* after six seasons. It was a real boost for the show!
But after that, she was ready to go.
Arthur explained to TopMob that he felt they’d already achieved their peak. He questioned why they should continue just to maintain momentum and repeat themselves, saying, ‘We’ll never recapture the same level of success, and it definitely won’t be as creatively fulfilling as it was during the first five years.’
Once Dorothy married Blanche’s wealthy uncle (played by Leslie Nielsen) at the end of the original series, Rose, Blanche, and Sophia continued their adventures in the spin-off, *The Golden Palace*. They ran a hotel in Miami, with Don Cheadle as the manager and Cheech Marin as the chef. However, the show, which aired on CBS, only lasted one season.
Betty White was the oldest of the four main actresses from *The Golden Girls*, and she remarkably lived over ten years longer than the rest of them. She passed away on December 31, 2021, only seventeen days before she would have turned 100 years old.
Carol Getty passed away on July 22, 2008, at the age of 84, after a nearly decade-long struggle with Lewy body dementia. Her daughter, Arthur, shared in a statement that their relationship was a uniquely funny and beloved partnership, and she would be deeply missed.
It’s a tough time, losing Estelle, but hearing White say that Sophia will always be remembered brings me some peace. It’s a reminder that even though things change, the impact Sophia had on us will never fade, and that’s something I really cherish.
Arthur passed away on April 25, 2009, at the age of 86. McClanahan, who was the youngest of the Golden Girls, died on June 3, 2010, at 76.
In a 2010 update to the paperback edition of *Here We Go Again*, White explained that the loss of all three of her co-stars was deeply painful. She wrote that after working together for so long and achieving great success, they had become truly connected.
According to McClanahan, things weren’t always easy, but what really mattered was that we all clicked. We were genuinely hilarious, and we achieved that success as a team. Ultimately, that’s what’s most important.
And Arthur wasn’t the first or last star to leave a show while it was still a hit:
Fans were surprised in 2025 to learn that Mehcad Brooks was departing the NBC crime show before its twenty-fifth season.
Brooks, who joined the show in 2022, portrayed Detective Jalen Shaw for three seasons.
Jax Taylor has said he won’t be back for season three of *The Valley*. This decision comes after fans expressed concerns about his actions during the show’s second season.
In July 2025, the Bravo star, who is going through a difficult divorce with Brittany Cartwright, explained that his priority is getting sober, improving his mental health, and being a good coparent. He believes taking this time to focus on himself is essential, particularly for the sake of his son, Cruz.
Several cast members from *Saturday Night Live* recently announced they won’t be back for the show’s 51st season, with the announcements happening close together.
Longfellow and Walker each spent three seasons on SNL while Wakim exited after just one season.
Following the departures of Longfellow, Walker, and Wakim from *Saturday Night Live*, two more popular cast members, Gardner and Nwodim, announced they wouldn’t be back for the show’s 51st season. Gardner had been with the show for eight seasons, and Nwodim for seven.
Sofia Mattsson finished her role on the soap opera after seven years of playing Sasha Gilmore in the summer of 2025. Her character moved to Paris as part of the storyline.
Tracy Ifeachor, who starred in the popular HBO Max series *The Pitt*, decided to leave after its successful first season.
The actress shared on Instagram on July 10th how honored she was to play Dr. Heather Collins in what she called a truly special season of the show. She also thanked viewers for watching, supporting season one, and sharing their personal experiences with her.
Even though fans likely expected Joel Miller, played by Pedro Pascal, to die – his fate in April 2025 mirrored events from *The Last of Us Part II*, the video game the second season is based on – the shocking way his character was killed still came as a surprise.
Pascal, known for also dying in roles on *Game of Thrones* and *Buffy the Vampire Slayer*, wasn’t too upset about his character’s fate. He jokingly told *Entertainment Weekly*, “I get killed a lot. I actually enjoy it!”
Following what he called a “wild adventure,” Peter Krause finished his run as Captain Bobby Nash on the drama series *9-1-1* with an episode airing in April 2025.
According to showrunner Derek Kraus, the character Bobby Nash was intentionally created to make a powerful sacrifice, reflecting the bravery of real-life first responders. He explained that Bobby’s storyline is meant to honor those who risk their lives to save others, allowing them to live on. “Bobby Nash was written in sacrifice, and he was built for this,” Krause stated to the Hollywood Reporter.
The decision to kill off a popular, yet troubled, firefighter was definitely controversial, showrunner Tim Minear told Variety. He explained that after eight seasons, it was necessary for the show to have real consequences and raise the stakes, and that meant someone had to die to make that happen.
Summer just got a little less fun.
In June 2025, Paige DeSorbo revealed she was leaving the Bravo series after being on the show for seven seasons.
The Giggly Squad podcast cohost announced on Instagram that after seven summers, she’s moving on. She expressed gratitude for the experiences, community, and opportunities she’s had, but feels it’s time to end this part of her journey, saying that all good things eventually come to a close – even those that started with questionable choices.
The popular Netflix show will not feature the French actress in its fifth season, which is scheduled to release in April 2025.
In an Instagram post on April 23rd, the actress announced she’s leaving *Emily in Paris*. She shared photos with her former co-stars and described her time on the show as a fantastic experience full of growth, creativity, and cherished memories.
Before the third season of *The Sex Lives of College Girls* begins, Reneé Rapp has announced she will no longer be part of the show.
She shared on social media in July 2023 that the show *College Girls* brought her to Los Angeles and connected her with many of her closest friends. She added that after two and a half years, it’s also given her this amazing community of fans.
As a huge fan of the show, I was really sad to hear about Renee Rapp leaving! Mindy Kaling, one of the show’s creators, confirmed the news herself on Instagram. She said we’re all going to miss Leighton Murray so much, but she’s incredibly excited for Renee and can’t wait to see her shine on tour – and honestly, me neither! It’s bittersweet, but I’m so happy for Renee and her music career.
After over a year of speculation, Kevin Costner confirmed in June 2024 that he won’t be returning for the fifth and final season of the popular Paramount drama. Rumors had circulated that he unexpectedly left the show after four and a half seasons.
In February 2023, Ellen Pompeo finished her run as Meredith Grey on the ABC drama after playing the role for 19 years.
Pompeo said on *The Drew Barrymore Show* in December 2022 that she needed to try new things. ‘I’m 53, and my brain feels a little scrambled,’ she explained. ‘I have to keep challenging myself – you can’t do the same thing, like *The New York Times* crossword, every day!’ Despite this, she’s already been back for a guest appearance in May and continues to narrate the series.
Henry Cavill, known for playing Superman and Batman, has announced he’s leaving the Netflix series *The Witcher* after its third season. Liam Hemsworth will take over the role of Geralt, starting with season four and likely continuing in future seasons.
In an October 2022 Instagram post, Henry Cavill announced that after playing Geralt of Rivia, he would be stepping down from his role for Season 4, ending his time with the character and its adventures.
Jesse Lee Soffer, an original cast member, left the show in 2022 after playing Detective Jay Halstead for 10 seasons.
Everyone involved with the show has poured their heart and soul into making each episode, and it’s been a rewarding experience,” said Jesse Soffer after his last episode aired on October 5th. “I’m incredibly proud of my work as Detective Jay Halstead.
After five seasons, Damian Lewis departed Showtime’s Billions in Oct. 2021.
In August 2021, Emily VanCamp left the TV show *The Resident* on Fox, marking the end of her role as a doctor on the series.
Madeleine Mantock, who played Macy on the CW’s *Charmed* reboot, decided to leave the show after three seasons. She announced her departure in 2021 before season four began, calling the experience a “privilege” and expressing her appreciation for the show’s producers, writers, and cast and crew.
Elizabeth Keen will never learn the truth about Raymond Reddington. Megan Boone, who played Liz on NBC’s *The Blacklist*, decided to leave the show after eight seasons, and her character was killed off before she could discover a crucial secret contained in a letter. Boone described her time on the show as “a dream” in an Instagram post following her departure in 2021.
The second season of *Bridgerton* didn’t feature Rege-Jean Page, who became a fan favorite in the first season of the popular Netflix drama. His departure was announced in 2021 and disappointed many viewers.
He told *Vanity Fair* that he simply did the work he’d agreed to, and then took on additional assignments. He admitted it wasn’t a particularly exciting story, and wished there was more to it.
Ruby Rose first appeared as Batwoman (Kate Kane) in a 2018 Arrowverse event and then led the CW’s *Batwoman* series for one season, becoming the first openly lesbian superhero to star in her own show. She left the role in 2020, shortly after the first season ended. Javicia Leslie then took over the part, playing a new character named Ryan Wilder who would become the new Batwoman in season two.
Later on in season two, Kate got a bit of a face swap and returned played by Wallis Day.
America Ferrera left the show *Superstore* after its fifth season in 2020, which meant both a loss for the Cloud 9 store and a major change for the series. Although she made a brief appearance in the first two episodes of season six due to pandemic-related delays, she ultimately returned for the show’s final episode to ensure her character, Amy, and Jonah (Ben Feldman) got the satisfying conclusion fans hoped for.
In the final episode of season four of the Syfy show *The Magicians*, Jason Ralph’s character, Quentin, successfully rescued Eliot (played by Hale Appleman), but died in the process. Although the show often features characters dying – it *is* called *The Magicians*, after all – Ralph did not reprise his role in the show’s fifth and final season.
Ahead of the final season, Arrow‘s Emily Bett Rickards announced her exit in a poem of sorts.
Felicity and I are very close, but after the seventh day, we’ll have to say goodbye, she wrote.
She did, however, return for a guest appearance in the show’s 2020 series finale.
Lauren Cohan initially left *The Walking Dead* in 2018 after difficult contract talks. While she appeared in a few episodes of season nine, her character, Maggie Greene, disappeared after a time jump of six years. The show’s producers wanted her to come back, and when her short-lived TV series *Whiskey Cavalier* was cancelled, she did. Cohan returned to *The Walking Dead* in the 16th episode of season ten, which aired in October 2020.
Following Danai Gurira’s co-star Cohan and Andrew Lincoln’s departures from the show, Gurira also left the series. She first appeared as the skilled swordswoman Michonne in season three and her final episode aired in March 2020 after being a part of the AMC show for ten seasons.
Nicollette Sheridan played the memorable Alexis Carrington, appearing in multiple episodes of the first season and becoming a main cast member in the second. In 2019, she decided to leave the CW’s reboot of the show before season three to care for her mother, who was ill.
George Eads left the CBS show in 2019, during the third season. He said he wanted to focus more on his family at that time.
The show *Lethal Weapon* on Fox has seen its share of cast changes. Clayne Crawford was let go after season two, and his co-star Damon Wayans announced he would leave after the show’s third season, which consisted of 13 episodes. Wayans stated in October 2018 that he planned to quit in December, after filming wrapped. He explained his decision was due to his age (58) and health concerns (diabetes), combined with the demanding 16-hour workdays, jokingly referencing his character’s line, ‘too old for this.’
Luckily, the producers didn’t have to worry about finding a replacement because the show ended after just three seasons.
Ian Gallagher, played by Cameron Monaghan, ended up in jail on the show *Shameless*. While Monaghan decided to move on to other work after nine seasons, he surprisingly agreed to return for seasons 10 and 11, appearing in the show’s final season in December 2020.
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