Ray Romano and Patricia Heaton are reflecting on their time in Lynbrook, Long Island.<\/p>\n
The actor, 67, revealed the way his former co-star, also 67, landed her iconic \u201cEverybody Loves Raymond\u201d role.<\/a><\/p>\n The sitcom ran for nine seasons, from 1996 to 2005<\/a>, and followed the life of Ray Barone (Romano) and his family, including his wife Debra (Heaton), their kids (real-life twins Sawyer and Sullivan and older sister Madylin Sweeten), Ray\u2019s brother Robert (Brad Garrett) and their parents, Marie (Doris Roberts) and Frank (Peter Boyle).\u00a0<\/p>\n The \u201cEverybody Loves Raymond\u201d cast at the 30th reunion special. Sonja Flemming\/CBS<\/p>\n On Monday, CBS aired the \u201cEverybody Loves Raymond: 30th Anniversary Reunion,\u201d\u00a0<\/a>featuring Romano, Heaton, creator Phil Rosenthal, his wife Monica Horan, who portrayed Robert\u2019s on-screen girlfriend, Garrett, 65, Madylin, 34, and Sullivan, 30.<\/p>\n During the sit-down, Rosenthal revealed he saw 200 women for the role but that Heaton and Romano \u201chad the most spectacular chemistry, and I always said that Patty Heaton\u2019s the best wife on television.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re forgetting one little key element that really sold me on you during that first audition,\u201d Romano chimed in before Heaton interjected: \u201cThat\u2019s how desperate I was to get the job.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWell, they don\u2019t know what you\u2019re talking about,\u201d the comedian responded, to which his on-screen wife confessed: \u201cI kissed him!\u201d <\/p>\n Ray Romano and Patricia Heaton during the reunion special. Sonja Flemming\/CBS<\/p>\n The cast poses for a family shot during the filming of \u201cEverybody Loves Raymond.\u201d \u00a9CBS\/Courtesy Everett Collection \/ Everett Collection<\/p>\n \u201cThere was a part [in the script] where it says, she kisses her husband,\u201d Romano continued. \u201cAnd every other actress [auditioning for the role] just kind of mimed it. For some reason, she did it.\u201d<\/p>\n Heaton asked, \u201cNobody else?\u201d <\/p>\n In Romano\u2019s eyes, the kiss sealed the deal.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd when she walked out, I go, \u2018That\u2019s the one!’\u201d he shared.<\/p>\n Playing Debra earned Heaton two Emmys in 2000 and 2001.<\/p>\n \u201cI didn\u2019t really have to do research, and I didn\u2019t really have to do acting,\u201d she revealed, \u201cbecause it was what we were all dealing with in our marriages. And so, fortunately, we got to monetize that.\u201d <\/p>\n Patricia Heaton as Debra in \u201cEverybody Loves Raymond.\u201d \u00a9CBS\/Courtesy Everett Collection<\/p>\n Doris Roberts, Patricia Heaton on the beloved sitcom. \u00a9CBS\/Courtesy Everett Collection<\/p>\n At the time, Heaton had been married to her second husband, David Hunt, for six years.<\/p>\n The star was previously married to Constantine Yankoglu\u00a0from 1984 to 1987.<\/p>\n \u201cWell, I was going through \u2014 and I think why the show worked, we were all going through \u2014 what the Barone family was going through in our lives,\u201d she said. \u201cI had a 3-year-old and a 1-year-old in my life. I had a babysitting issue when I was coming to the audition, I needed to get back. I was cutting out coupons for 50 cents off two packs of Ball Park Franks, so I needed the gig.\u201d<\/p>\n But at first, Heaton wasn\u2019t sure she nailed her audition. <\/p>\n The cast of \u201cEverybody Loves Raymond.\u201d CBS via Getty Images<\/p>\n \u201cI got there, and there was a waiting room of at least eight women,\u201d the CBS alum recalled. \u201cAnd I thought, I\u2019m never gonna get back in time for the babysitter. So I went in and sat there, and I just needed to get this audition done. There was a guy sitting in the corner, and I thought, maybe he can get me some water while we\u2019re waiting for Ray to come in. It was [Ray].\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cEverybody Loves Raymond\u201d took home 15 Emmy awards while on air.<\/p>\n While at the reunion, Romano also touched on the idea of a reboot. <\/p>\n Sawyer, Sullivan, and Madylin Sweeten. \u00a9CBS\/Courtesy Everett Collection<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re never gonna do one,\u201d he said.\u00a0\u201cBecause we\u2019re missing three cast members, three\u00a0family\u00a0members, so we would never try to do the show without them.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n Boyle passed away in 2006 at the age of 71, while Roberts died at age 90 in 2016.<\/p>\n Sawyer\u00a0died by suicide<\/a> at age 19\u00a0in 2015.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cIt wouldn\u2019t be the same, and we have too much respect for the show itself and for the beautiful audience, to keep it the way it is,\u201d Rosenthal added. \u201cAnd thankfully, the show is still on every day, all over the world. If you want to visit your friends, we\u2019re here.\u201d <\/p>\n