Reba McEntire Hasn't Completely Ruled Out Getting Married Again
Reba McEntire's 2015 divorce from Narvel Blackstock caused her a lot of pain. While details of what happened are unclear, Blackstock was linked to McEntire's friend, Laura Putty Stroud, very shortly after the split. McEntire has always avoided discussing the end of the 26-year marriage, though she admitted she didn't have a say in the matter. "The divorce was not my idea," she told CMT's Cody Alan. "I didn't want it in any shape, form or fashion."
McEntire has also been open about the hurt Blackstock caused. "I believe that to forgive is easier than forget. I can never forget some of what he did," she told Parade in 2016. Guided by her faith and a TV role, McEntire was able to move on. When she joined "Young Sheldon" in early 2020, McEntire agreed to go on a date with co-star Rex Linn. "Had a fantastic dinner with this Oklahoma girl. Tater Tots and Ketchup included," he teased on Instagram that January.
While the COVID-19 pandemic ravaged many a relationship, the lockdown only brought McEntire and Linn closer. "It's good to have a person to talk to, laugh with," McEntire said on "Living & Learning with Reba McEntire." Their lives were never the same since sharing those tater tots dipped in ketchup. "We've been inseparable ever since," she said on "Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen" in October. Her love for Linn is so strong that not even her painful divorce has put her off marriage.
Reba McEntire put the matter into Rex Linn's hands
Reba McEntire isn't against being thrice married, but she also isn't overly concerned about it. "I said [to him], 'If you want to that's fine with me.' I've been married twice, he's never been married so if he wants to that's up to him," she told Page Six in October. McEntire admitted that she did find it strange that Linn had never tied the knot. "Was it a head-scratcher? Well, yeah, kind of," she said in the "Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen" interview. But it's all good now. "We talked it out," she said.
But McEntire doesn't view marriage as a priority or even believes it's necessary. "We get along so well right now. Why rock the boat?" she told E! News in January. She knows that if it were a big deal to her, Linn would agree to it right away. "If I say I want to get married, I'm sure he'd say that's fine," she said.
Linn doesn't sound too opposed to it, and the two have even daydreamed about their hypothetical wedding. "We've talked about it and giggled about it," she told Extra in 2021. McEntire and Linn concluded that the festivities would require some careful planning. "We thought, 'Man, if we ever had a ceremony, we would have to have a 2 o'clock, 4 o'clock, 6 o'clock, and an 8 o'clock 'cause we have so many friends, acquaintances, and family," she joked.
Reba and Rex Linn have known each other for decades
Reba McEntire and Rex Linn sure look to be in the honeymoon phase, but the two have actually known each other for more than three decades. McEntire and Linn met back in 1991 when they co-starred in "The Gambler Returns: The Luck of the Draw." Linn played only a small part, but he became friendly with McEntire because of a mutual friend. "His best friend from sixth grade is Ed Gaylord, and I've known Ed for a long time, so we're all friends," she said on the "Jennifer Hudson Show" in March 2023, referring to film producer E.K. Gaylord II.
McEntire and Linn stayed in touch throughout the years, though they weren't exactly close. "We would see each other once in a while," she explained on "Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen." Even though the two were already around each other frequently because of "Young Sheldon," McEntire began to see Linn in a different light a bit later when he showed his caring side. "In 2020, when Mama got sick, he called me," she told Today in 2021.
McEntire's mother, Jacqueline, died that March, an event that brought her closer to Linn. "We'd gotten to see each other before because we're both on 'Young Sheldon.' So starting in March of 2020, we just kept talking and visiting and finally got together, see each other in June," she detailed. McEntire and Linn have been tater tot and sugar tot since.