Reba McEntire & Rex Linn’s Adorable Love Story

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Reba McEntire & Rex Linn’s Love Story Will Make Your Heart Melt

Reba McEntire and Rex Linn’s love story started in 2020. They’ve been inseparable ever since.

It’s clear from the way Reba and Rex speak about each other that they’re head over heels in love. They frequently post photos together on social media, and share small glimpses into their life as a couple.

Keep reading to learn more and Reba McEntire and Rex Linn’s adorable love story…from how it started, to whether or not they’ll one day take the next step and say “I do.”

How Did Reba Meet Rex Linn?

Although Reba and Rex didn’t start dating until 2020, they’ve actually known each other for far longer.

Rex is an actor, known for his roles in shows such as CSI: Miami, Better Call Saul, and Young Sheldon. Before all of that, Rex played the character Henry in Kenny Rogers’ TV movie The Gambler Returns: The Luck of the Draw.

Reba also starred in the film, and played Burgundy Jones. She and Rex met on set, and formed a friendship.

They kept in touch through the years, and have a shared group of friends.

When Did Reba & Rex Linn Start Dating?

As mentioned previously, Reba and Rex started dating when they reconnected in January 2020. Reba flew out to California to film an episode of Young Sheldon, which Rex also appears on. They got in touch, and went out to dinner with friends.

Rex actually posted a photo from their first “date,” which he captioned, “Had a fantastic dinner with this Oklahoma girl. Tater Tots and Ketchup included.”

Due to COVID-19, Reba and Rex were unable to see each other for a few months after they started dating. Reba’s mom, Jacqueline, passed away on March 14, 2020, and Rex helped support Reba during that difficult time.

Reba said Rex would often send her food while they were apart, including “McConnell’s ice cream. Perini’s steaks, and all kinds of beef from south Texas.” They eventually reunited in the summer of 2020, and have rarely been apart since!

In January 2025, Reba shared side-by-side photos from their first date and from a new outing celebrating their fifth anniversary!

What Are Reba & Rex’s Nicknames For Each Other?

You may have noticed that Reba and Rex use nicknames for each other. Those nicknames are “Tater Tot” and “Sugar Tot.”

Do you recall how Rex mentioned tater tots in his post about his first date with Reba? There’s a story behind that.

When the server said they had tater tots on the menu, Reba couldn’t contain her excitement.

“On the menu was Tater Tots and I just went nuts because I love tater tots,” Reba said. “And so, Rex is famous for giving people nicknames and he said, ‘That’s yours.’”

“That was the perfect moment. You ordered Tater Tots, you delved into them like a great white shark with ketchup,” Rex said. “And I just thought, that’s it. It’s ‘Tater Tot.’”

Reba took to calling Rex “Sugar Tot” after that. Together, they refer to themselves as “The Tots!”

Which Movies & TV Shows Have Reba McEntire & Rex Linn Starred In Together?

Reba McEntire / Facebook
In addition to The Gambler Returns and Young Sheldon, Reba and Rex have starred in some other projects together. They played a married couple named Sunny and Buck Barnes in the third season of the ABC drama series Big Sky. They currently act together in the NBC sitcom Happy’s Place.

They also co-starred in the 2023 Lifetime movie The Hammer. Rex shared what it was like working with Reba on the film, saying:

“Every scene was fun for me because I was working with her, and I mean that. We’ll wink at each other in the middle of a scene.”

Reba and Rex still have one project they’d love to make. She said they talk “all the time” about starring in a Western together.

“…we were raised around cattle and horses,” she said. “He loves to team rope, I love to barrel race, and we both got into show business. So that was always our passion, to be in a Western. To get to be on one together would be a blast.”

Will Reba McEntire & Rex Linn Ever Get Married?

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Reba and Rex have also talked about getting married!

Reba has been married twice before. She married Charlie Battles in 1976 and they divorced in 1987. She then married Narvel Blackstock in 1989 and they divorced in 2015. Reba shares a son, Shelby, with Narvel.

Rex has never been married before. So if he and Reba say “I do,” it will be his first marriage. Because of this, Reba says it’s up to Rex if he’d like to tie the knot.

She told Page Six, “I said [to him], ‘If you want to that’s fine with me.’ I’ve been married twice, he’s never been married so if he wants to that’s up to him.”

Reba says they’ve talked and “giggled” about the idea of getting married. If they ever do, she thinks they’ll have to hold multiple ceremonies to accommodate all of their friends and loved ones.

“We thought, ‘Man, if we ever did have a ceremony, we would have to have a 2 o’clock, 4 o’clock, 6 o’clock and an 8 o’clock because we have so many friends, acquaintances and family,” she said.

Whether or not they walk down the aisle, it’s clear Reba and Rex are deeply in love. She’s even called him “the love of my life.”