Ed O’Neill Opens Up About Feud with “Married … With Children” Co-Star Amanda Bearse

During an appearance on Jesse Tyler Ferguson’s podcast “Dinner’s On Me,” Ed O’Neill, known for his role as Al Bundy on the hit series “Married … With Children,” revealed the cause of his bitter feud with co-star Amanda Bearse. O’Neill explained that their rift began when Bearse was excluded from the cast’s TV Guide cover shoot, and he didn’t stand up for her.

The TV Guide Cover Incident

O’Neill expressed regret over a situation involving Bearse that occurred during the show. He admitted, “We didn’t get along, but we did for a long time. We were great friends. And I could guess, I don’t want to speak for her, but it started when we got the cover of TV Guide.”

According to O’Neill, Bearse and David Garrison, who played Steve Rhoades, were left out of the TV Guide cover because they were considered the neighbors on the show. The cover only allowed a limited number of cast members. However, O’Neill mentioned that exceptions were made for other shows like “MASH” and “Dallas.”

Bearse Wanted Support

O’Neill revealed that Bearse wanted him to stand up for her and the other co-stars who were excluded from the cover. However, he remained quiet out of fear that they would lose the opportunity altogether.

Reflecting on the Incident

O’Neill admitted that he regrets not helping his castmates and would handle things differently if given the chance. In 1989, he eventually posed for the TV Guide cover with his co-stars Katey Sagal, Christina Applegate, and David Faustino.

“Married … With Children” aired for 11 seasons from 1987 to 1997.