Surprising Hollywood Friendships That Have Lasted Forever But You Didn’t Know About

Barbara Eden and Carol Burnett

Barbara Eden and Carol Burnett were both huge stars in the ’60s and ’70s — thanks to their shows I Dream of Jeannie and The Carol Burnett Show, respectively — but did you know these two ladies were pals back in the day? In a recent interview with Closer Weekly, Barbara, 88, revealed how she and Carol, 86, crossed paths and what one of the funniest women in showbiz history taught her.

“Well, I worked with Carol on her show,” Barbara told Closer at “The Paley Honors: A Special Tribute to Television’s Comedy Legends” on November 21. “She’s just a beautiful woman and a great comedian.”

“I picked up the fact that it’s really OK to be a good girl,” Barbara added, confirming that “you bet” Carol is a good girl and proved to be a good role model for her in Hollywood and in life. While they didn’t remain too close throughout the years, they recently saw each other at the Hollywood Bowl.

Bette Midler and Julianne Moore

While attending the 2019 WSJ Magazine Innovator Awards in NYC, Bette Midler revealed the adorable details behind her blooming friendship with Julianne Moore. “She’s been my best friend for nine months. I love her,” the Hocus Pocus star, 73, gushed at the event, according to Page Six. “We met this past spring while playing two icons in a new [Julie Taymor] film called The Glorias.”

Ever since first meeting earlier this year, Bette and Julianne, 58, have been thick and thieves. “We have trespassed, we’ve danced and sung, we’ve laughed our asses off,” Bette adorably shared. “She was my tour guide to the hellholes of Montauk this past August.” Bette added, “She took me to a clambake in a junkyard — which is just as Long Island as it sounds.” Aww!

The First Wives Club actress divulged sweet details behind her BFF-status with the Still Alice star, but Bette also couldn’t help but praise her pal for her inspiring acting skills. “She’s an actress of incredible range — she’s played both Gloria Steinem and Sarah Palin. There is a range between those two big enough to drive cattle.”

They may not have been close pals for long, but we have no doubt Bette and Julianne’s adorable friendship will last forever!

Danny DeVito and Michael Douglas

Danny DeVito and Michael Douglas first met in the summer of 1966 after being hired for a gig at the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center in Connecticut. “They were building an amphitheater, and they recruited actors to do outdoor work,” Danny, 75, recalled during a joint Q&A at the Producers Guild of America’s recent Produced By Conference in Los Angeles on June 8.

Michael, also 75, butted in, “I see this guy walking up [to] me, and he’s got long hair,” to which Danny hilariously quipped, “Hair?” The two became fast friends and then eventually roommates in New York City. Throughout the more than 50 years since, Michael and Danny have only grown closer as they’ve collaborated on hit blockbusters several times.

The duo worked together on screen for the first time in 1984’s hit Romancing the Stone. A year later, they reunited for the sequel, The Jewel of the Nile, which ended up being a trouble-plagued production after a plane crash killed six crew members and there was a dysentery outbreak on set. Luckily, the forever friends had a happier time on 1989’s The War of the Roses. Most recently, they appeared together again on Michael’s Netflix sitcom, The Kominsky Method.

Throughout their decades-long friendship, Danny and Michael have bonded even more over both the stresses and joys of marriage and parenthood. “We both love our families and friends so much,” Danny shared at the time. “And if you’re fortunate enough to work with people over and over again, it really adds to the joy.”

Michael echoed the sentiment. “I realize now how much more fun it is when you’re working with your friends,” he gushed as Danny agreed. “It’s about keeping in touch and being with people you care about.”

Elvis Presley and Liberace

Elvis Presley and Liberace may have seemed very different when they were alive, but the hip-swiveling rocker and the flamboyant pianist actually had a lot more in common than fans might think. “The connection between them is something very few people know about and fans would be surprised to learn,” Richard Zoglin, author of the new book Elvis in Vegas: How the King Reinvented the Las Vegas Show, exclusively told Closer Weekly in June.

When the “Can’t Help Falling in Love” singer first played Las Vegas in 1956, audiences didn’t know what to make of the snarling kid from Tupelo, Mississippi, Richard explained. So his manager, Col. Tom Parker, arranged a meeting with the child prodigy.

“Liberace was very supportive of Elvis, who learned something from him,” he told Closer. “Liberace had this over-the-top showmanship Elvis responded to. He started wearing gaudy gold suits the way Liberace did. Liberace said, ‘You need more glitz in your act,’ and that led to what Elvis became.”

The two didn’t just bond over music, though. “Elvis had a twin brother who died at birth, and it’s very odd that Liberace had a twin who died at birth too,” the author explained. “There was a bit of a mystical connection between them.”

“Elvis’ friends told me they liked each other. Elvis would send Liberace a bouquet of flowers when he opened in Vegas,” Richard adds. No doubt Liberace never marked it “Return to Sender.”

Valerie Harper and Mary Tyler Moore

Valerie Harper and Mary Tyler Moore didn’t just work together, they were close friends. The beloved actresses truly defined best friend goals after meeting on the pilot of The Mary Tyler Moore Show in 1970.

“It was a deep, complicated and significant friendship between two single women,” psychologist Bella DePaulo, author of Singled Out, told Closer Weekly in an exclusive interview in 2017. “We had never seen anything like that on TV before.” Even long after the popular series went off the air in 1977, the duo remained very close pals for nearly 45 years after.

Throughout their friendship, Mary and Valerie always stayed by each other’s sides, even throughout their health struggles. Valerie was also very supportive as Mary dealt with diabetes, which led to her unfortunate death at age 80 in January 2017.

At the time of Mary’s tragic passing, the brunette beauty opened up about losing her dear friend. “I cannot stop the emotions I’m experiencing,” Valerie said at the time. “Mary was my colleague, my sister soul mate, and, above all, one hell of a girlfriend!”

Although the iconic star passed away nearly two years ago, we know if she was around, she would’ve been by Valerie’s side as she bravely fought her battle with cancer. Sadly, Valerie died in August after losing a years-long struggle with terminal brain cancer.

We bet these two ladies are laughing it up in Heaven!

Andy Cohen and John Mayer

Here’s the 4-1-1 on this famous friendship! Andy Cohen and John Mayer formed an unlikely bond — considering one is Real Housewives guru and the other a Grammy Award-winning artist — but the two have stayed extremely close pals. During an episode of his podcast titled Radio Andy in May, the Watch What Happens Live! host revealed how he and the “Your Body is a Wonderland” singer met for the first time while out and about in New York City many years ago.

“I was walking down Bleecker St. in New York City and I ran into [mutual friend] Ricky, who was with John,” Andy, 51, began explaining, noting that the musician, 42, looked different thanks to his long hair and grungy outfit. “We start shopping and we’re walking around and all of a sudden I see paparazzi around the block. So I turned to Ricky and I go, ‘Is this John Mayer that we’re with right now?’ I did not recognize that it was you!”

Andy even joked that although the two hit it off right away, being fans of The Grateful Dead officially sealed their friendship. “He’s great. I love him,” he told the Daily Dish in 2015. “We’re buddies and we bond over the Grateful Dead and he’s just a great guy.”

Throughout the last, the two pals have been on countless road trips, collaborated professionally and proved that sometimes the most unlikely friendships are the best ones to have!

Matt Damon and Ben Affleck

Matt and Ben are likely one of Hollywood’s most iconic pairs. The famous friends have been linked ever since they bonded on the set of Good Will Hunting, the Oscar-winning film they wrote together, over 20 years ago in 1997. However, the two fresh-faced stars have been believed to be longtime friends well before they broke out in showbiz.

In fact, the two first met at Boston’s Cambridge Rindge and Latin School and later moved out to Los Angeles to live together while pursuing a career in Hollywood. Although they went separate ways career-wise following their Academy Award-winning debut, The Bourne Supremacy actor and the Batman star stayed close friends — even launching Pearl Street Films production company together in October 2012.

Throughout the years, Ben, 47, and Matt, 49, have been by each other’s sides throughout the highs and lows — including many of Ben’s divorce from ex Jennifer Garner. An insider even told Us Weekly in September 2018 Matt was “a huge support” for his best friend as he recovered from his issues with substance abuse. “He’ll always be there for Ben whenever he needs him,” confessed the insider.

Although it’s been more than 21 years since they last appeared on screen together, fans will get another taste of the handsome twosome when they reunite for The Last Duel. According to Deadline, the film is a revenge story about two best friends in the 1400s who quarrel over a woman and end up fighting to the death.

We can’t wait!

Victoria Beckham and Eva Longoria

Eva and Victoria became fast friends after first meeting over 10 years ago when the Beckham family moved to Los Angeles for David Beckham‘s soccer career.  The two women struck up a friendship after bonding over their love of fashion.

“We’re best friends and have shared lots of life lessons together,” the Desperate Housewives alum gushed to Daily Mail Australia in 2016. “What we talk about is between us but we’ve been through stuff together.”

Throughout their friendship, Eva, 44, and Victoria, 45, have proven they are thick as thieves. Not only have they been through some tough times together — including Eva’s 2011 divorce from ex Tony Parker — but the two ladies have also shared some very special moments.

In 2015, the Dora and the Lost City of Gold actress flew to Morocco to celebrate David’s 40th birthday, while also attending the opening of Victoria’s new clothing store in London the year prior.

The former Spice Girl paid tribute to her close friend in January 2018 after she introduced the Eva Pump, a shoe that was designed and named in her honor. At the time, Victoria took to Instagram and proudly shared photos of the stunning shoe. “Work some color into your wardrobe with the Eva Pump,” she captioned the pic.

We love these two ladies!

Jennifer Lopez and Leah Remini

Can you believe Jennifer Lopez and Leah Remini have been best friends for more than 10 years?! The beloved twosome first became friends when the singer’s ex-husband, Marc Anthony, introduced them at the 2004 premiere of Man on Fire.
“I was friends with Marc Anthony and then he started dating Jennifer, and he was doing a film,” The King of Queens star, 49, shared with Entertainment Tonight last December. “I went to premiere and he said, ‘You have to meet Jennifer!’ And he was telling Jennifer, ‘You have to meet Leah and Angelo [Pagan],’ my husband.”
They then joked that they hit it off immediately “and we fell in love right there,” the “Jenny From the Block” singer, 50, said. “It was one of those instant chemistry things where you just feel like, ‘I love this person. I love being around this person. This person makes me laugh. [Leah’s] cool and we also have very similar upbringings. That’s why we work well together.”

The dynamic duo appeared on screen for the first time together last year while portraying a set of best friends in the Second Act. The movie was extra special for the New York City natives considering Jen and Leah gushed about the connection to their characters.

“The relationship that Maya and Joan have is very special and the relationship that we have is very special,” the World of Dance host dished. “I knew that if we could capture our real honesty, our real love, our real humor, then that would be something really entertaining and fun for everybody to see.”

We hope we get to see these two on the big screen together again soon!