‘Everybody Loves Raymond’ Star Patricia Heaton Reveals ‘One of the Best Lines I Had in All 9 Seasons’
Everybody Loves Raymond fans are ecstatic over the show’s upcoming cast reunion. Patricia Heaton, who played Debra Barone, recently appeared on the Today Show with her two former co-stars, Ray Romano (Ray Barone) and Brad Garrett (Robert Barone). The trio discussed the impending get-together and recalled some favorite moments from the legendary sitcom.
Cast reunites to honor late co-star Peter Boyle
Monica Horan (Amy Barone) and show creator Phil Rosenthal are also joining the table reading of six selected scenes from the sitcom for the show’s reunion. The event is to raise money for the International Myeloma Foundation (IMF) in honor their late co-star Peter Boyle (Frank Barone). The actor died in 2006 from multiple myeloma and heart disease.
Also missing from the ensemble is Doris Roberts (Marie Barone), who died in 2016, and Sawyer Sweeten (Geoffrey Barone), who passed away in 2015.
Heaton tweeted out the news last week to give loyal fans a heads-up on the special reunion.
“Mark your calendar NOW!” the Everybody Loves Raymond alum posted on Twitter. “15 years after the series finale, the cast of “Everybody Loves Raymond” reunites for a reunion table read of six selected scenes! @IMFmyeloma 14th Annual Comedy Celebration goes virtual this year, and you’re invited http://comedy.myeloma.org.”
Patricia Heaton recalls one of her favorite Debra Barone statements
Heaton has previously spoken of some of her favorite episodes, which often involved Roberts, who played her mother-in-law. A storyline from the 11th episode of season 2 was at the top of Heaton’s list. “The Letter” featured Marie crashing Debra’s Tupperware party, where Debra then puts pen to paper to tell Marie how she feels – about everything.
”I had written a letter to Marie, telling her everything I’d ever been angry at her about,” Heaton explained, according to Entertainment Weekly. “I love those ones, where Marie and I can bond.”
Yet one of her all-time favorite lines came from an episode in season 5. When Debra’s parents visit for Thanksgiving, she hilariously compares them to her in-laws.
“One of the best lines I had in all nine seasons,” Heaton recalled on Today. “When I said to Ray ‘If my parents lit an orphanage on fire on Christmas Day, they still wouldn’t be as bad as your parents.'”
Ray Romano and Brad Garrett give props to their ‘Everybody Loves Raymond’ co-star
Heaton’s co-stars didn’t hold back in singing her praises during their interview with Smith. The Middle star apparently had to beat out a high number of contenders for the part.
“The casting has to be special,” Romano explained in selecting the actor to play Debra Barone. “We read 200 women until Patty came in the room to read for the wife.”
Often battling her mother-in-law while trying to get Ray to do more around the house, the character of Debra needed to be assertive. Garrett saw Heaton as perfect for the role.
“[Heaton] was the anchor, in my opinion,” Garrett told Smith. “She was surrounded by this circus and what I loved with Patty … she played this strong woman who wouldn’t take anyone’s crap.”
Viewers can stream the 90-minute show from IMF’s YouTube channel and Facebook page on Oct. 23 at 9 p.m. ET.
