Current:Home > Finance'Ladies of the '80s' reunites scandalous 'Dallas' lovers Linda Gray and Christopher Atkins-LoTradeCoin
'Ladies of the '80s' reunites scandalous 'Dallas' lovers Linda Gray and Christopher Atkins
View Date:2024-12-23 23:52:26
"Ladies of the '80s: A Divas Christmas" delivered on Dec. 9, bringing together five of the decadent decade's biggest TV stars with Donna Mills, Nicollette Sheridan, Morgan Fairchild, Linda Gray and Loni Anderson.
But there was one surprise '80s reunion that slid under the radar in the hit Lifetime holiday movie, which airs an encore performance Sunday (10 a.m. EST/PST).
Gray, 83, who famously starred as Sue Ellen Ewing on "Dallas," was paired with former scandalous screen lover Christopher Atkins. Atkins, 62, played Peter Richards, Sue Ellen's much younger lover on the nighttime soap opera from 1983-84.
In "Ladies of the '80s," Atkins plays Gray's supportive spouse.
"It was such a joy for me to find out that they cast Chris Atkins to be my husband in the movie," Gray tells USA TODAY. "It means that Sue Ellen married her toyboy after all. I just loved it."
The steamy "Dallas" TV relationship was big news in the 1980s with Sue Ellen, married to philandering J.R. Ewing (Larry Hagman), sneaking about with young Peter.
Gray and Atkins hadn't seen each other in more than 20 years when they were reunited on "Ladies."
"It brought everything back when Chris walked on the set, all the magic," says Gray. "I think he was 22 when I met him. And to see him now as a dad and grandfather. It was like, 'Wow, this whole thing has come full circle."
In "Ladies," Gray plays a soap actress reuniting with her bickering diva co-stars at a Malibu mansion for a Christmas special. Gray and Atkins did not share scenes in the Lifetime movie; instead, Gray's "Ladies" character frequently called her husband for moral support during her diva-filled ordeal.
"That was simply how the script was written," says executive producer Larry Thompson, who brought the "Ladies" together and cast Atkins. "The hubby was at home, while she was visiting the ladies in Malibu."
But Thompson had video cameras rolling for the actual Atkins and Gray reunion on the Malibu set. In the video, Gray hugged Atkins and told her co-star, "You haven't changed."
veryGood! (41)
Related
- Trump hammered Democrats on transgender issues. Now the party is at odds on a response
- Caitlin Clark, Sabrina Ionescu not in WNBA All-Star 3-point contest
- Stegosaurus fossil fetches nearly $45M, setting record for dinosaur auctions
- Caitlin Clark, Sabrina Ionescu not in WNBA All-Star 3-point contest
- When do new episodes of 'Cobra Kai' Season 6 come out? Release date, cast, where to watch
- Why Selma Blair Would Never Get Married to Mystery Boyfriend
- The Grateful Dead and Francis Ford Coppola are among the newest Kennedy Center Honors recipients
- Bobbi Althoff Reacts to “F--cking Ignorant” Rumor She Sleeps With Famous Interviewees
- Noem’s Cabinet appointment will make a plain-spoken rancher South Dakota’s new governor
- Why Simone Biles Says Tokyo Olympics Performance Was a Trauma Response
Ranking
- Burt Bacharach, composer of classic songs, will have papers donated to Library of Congress
- Taylor Swift sings never-before-heard-live 'Fearless (Taylor's Version)' song in Germany
- Don't believe Texas is ready for the SEC? Nick Saban does. So should you.
- Florida man arrested after allegedly making death threats against Biden
- Auburn surges, while Kansas remains No. 1 in the USA TODAY Sports men's basketball poll
- JD Vance accepts GOP nomination and highlights Biden's age and his youth
- Still in the Mood to Shop? Here Are the Best After Prime Day Deals You Can Still Snag
- Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez Didn’t Acknowledge Their Anniversary—Here’s What They Did Instead
Recommendation
-
Massive dust storm reduces visibility, causes vehicle pileup on central California highway
-
Historic utility AND high fashion. 80-year-old LL Bean staple finds a new audience as a trendy bag
-
‘One screen, two movies': Conflicting conspiracy theories emerge from Trump shooting
-
What JD Vance has said about U.S. foreign policy amid the war in Ukraine
-
Mark Zuckerberg Records NSFW Song Get Low for Priscilla Chan on Anniversary
-
U.S. decides to permanently dismantle pier helping deliver aid into Gaza, official says
-
Rep. Adam Schiff says Biden should drop out, citing serious concerns about ability to beat Trump
-
Shop the Best Nordstrom Anniversary 2024 Deals Under $100, Including Beauty, Fashion, Home & More