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I Dream of Jeannie’s Barbara Eden, 94, Shares Rare New Photo
I Dream of Jeannie alum Barbara Eden isn't one to bottle up her emotions. So, for anyone curious about her advice for those trying to find their way in Hollywood, their wish is her command.
"You don't pay any attention to anything anyone says," the 94-year-old stressed on a June 2025 episode of Jennie Garth's I Choose Me podcast. "Because you will get so much criticism, negativity or too much, you know, a puff thing. So, just be true to yourself."
A tip certainly worth the head nod considering how magical Eden's world feels five-plus decades after she wrapped her fame-making television series.
"I'm really lucky," the two-time Golden Globe nominee told People in October 2021, name-dropping her "very supportive husband" Jon Eicholtz and her dear friends. "I think life, everything, has to work itself out. There's a reason for most things, and I can't wish for it."
While she spent her five seasons as a 2,000-year-old genie seeing to her master's every desire—Larry Hagman's dashing astronaut Major Anthony Nelson—her greatest desires came true when she met her third husband, a real estate developer and architect, in 1991.
She'd previously been bottled up with actor Michael Ansara from 1958 to 1974, though their marriage was not without hardship.
Six years after they welcomed son Matthew Ansara in 1965, she carried his brother "for almost eight months before the doctors told me he had died in the womb," she recounted to People in 2021. "It was awful. I became numb. You just deal with everything every day."
She similarly got through it after her eldest died following a heroin overdose in 2001 at the age of 35.
"I don't think there's anything worse than to lose your child," Eden, also married to Chicago Sun-Times executive Charles Fegert from 1977 to 1982, acknowledged to People. "As a parent, I had a lot of guilt and anger, and following his death I was always on the edge of tears. Even though he was 35, he was still my baby."
While she notes it's impossible to cope with that sort of loss, she's found solace in the quiet life she's built in Beverly Hills with Eicholtz and their labradoodle Bentley. "We're just happy to be together," she told People last year. "We really enjoy each other."
NBCU Photo Bank
Take their recent holiday, captured on camera by Eden, who wrote in an Instagram post, "Happy Easter from us bunnies! We hope it's been beautiful and full of joy!"
While her I Dream of Jeannie gig is the reason their Los Angeles spread has an impressive array of bottles, many collected from fans, "Every time I make a personal appearance, someone comes up and asks me about the manicurist, which I did one episode as on The Andy Griffith Show," she noted to People in 2024 of her earlier gigs. "I also did one episode of I Love Lucy, and fans remember that, too. When I was doing it, I just didn't think about it, that it would ever live that long or people would remember it."
And, no, it's not lost on her that so many of her wishes have come true.
"Many people don't realize what a joy it is and what a gift it is to be able to work in an arena that you really love," she explained to the outlet in 2023. "So many people have to work in jobs they hate, and they have to do it just for sustenance, but aren't we lucky when we can study for something, enjoy it and know that other people enjoy it? I think that's a gift that life gives us, if we are willing to work for it."
And she puts in the work.
Not interested in hanging up her harem pants, she still makes the rounds at conventions and even busted out her genie garb for a 2013 appearance at the Life Ball charity event. And though her last acting gig was 2019's My Adventures With Santa, as she put it to People in 2021, "I'll do what I do until I can't."
Even when she's not in front of a camera, Eden keeps busy.
"I used to work out all the time," she told Fox News in 2024. "I used to do spinning classes and then do weights with a trainer." But once the coronavirus pandemic hit, she switched to at-home rides on her stationary bike and light weights that are "good for your bones."
GAC / MEGA
And having written her 2012 biography Jeannie Out of the Bottle: A Memoir in 2012 and kid's book Barbara and the Djinn in 2021, "I would like to do another children’s book," she told People. "That would be fun. As a child, I was always encouraged to read, and I find that it is a true gift that you can give to your child or to other children."
As for the character she'll never escape, she considers it a "huge blessing."
"It's magic," she raved to People last year of fans asking her to recreate the double-blink. "Magic is good."
In fact, for those hoping for a reboot of her '60s sitcom, well, their wish would be her command.
"It would have to be different. I don’t think you’d ever copy something, but it’s a good idea," she acknowledged to People at the 2019 Paley Honors. "They should do it."
It'd join a growing list of beloved series that ran it back. But until then, might we sooth that nostalgia-seeking hole in your life with these sweet cast reunions?
Instagram / Fran Drescher
The Nanny
Over 25 years after The Nanny aired its final episode, Fran Drescher cheered on her onscreen mom Renée Taylor and her TV stepdaughter Nicholle Tom as she watched their play, Dying Is No Excuse!, in August 2025.
Lea Michele / Instagram
Glee
Alums Lea Michele, Dianna Agron and Darren Criss reunited in New York City in April 2025 to celebrate Darren—a.k.a. Warblers heartthrob Blaine Anderson—in his musical Maybe Happy Ending during its Broadway run.
VW/NBC
Saturday Night Live
Series alums Kristen Wiig, Bill Hader and Fred Armisen reunited as "The Californians" in a February 2025 ad for Volkswagen's ID. Buzz electric bus—just in time to celebrate SNL's 50th anniversary.
Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images
Full House
Former onscreen spouses Lori Laughlin and John Stamos—joined by his IRL wife Caitlin McHugh—as well as their TV nieces Candace Cameron Bure and Jodie Sweetin honored a cause close to late costar Bob Saget’s life as they posed for photos at a 2024 event benefitting the Scleroderma Research Foundation.
Instagram / Lauren Graham
Gilmore Girls
Lauren Graham, who played Lorelai Gilmore on the show, shared this selfie with Kelly Bishop, who portrayed her mom Emily Gilmore, in June 2024, writing, "Here’s to the ladies who lunch. #Kelly"
Instagram / William Daniels
Boy Meets World
William Daniels (Mr. Feeny), 97, shared this pic of himself and his wife Bonnie Bartlett Daniels with his former costars Danielle Fishel (Topanga Lawrence), Rider Strong (Shawn Hunter) and Will Friedle (Eric Matthews) in June 2024. Class undismissed!
Matteo Prandoni/BFA.com/Shutterstock
Dawson's Creek
Katie Holmes and Michelle Williams reunited Feb. 7, 2024 at the opening of Chanel's first watches and fine jewelry flagship store, on Fifth Avenue in New York City. The event took place more than 20 years after Dawson's Creek ended its six-season run and more than five years since the last time the two actresses were photographed together (at Entertainment Weekly's 20th anniversary cast reunion cover shoot in 2018).
PAUL FAITH/AFP via Getty Images
Game of Thrones
Ian Beattie, Daniel Portman, Natalia Tena and Ian McElhinney reunited on Feb. 2 ahead of the opening of Warner Bros' GOT Studio Tour, located at one of the HBO show's original shooting spots in Banbridge, Northern Ireland.
Presley Ann/Getty Images for Pair of Thieves
The Bachelorette
Mike Johnson and Rachel Lindsay catch up at a private Kendrick Lamar concert event hosted by Pair of Thieves in Los Angeles.
Instagram / Kevin McHale
Glee
In May 2021, Kevin McHale and Jenna Ushkowitz partied at her bachelorette party ahead of her wedding to boyfriend David Stanley.
MediaPunch/Shutterstock
The Office Ladies
The Office alums Jenna Fischer, Angela Kinsey, and Kate Flannery pose for a photo at Thirst Project Gala benefit on September 28, 2019.
Instagram / Shannen Doherty
Beverly Hills, 90210
Shannen Doherty, Jason Priestley, Christine Elise, Brian Austin Green, Ian Ziering and Gabrielle Carteris hang out on the set of the 2019 reboot, BH90210.
Jim Smeal/BEI/Shutterstock
Drake & Josh
Josh Peck and Drake Bell reunited with their onscreen parents Nancy Sullivan and Jonathan Goldstein at Nostalgia Con 2025, marking the first time in more than 10 years that the four actors came together as a group.
Instagram / Michael Rosenbaum
Smallville
Tom Welling, Michael Rosenbaum and Kristin Kreuk reunited at the Fan Expo Dallas 2019 event.
Instagram / Danielle Fishel
Boy Meets World
Rider Strong, Will Friedle and Ben Savage were bumping along with pregnant former co-star Danielle Fishel at the Fan Expo Dallas 2019 event.
Mike Coppola/Getty Images for Tribeca Film Festival
In Living Color
Tommy Davidson, Shawn Wayans, Keenen Ivory Wayans, Kim Wayans and David Alan Grier reunite at the show's 25th anniversary event during the 2019 Tribeca Film Festival.
Saved by the Bell
Mark-Paul Gosselaar, Mario Lopez, Tiffani Thiessen and Elizabeth Berkley brought their spouses along for a quadruple dinner date in April 2019.
Instagram/Jennifer Garner
Alias
"A mini reunion in New York City—former castmates, favorite dinner dates, forever playmates. ♥️♥️♥️ Photographed by my favorite artist, @rainerarts," Jennifer Garner wrote on Instagram of this pic with Victor Garber and Ron Rifkin.
Instagram/Courteney Cox
Friends
"Saturday night with a friend," Courteney Cox captioned this pic of Monica and Phoebe back together, but Lisa Kudrow took a little issue.
"I guess I would have looked at you if I could have OPENED MY EYES," she commented. She also posted her own selfie with the caption "My eyes! My eyes!"
Jordin Althaus/ E!
Cougar Town
Courteney Cox guested on Busy Tonight for a little Cougar Town reunion, and Philipps took it even farther by doing a bit with the show's biggest fan and costars Christa Miller, Josh Hopkins, and Ian Gomez.
Buffy the Vampire Slayer
"Witches, demons, vampires, watchers, slayer, Gods, and Scoobies oh my!" Nicholas Brendon wrote on Instagram.
That's So Raven
"Happiness is spontaneously running into old pals from my That's So Raven days!!! @anneliesevanderpol & @rondellsheridanoffical," Rose Abdoo shared on Instagram after meeting with Anneliese van der Pol and Rondell Sheridan.
Wonder Years
"I got to see these guys for lunch yesterday - it was so much fun to catch up and hear how their beautiful families are doing," Danica McKellar shared on Twitter. "And yes, @joshsaviano, I totally agree - *you guys* are like family... I mean, we DID grow up together, after all. #memories #TheWonderYears"
Vivien Killilea/Getty Images for New York Magazine
Scrubs
Reunited and it feels so good! Donald Faison, Judy Reyes, Neil Flynn, Sarah Chalke, Zach Braff and Ken Jenkins attend the Heineken Green Room during Vulture Festival presented by AT&T at Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel.
David M. Benett/Dave Benett/Getty Images for Coach
Game of Thrones
Hee's the story, of the Stark family...Game of Thrones stars Kit Harington and Richard Madden came out to support Maisie Williams and her new play.
Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for UCLA Semel Institute
Friends
Friends' Monica and Phoebe reunite at the the UCLA Semel Institute's 2018 Open Mind Gala. Cast members from the hit show have reunited several times over the years.
Flavor of Love
You know what time it is! Exes Flavor Flav and Tiffany "New York" Pollard found themselves together again while filming an episode of Braxton Family Values.
Lost
In August 2018, Henry Ian Cusick and Sonya Walger, who played fan-favorite couple Desmond and Penny, reunited at the place where their characters first met. She posted on her Twitter page a photo of her and the actor standing together outside St. Andrew's Priory School in Honolulu, which was used to depict a monastery in Eddington, Scotland on the touching season four episode "The Constant."
The West Wing
Joshua Malina, who played Will Bailey on the NBC series, posted in July 2018 a photo on social media of him having dinner with friends, including fellow former co-stars Bradley Whitford (Josh Lyman) and Janel Moloney (Donna Moss) and show creator Aaron Sorkin.
Boy Meets World
Ben Savage attended former co-star Matthew Lawrence and Dancing With the Stars pro Cheryl Burke's engagement party in July 2018.
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