The world is still in mourning over the sad death of Betty White. The veteran actress was only weeks away from celebrating her 100th birthday. White is best known for playing Rose Nylund in The Golden Girls which ran on NBC from 1985 to 1992.
In 2014, White was awarded the Guinness World Record for longest TV career for a female entertainer in 2014. So it's no surprise that her enduring spirit and incredible work ethic made her respected and loved by her peers.
One friendship that White was particuarly fond of was the one with her former co-star Ryan Reynolds.
Ryan Reynolds And Betty White First Met On The Set Of 'The Proposal'
White was hilarious in The Proposal playing "Gammy Annie," Reynolds' character's grandmother. Reynolds plays Andrew Paxton, the assistant to his domineering boss named Margaret Tate, played by Sandra Bullock. Like many of us, Reynolds had been a huge fan of White for many years. The Deadpool actor often jokingly referred to the much-missed actress as his "ex-girlfriend."
The cast definitely had a good working relationship on the set of the 2009 romantic comedy as during their downtime they made a side-splitting skit. Uploaded onto Reynolds YouTube page, White plays a diva-like version of herself, pretending to confuse film star Reynolds for an assistant and ordering him to fetch a coffee.
After she calls him a "jacka***" Reynolds explodes and shouts abuse at White - who then runs to Bullock for comfort, playing up to her small and sweet stature.
"That is a living legend, you are not," Bullock says before appearing to slap him. "Who is on the poster of this film?" Bullock says, "I am on the poster of this film. No one knows who you are Ryan," before adding, "they know who Betty White is."
Did White and Reynolds Have A Romance?
Although Reynolds and White did not have a romantic relationship - they sure played up to it! In an interview by PEOPLE, White lightheartedly accused Reynolds of not being able to "get over his thing for me." She sweetly revealed that fellow Hollywood veteran actor Robert Redford was "The One."
After White's death was announced, Redford told ET Online when asked for comment: "I had a crush on her too!" Redford, 85, also added: “Betty lived life devoted to her craft and her love of animals. She made us all laugh, including me."
Ryan Reynolds Publicly Wished Betty White A Happy Birthday Over The Years
In 2019 Ryan Reynolds went out of his way to wish White a happy 98th birthday. He teamed up with former co-star Sandra Bullock to sing White a very special rendition of "Happy Birthday."
Playing up to their fake relationship, Reynolds joked about arriving at her door with hand-delivered flowers, while wearing nothing but "black socks and a dozen gold bracelets, "just like [White] requested."
Betty White is believed to have died of natural causes at her home on Friday morning, TMZ confirmed. Police were seen at White's home investigating her death as a matter of procedure. A black coroner's van was also seen leaving her home, as authorities confirmed there was "no foul play" connected to White's death.
On December 28, she tweeted her last mesage: "My 100th birthday… I cannot believe it is coming up, and People Magazine is celebrating with me! The new issue of @People is available on newsstands nationwide tomorrow."
President Joe Biden led tributes to the star, tweeting: "Betty White brought a smile to the lips of generations of Americans. She's a cultural icon who will be sorely missed. Jill and I are thinking of her family and all those who loved her this New Year's Eve."
The U.S. Army also thanked her for her service in World War II. "We are saddened by the passing of Betty White," the Army tweeted. "Not only was she an amazing actress, she also served during World War II as a member of the American Women's Voluntary Services."
Michelle Obama, Ryan Reynolds, Reese Witherspoon and Viola Davis also paid tribute to the iconic performer.
Reynolds tweeted his grief soon after the news broke.
"The world looks different now. She was great at defying expectation," the tweet read. "She managed to grow very old and somehow, not old enough. We'll miss you, Betty. Now you know the secret."
