What John Goodman And Roseanne Barr's Relationship Is Like In Real Life

Though he launched his career years prior, it was not until 1988 when John Goodman landed a role on ABC's "Roseanne" that he gained national recognition. On the show, Goodman played the role of Dan Conner, husband to Roseanne Conner and father to the couple's three kids. For his outstanding performance on the show, Goodman earned a Golden Globe for best actor in 1993 and seven consecutive Emmy nominations. But while the show brought him rather well-deserved recognition, it also had its own demons. While struggling with his newly found fame, Goodman developed an alcohol addiction. "At first it was exciting. Then it got frightening when I lost my anonymity," he admitted in an interview with Today. 

Meanwhile, Roseanne Barr, who had previously watched her ex-husband Tom Arnold face an addiction problem, confronted Goodman over his incessant drinking. "She was scared for me, but she was more confrontational," Goodman recalled to Howard Stern in 2018 (via Page Six). "She'd already had a husband go through the process." While worried though, Barr provided Goodman with all the support he needed at the time. "Me and John, we have a friendship off the show, too," she explained. "John has held my head when I was barfing in a bar. I drank too much, too. I still do. I didn't give up like John."

With the two clearly sharing a close bond, fans of "Roseanne" have been left wondering what Barr and Goodman's friendship is like in real life.

In 2018, shortly after the premiere of the "Roseanne" revival, Roseanne Barr stirred up controversy after getting into an online feud with Valerie Jarrett, one of President Barack Obama's former advisors. In a since-deleted tweet, Barr hurled racist comments at Jarrett, sparking backlash from many stars across the industry. ABC also subsequently canceled "Roseanne," noting that Barr's comment was against the network's values. "Roseanne's Twitter statement is abhorrent, repugnant, and inconsistent with our values, and we have decided to cancel her show," ABC explained in a statement.

Amid the backlash, however, Goodman's love and support for his on-screen wife never wavered. In an interview, Goodman shared his opinion about Barr's scandal, defending her from the racism allegations she had since faced. "I know, I know, for a fact that she's not a racist," he said (via E! News). The "Barton Fink" actor also touched on ABC's response to the scandal, hinting at a bit of disappointment in how the network handled it. "I'll put it this way, I was surprised at the response...And that's probably all I should say about it," he explained. 

Given the backlash she faced following the scandal, Barr couldn't have been more grateful for Goodman's support — so much so that it moved her to tears. "I love him. So sweet of him to do that. So nice. Because he does know me," she told ET in 2018. 

Though "Roseanne" was canceled, ABC was committed to carrying on the Conner family story. In June 2018, the network announced its plan to start producing "The Conners," a direct continuation of the original show. But Roseanne Barr was not to return to the show and also not awarded any financial and creative involvement — a move Goodman couldn't help but commend. "She gave up a lot so that we could do that show,' he told Seth Meyers during an appearance on his show. "She gave up all the rights to it so we didn't have to call ourselves the 'Monners,' or the 'Chonners,' or invent new characters. She'll always be missed."

Barr has previously opened up about her abrupt exit, revealing that she agreed to the terms of her termination to protect other people on the show. "I regret the circumstances that have caused me to be removed from 'Roseanne,'" she said in a statement (via Variety). "I agreed to the settlement in order that 200 jobs of beloved cast and crew could be saved, and I wish the best for everyone involved."

In the time that has passed since her exit from "Roseanne," Barr has been under the radar. In February 2023, she made a return to standup with the release of her comedy special, "Cancel This." Goodman on the other hand has stayed busy with "The Conners." No doubt though, he stays missing his beloved TV wife.