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Melissa Peterman Thinks Reba McEntire and New BF Rex Linn Are a ‘Great’ Fit: ‘He Lets Her Be Her’
Reba McEntire doesn’t have to worry about getting a stamp of approval from her longtime friend Melissa Peterman when it comes to her new relationship with Rex Linn. That’s because Melissa thinks the CSI: Miami actor is a “great” fit for the country icon, she exclusively reveals to Closer Weekly.
“He lets her be her. You know?” the Reba alum, 49, sweetly shares in a new interview on Monday, October 19. “I think that’s what we all want. We want someone that will let us be who we really are.”
Melissa, who cohosts the “Living and Learning” podcast with Reba, says because of her pal’s career as a country music songstress, it’s not easy for her to find someone who embraces the person she is when she’s not “on the stage.”
“I think letting [Reba] be her means, ‘Sometimes I’m gonna get to do something super glamorous and it’s gonna feel like this … and sometimes I just want to take a walk in the yard and do nothing,'” Melissa explains, noting Rex, 63, “doesn’t try to fix” anything about the “Fancy” singer, 65.
“I think he really gets it,” the Baby Daddy actress gushes to Closer. “He’s also funny and he’s a good storyteller, which she likes. He’s got a good sense of humor, but ultimately, I think what we all look for in a partner is somebody who accepts you.”
Melissa, who “was at the dinner” with her husband, John Brady, when Reba and Rex went on their first date in January 2020, also praises the Cliffhanger actor for being “confident” enough to date the Grammy Award winner.
“I think you need to have that when you’re dating kind of a legend. You have to be able to walk in the room and not worry about it,” she adds. “[Rex is] great. We like him! We all approve!”
Considering Melissa has been one of Reba’s closest friends for the last 20 years, it’s no surprise she has her pal’s best interest in mind when it comes to finding love. While chatting with Closer, the Working Class actress dishes “so many” reasons why the “Nights the Lights Went Out in Georgia” singer is an incredible person.
“She’s very loyal and I feel like sometimes there’s this quiet understanding that we’re gonna know each other forever,” Melissa says. “She’s true blue, a ride or die. That’s all I can say and I know that. I can call her at any point, at 3 in the morning and ask for something I needed and it would be there.”
The Young Sheldon alum also marvels at the opportunity of getting to work with Reba on their health and wellness podcast on Spotify. “It’s really just two women who have been friends getting to talk to people who we want to talk to and learn about,” she shares. “But I will say, having that chemistry has been so lovely because we can kind of read each other’s minds.”
Be sure to tune into Reba and Melissa’s “Living and Learning” podcast when new episodes premiere every Monday on Spotify!
Reporting by Carly Sloane
