“Cheers” star Ted Danson says he is “fine” after a recent health scare that nearly killed him, adding that his wife, Mary Steenburgen, has helped him develop healthy habits.
Ted Danson talks about falling in love with Mary Steenburgen in real life
Ted Danson shares how falling in love with Mary Steenburgen in real life made their on-screen romance even more magical in season 2 of A Man on the Inside.
Ted Danson is counting his lucky stars after a recent health scare.
The 78-year-old “Cheers” alum revealed on the May 6 episode of his “Where Everybody Knows Your Name” podcast with guest Valerie Bertinelli that he was making lifestyle changes after experiencing unexplained medical issues.
“I had some health concerns, but I’m totally fine,” Danson said, adding that the incident helped him understand “the mortality rate, this is real, it’s not just a rumor.”
“Ted Danson is not given a free pass,” he joked, adding that no one could be held responsible for his health problems.
Danson said the experience was “humbling and calming” and believed it was “the best thing that could have happened.”
The actor revealed that he is “doing things differently,” including meditating twice a day with his wife, Mary Steenburgen. “I’ve always talked about it and lied about it,” Danson admitted.
He said the “greatest gift” of the experience was realizing the attitude he wanted to live with “for the rest of his life.”
“You can take an interest in other people. You can listen, you can be supportive and caring, and you can witness them,” Danson explained. “That’s the best I can offer.”
Ted Danson and Mary Steenburgen meditate and play word games every day
Aside from meditating twice a day, Danson told USA TODAY in 2025 that he and Steenburgen play the same word game on their phones every morning while drinking coffee. The actor said he is still “obsessed” after 30 years of marriage.
“It’s so much fun to play a character who falls in love with someone they’re so in love with,” he said of playing opposite his wife in Season 2 of Netflix’s A Man on the Inside. “We just sink into each other and it’s nice.”
The widely loved pair, who have spent decades at the intersection of love and work, first met when Danson unsuccessfully auditioned for the role of Steenburgen’s husband in the 1983 romance film Cross Creek. The two became a real-life couple after co-starring in 1994’s Pontiac Moon, and married in 1995.
They even endured rumors of a breakup after playing divorced versions of themselves in Season 10 of Larry David’s 2024’s Curb Your Enthusiasm.
“Actually, when I came to work and found out that Mary and I had divorced, I was really upset,” Danson said. “People who knew us, who we had dinner with a month ago, called us and asked, ‘Oh my god, is that true?'” And Mary said, “Yes, it is true, and we decided to put it out there on Curb Your Enthusiasm.”
Contributor: Brian Alexander
