Behind-the-Scenes Secrets: How the Cast of Everybody Loves Raymond Really Got Along Off-Camera

I'm still trying to figure out how my family somehow ended up on one of the most popular TV shows of all time. I mean, sure, we're lovable and quirky, but also argumentative and, let's be real, a little crazy. As the star of Everybody Loves Raymond, I've had the chance to peek behind the curtain and see how my co-stars really got along off-camera. And trust me, it's been a wild ride.

The Chemistry Was Real (But So Were the Bickering)

One thing that's clear from watching us on TV is that our characters' chemistry was real. But what you might not have noticed is how much bickering went on between the actors themselves. I mean, we were a tight-knit family in real life too – well, as tight-knit as a group of grown adults who are all arguing with each other can be.

Ray Romano (who played me, by the way) has said that our cast was like a big ol' family. We'd often hang out off-set and just shoot the breeze. But don't let that fool you – we still managed to find ways to drive each other crazy. I mean, who else could make a joke about their wife's cooking turn into an argument with the entire crew?

Brad Garrett: The Life of the Party

Brad Garrett, who played my lovable but gruff brother Robert Barone, was always the life of the party. He's a big guy with a heart of gold and a sense of humor that could defuse even the most tense situation.

I remember one time, we were on set and Brad started doing this ridiculous accent for no reason at all. It was like he was trying to distract us from the fact that our director had just yelled "CUT!" for the millionth time that day. Anyway, it worked – we all cracked up and forgot about our troubles.

Doris Roberts: The Queen of sass

Doris Roberts, who played my no-nonsense mother Marie, was the queen of sass. She'd always be quick with a witty remark or a raised eyebrow to get us in line.

I have to admit, sometimes I felt like she was giving me crap more than anyone else on set. But hey, it was all in good fun – and it made for great TV, right?

Patricia Heaton: The Voice of Reason

Patricia Heaton, who played my wife Debra, is the voice of reason on our show. She's always so calm and collected, even when we're driving her crazy.

I think that's one thing that helped us get along so well off-camera – we all respected each other's boundaries and knew when to keep quiet. Well, most of the time, anyway...

The Cast's Favorite Memories

Over the years, I've asked our cast about their favorite memories from working on Everybody Loves Raymond. And let me tell you, they've got some good ones.

• "I remember one time when we were filming a scene and Ray [Romano] just broke down in tears because he was so frustrated with the director," said Brad Garrett. "We all thought it was real, but then the director told us it was just a joke."
• "I loved working with the whole cast – they're like my second family," said Patricia Heaton.
• "One time we were on set and Ray started doing this ridiculous dance to try and get out of doing another take. We all fell apart laughing," said Doris Roberts.

Conclusion

Working on Everybody Loves Raymond was an incredible experience, and I'm so grateful to have had the chance to share it with such a talented and wonderful cast. Sure, we bickered and argued like any family – but in the end, that's what made our show so real and relatable.

I'm not going to lie, sometimes I still get nervous thinking about all those hours of argumentative TV we put out into the world. But hey, at least it kept people entertained, right?