The couple met in 1991 but have been together since early 2020.

For over five decades, Reba McEntire has developed a legion of fans with her music and other career pursuits. And with being a coach on The Voice and the star of her new sitcom Happy’s Place, who wouldn’t want to have a piece of her in their lives? Well, one person is lucky to have a soft spot in Reba’s life, and it’s none other than her partner, actor Rex Linn.

Although Reba and Rex’s relationship is relatively new, the couple actually first met back in 1991. At the time, Reba was married to her second husband Narvel Blackstock, with whom she shares son Shelby (the two divorced in 2015). It was around this time she and Rex were working on the movie The Gambler Returns: The Luck of the Draw, and they kept in touch after that. They later reunited for dinner in early 2020, which Rex documented on Instagram and Reba detailed while appearing on Watch What Happens Live that November.

“We kept in contact over the years, we both know the same people,” she explained at the time. “So it was just like good friends getting back together and having dinner … then we started texting and talking on the telephone and getting to know each other better during the quarantine.”

It didn’t take long for Reba and Rex’s romance to blossom, as she revealed the two were an item on her Living and Learning podcast in October 2020. While speaking to her co-host (and former Reba co-star) Melissa Peterman about the relationship, Reba shared that while they were “still getting to know each other,” she was optimistic about what their life together could look like in the future. But newfound bliss quickly turned into moments of strength, as Reba revealed Rex was there to support her after her mom Jacqueline died in March 2020.

“It was so interesting. It gave me such a sense that he really cared for me but not only me but my family,” she said on the podcast. “Sending us things like that — that’s so special. [Getting] well-thought-out gifts was really special to all of us.”

Well, Rex clearly made an impression on Reba, as the two quickly made their red carpet debut at the 2020 Country Music Awards and have since worked together on numerous work projects. Along with starring in the 2022 film The Hammer, Rex also joined her on the since-cancelled ABC drama Big Sky as her husband in season 3.

Nowadays, Reba and Rex are working alongside each other on Happy’s Place, with Rex portraying chef Emmett to Reba’s Bobbie. The two are also joined by Melissa on the sitcom, further cementing how ingrained Rex is in Reba’s life.

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What’s more, Rex loves to spend so much time with Reba doing something they both love to do. “We’re running lines constantly,” he shared with People in October 2024. “But every once in a while, I’ll sneak by for a quick kiss, just a peck on the cheek and keep on moving. It’s fun.”

So, how does Reba feel about Rex being such a supporter in everything she does? As she revealed to Good Housekeeping in October 2023, she loves having a personal support system.

“[Rex]’s my biggest cheerleader,” she said at the time. “He’s encouraged me the whole time and he even gives me ideas to make things better. His enthusiasm really does pep all of us up, and I appreciate him very much.”

We so love to see it!