It’s been more than four years since beloved actress Betty White passed away, and her legacy is still as bright as ever. Recently, “911” star Jennifer Love Hewitt discussed her close friendship with the “Golden Girls” legend. The two became “best friends” on the set of their 2011 Hallmark movie, “The Lost Valentine” — which made our list of the 10 Best Hallmark Valentine’s Day movies.
Hewitt spoke to PEOPLE in January 2026 about the bond she shared with White. She said, “Betty was very special to me because growing up, my grandmother was my best friend, and I would sleep over at her house all the time, and our favorite show to watch together was ‘The Golden Girls.'”
Hewitt then shared why the iconic show was so special to her, sharing, “And I fully believe that that’s why I’m part 95-year-old as just a person because I literally grew up watching Rose and Blanche and Dorothy and Sophia, and they were the funniest women to me ever. So, it was a very special thing.”
Jennifer Love Hewitt Makes Sweet Comments About Betty White
GettyThe two actresses first met in 2011 while starring in Hallmark’s “The Lost Valentine.” Hewitt recalled her excitement to work with the screen legend, saying, “Betty was always just one of my favorite people. So, when I got that movie, and I knew that I was going to get to work with her, I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, not only am I going to get to work with her, but this is my grandmother.'”
The “I Know What You Did Last Summer” star continued, “Then, I met Betty, and she was just everything I wanted her to be and times a million. She was just the most wonderful woman. We became best friends, and we stayed that way up until the day she passed. And she just was just so incredibly special.”
Jokingly, she also revealed “one negative thing” about White. According to Hewitt, “She did cheat at Scrabble a lot. She was the best.”
The Actress Paid Tribute to the ‘Golden Girls’ Star When She Passed
GettyWhite passed away on December 31, 2021, not long before she would have turned 100 years old. Following her death, many celebrities took to social media and talk shows to pay tribute to her, including Hewitt.
Per Daily Mail, she said on Instagram, “When I was a kid, I watched Golden Girls with my grandmother and I fell in love with Betty White and when I got to work with her, I fell in love with her for real and I had the greatest honor and pleasure of being really close with her and calling her a really good friend. One of my best friends.”
From there, the actress discussed that White passed away just shy of turning 100. She also stated that White was “everything you wanted her to be and more.” Hewitt also encouraged fans to honor white by laughing.
