Delta Burke is finding the silver lining in a difficult period of her life. In her first interview in more than a decade, the Designing Women alum, 67, opened up on the Glamorous Trash podcast about meeting her husband of 34 years, Gerald McRaney, after turning to crystal meth for weight loss.
“Whatever went down that was bad, it was worth it because I met him,” she told host Chelsea Devantez. “No one had ever loved me completely for me, not even my mother or grandmother. They would judge what I looked like. He never did.”
Meeting Gerald McRaney
Burke admitted that McRaney, whom she met while filming Designing Women, helped her endure some of the most challenging periods in her life before she decided to leave the series in 1991. “I love my life truly for the first time. And I love him desperately,” she shared of the This Is Us actor. “I know that I’m safe and I’m loved. I didn’t feel that there. I wanted to be so much, and I didn’t get to be what I wanted to be, but I got to go there, and I got to be an actress, and I got to make people laugh, which I loved very much.”
Gerald McRaney’s Swift Proposal
Back in 2017, Burke and McRaney, 76, reminisced about one of the earliest public outings of their relationship while in conversation with PEOPLE at the Creative Arts Emmy Awards ceremony red carpet. “We had just gotten together – 1987 was the first time,” recalled Burke of their big date. She was just starting the second season of her career-defining sitcom Designing Women, while he was still in the thick of his breakout series Simon & Simon, where the couple first met when Burke made a guest appearance.
“He asked me to marry him on the second date, so we were pretty committed!” said Burke, laughing. McRaney admitted, “I wasn’t going to let her get away. I already had competition. There were people asking her out on dates, and I was going to move in right away.” The couple, who married less than two years later in 1989, joked that “surviving” their first Emmy outing did bring them even closer.
“We survived the Emmys, and we’re still together all this time later,” McRaney said. “People always said to me, ‘You never want to marry an actress.’ Why not? They’re the only people who understand this insanity. And she does. If I’m on location, and I don’t call her until 2 o’clock in the morning, no big deal. She knows. And the same thing out here. If I come in in a foul mood because I’ve had a problem with the script or the director or this, ‘Okay, I’ll listen to you. Just don’t take it out on me, and I’ll listen to you.’”
The Ugly Side of Fame
During her podcast appearance, Burke detailed the scrutiny she faced over her weight while on Designing Women and how she was “emotionally too fragile” to deal with the “incredibly ugly” narratives about her size. “I thought I was stronger.
I tried very hard to defend myself against lies and all the ugliness that was there and I wasn’t gonna win. I’m just an actress, you know. I don’t have any power,” she said on the podcast. “I remember on the set, when it got to be really bad, and I wasn’t handling it well with a smiling face, my whole body language changed. I would kind of hunch over… I just tried to disappear.”
After using prescription pills while attending drama school in London, they eventually stopped working for her, and she turned to crystal meth. “Nobody knew about crystal meth at the time,” she said. She was told to “snort” it but didn’t want to, so instead, she “put it in cranberry juice.”
She would drink it before going to work — she was starring in Filthy Rich at the time — and “wouldn’t eat for five days.” “And they were still saying, ‘Your butt’s too big. Your legs are too big.’ And I now look back at those pictures and go, ‘I was a freaking goddess.'”
Industry Pressure
Delta has recently spoken out and said the reason she left was due to pressure about her weight. The star recently appeared on the Glamorous Trash podcast and opened up about her experience in the limelight. Delta spoke to host Chelsea Devantez and revealed that she turned to crystal meth to shift the pounds. The star attended acting school in London and was prescribed dieting pills only to realize they were illegal when she returned to the United States.
Delta revealed that she turned to “Black beauties,” during her time filming the sitcom Filthy Rich. She used to “take them in the morning so [she wouldn’t] eat.” “They were like medicine to me,” she added. Eventually, Delta revealed she had built up a tolerance and a cast-mate suggested she tried methamphetamine. “Nobody knew about crystal meth at the time,” she explained. “[They said] ‘You chop it up. You snort.’ I said, ‘I don’t want to snort it.’ So I put it in cranberry juice and [drank] it and wouldn’t eat for five days.”
Delta said others kept telling her she was too big and still gaining weight, but she regrets her negative thoughts. “I now look back at those pictures and go, ‘I was a freaking goddess,'” she emphasized. Filthy Rich ended in 1983, and Burke then went on to reach breakout success in 1986 with Designing Women. Delta earned two Emmy nominations during her time on the sitcom. The star said worries about her weight ultimately led her to leave the show after she had to face “ugly narratives.”
A Quiet Life
Following her departure from the show, Delta appeared in three other projects. Delta appeared on a television show in the late 1990s called Women of the House and later another show named Any Day Now. The actress also starred in a movie called What Women Want in 2000.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Delta Burke married to?
Delta Burke is married to actor Gerald McRaney. They have been together for 34 years.
How did Delta Burke and Gerald McRaney meet?
Delta Burke and Gerald McRaney met while filming the sitcom Designing Women.
Why did Delta Burke leave Designing Women?
Delta Burke left Designing Women due to the immense pressure and scrutiny over her weight, which she found emotionally overwhelming.
What challenges did Delta Burke face in her career?
Delta Burke faced significant challenges, including pressure over her weight, addiction issues, and negative industry narratives.
What projects did Delta Burke work on after Designing Women?
After leaving Designing Women, Delta Burke appeared in Women of the House, Any Day Now, and the movie What Women Want.
Delta Burke’s story is one of resilience and finding love amidst adversity. Her journey through fame, personal struggles, and ultimately finding a supportive partner in Gerald McRaney is a testament to her strength and enduring spirit.