"Everybody Loves Raymond" star Ray Romano turns 65!
Ray has spent more than half his life with his wife, Anna Romano, with whom he shares their four look-alike children.
The comedian once described the exact moment he knew he loved his wife.
Today, December 21, the legendary "Everybody Loves Raymond" star Ray Romano turns 65. Besides his hit show, the comedian is known for his standup and dabbles in screenwriting. Ray is also a father of two twins who seem like each other's carbon copies.
The actor is a loving family man, and impressively, he has been married to his lovely wife, Anna Romano, for the past 35 years. Ray and Anna celebrated their last anniversary on October 11, 2022.
Ray Romano and wife Anna at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, California, September 12, 1999 | Source: Getty Images
Funnily enough, Ray's life in his classic sitcom reflects his real life to an extent. In the show, his character, Raymond Barone, is also the father of two twin boys. The actor and his wife even share a daughter, like his on-screen counterpart.
How Did Ray Meet His Wife?
When Ray met Anna, he was a 29-year-old living with his parents. He had very few real prospects back then, and he worked at a local bank as a teller. Incidentally, Anna worked at the same bank, also as a teller, and she remembered how he used to ride to work on a bicycle.
Despite the similarities between Ray's real life and his character in "Everybody Loves Raymond," the actor admitted there are some key differences.
The actor reminisced about the first while they spent together, saying his wife didn't mind that he had little money. With a smile, he joked that she wasn't a materialistic woman — back then. These days, though, he's a famous comedian. He admitted to using his family life for material and said with a laugh:
"Whenever she complains about me using her as material, I tell her to go cry in a bag of money."
At first, though, Ray didn't plan on becoming a comedian. He performed at comedy clubs between jobs but didn't know whether he could make a real job out of it. However, Anna knew he was a shoo-in, and she said he always made their teller jobs fun.
Who Are Ray's Kids?
Despite the similarities between Ray's real life and his character in "Everybody Loves Raymond," the actor admitted there are some key differences. For one, the real Ray has four children, not just three.
Another thing Ray mentioned is that he is a much more involved dad than his fictional persona. He loves spending time with his kids, Alexandra Romano, Gregory Romano, Matthew Romano, and Joseph Romano. Meanwhile, Ray Barone spends most of his time away from his kids.
The actor mentioned that he was very sensitive to his children's needs while they were growing up. Although he loves being a father, he joked about how messy raising kids can be. He commented in episode 21, season 1 of "Everybody Loves Raymond":
"Having children is like living in a frat house - nobody sleeps, everything's broken, and there's a lot of throwing up."
After 35 years together, Ray and Anna can laugh about the myriad things they have experienced. Ray said he knew he loved Anna when she gave birth to their twins, and he had to pretend to be happy when she told him they were girls. She responded, "They're boys, you jerk!"
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