Mary Tyler Moore was one of the most famous faces on TV for many years. Her role in The Mary Tyler Moore Show made her a star, and she got very close with her co-stars over the years. However, one actor was not a fan of Moore’s political opinions.
Mary Tyler Moore and Ed Asner’s ‘Mary Tyler Moore Show’ characters
Moore rose to fame on The Dick Van Dyke Show, where she played Dick Van Dyke’s wife, Laura Petrie. After the show ended, Moore launched her own program: The Mary Tyler Moore Show.
The actor played Mary Richards, a woman starting over in a new city after breaking off an engagement. She eventually starts working as an associate producer at a TV news station, where she befriends her co-workers and re-enters the dating world.
This is where Moore met actor Ed Asner. He played Lou Grant, her character’s boss. Their characters frequently butted heads but always ended things on friendly terms. In real life, Moore and Asner were just as close.
Mary Tyler Moore and Ed Asner were close friends but disagreed when it came to politics
Asner commended Moore for her willingness to let others be in the spotlight, even though she was the main character of the show. The actor also called her “the giving, generous pivot around which everything revolves,” according to Biography.
The pair even attempted a romantic relationship! After the sitcom ended, during a time when they were both single, the long-time friends and co-workers went on a date. Sparks didn’t fly between them, but Asner and Moore remained friends.
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Their close relationship didn’t mean the pair ever fought. Asner was a staunch Democratic socialist all his life and frequently campaigned for candidates. He was also an outspoken critic of then-President Ronald Reagan.
His strong political opinions almost tanked his friendship with Moore. In 2011, Asner said Moore had “changed” and criticized her for supporting Republican candidates.
“She’s a Republican,” Asner said in an interview at the time, according to Fox News. “Last time I saw her, she said Sarah Palin was a great lady.”
When Mary Tyler Moore accidentally saw Ed Asner naked
Even though Asner and Moore disagreed on politics, they stayed close friends until the end. Once, Moore even accidentally saw her co-star naked! The actor discussed the incident while appearing on Late Night with David Letterman in 2009.
“He was glistening. From the shower,” Moore shared. “I just want to say that … uh, I know he’s admired for his enormous talent, but…” The actor hilariously trailed off as host David Letterman, and the studio audience cracked up.
Moore and Asner remained friends their entire lives. Moore died on January 25, 2017, after suffering a heart attack that was complicated by pneumonia. She was 80 years old. Asner died of natural causes at the age of 91 in 2021.
