Jack Wagner Pretended Not to Know Heather Locklear’s Name Behind the Scenes Of Melrose Place
Heather Locklear was a household name when she joined the cast of Melrose Place, but one of her co-stars had a playful way of pretending he couldn’t remember her name. This delightful tidbit was revealed on the first episode of iHeartRadio’s new Melrose Place rewatch podcast, Still the Place.
Heather’s former co-stars Courtney Thorne-Smith, Laura Leighton, and Daphne Zuniga reminisced about their time on the iconic show. Courtney shared a particularly amusing memory, saying, “I’ve been thinking about all my Melrose memories, and so many things have been coming to mind. This came to me today and made me laugh out loud. Do you remember how Jack Wagner — now, remember, Heather Locklear was the biggest star in the world at that time — how Jack Wagner always… pretended he couldn’t remember Heather’s name. ‘Where’s Helen? Is Helen here?’”
The other women laughed, noting that it “sounds exactly like Jack.” Jack, who played Dr. Peter Burns on the series, clearly enjoyed teasing Heather, who starred as Amanda.
Jack and Heather’s on-screen chemistry translated into a real-life romance. They played love interests on Melrose Place and began dating in 2007. They even got engaged in August 2011, although they called it off a few months later in November.
In the series finale of the original show, Peter and Amanda faked their deaths and tied the knot on a beach, possibly living “happily ever after.”
Melrose Place, which ran for seven seasons from 1992 to 1999, chronicled the lives and loves of the residents of the titular apartment complex. The show featured a stellar cast, including Jack, Heather, Laura, Courtney, Daphne, Andrew Shue, Josie Bissett, Doug Savant, Thomas Calabro, Rob Estes, and Grant Show. It received five Golden Globe nominations, including best performance by an actress in a TV drama for Locklear and best performance by an actress in a supporting role in a series, miniseries, or TV movie for Laura.
Reflecting on his time on the show and the possibility of returning for the upcoming Melrose Place revival, Jack told PEOPLE in April, “You never really die on a soap, right? How they unfold those two characters [Peter and Amanda], it’d be fantastic how they sort of tell that story. … That was a great finale to be included in, especially with Heather. If I’m asked to come back, I’d absolutely entertain that.”
The revival is set to follow some of the original neighbors and friends, who reunite after a death. The series summary goes, “The pressure cooker of a reunion soon uncovers old traumas, rekindles old romances, reignites old resentments, and reveals new secrets… throwing our characters into chaotic drama that’s reminiscent of the past, but with a much more modern perspective.”
