John Goodman Confirms Eight-Year Rift With Roseanne Barr as The Conners Ends Its Run

John Goodman recently opened up about the state of his relationship with his former Roseanne co-star, Roseanne Barr, revealing that the two have not spoken in nearly eight years. In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Goodman shared that he doubts Barr would even want to reconnect, underscoring a significant and lengthy rift between the once-close colleagues. This revelation offers insight into how the fallout from Barr’s controversial firing continues to affect former cast relationships.

From Hit Sitcom To Fallout As Roseanne Revival Ends In Lasting Controversy

Goodman and Barr famously portrayed Dan and Roseanne Conner, the beloved on-screen couple at the center of Roseanne, which originally aired from 1988 to 1997. The show enjoyed a successful revival in 2018, reuniting much of the original cast and garnering strong ratings.

However, Barr was swiftly fired by ABC after she tweeted a racist comment about Valerie Jarrett, a former advisor to President Obama. Though she issued multiple apologies, the planned 11th season of Roseanne was scrapped, and the network restructured the show as The Conners—excluding Barr entirely.

Despite their estrangement, Goodman fondly recalled the early days of Roseanne, describing his on-set chemistry with Barr as immediate and filled with laughter. He reminisced about the enormous audiences the show once drew and reflected on how much the world of television has changed since those peak years. However, he acknowledged that the spark they once shared had long since faded following Barr’s exit and the controversy that surrounded it.

Barr Distances Herself, Goodman Reflects on The Conners’ Unexpected Longevity and Farewell

In a separate interview with Fox News Digital, Barr confirmed she no longer maintains contact with any of her former co-stars. While she expressed a sense of nostalgia for the fun they once had, her tone turned bitter when discussing how things ended. She accused her colleagues of ruining the show through “greed and ridiculous stupidity” and made it clear that, although she harbors no personal resentment, she has no interest in reconnecting with them.

As The Conners wrapped its seven-season run in April, Goodman shared that he had not expected the revival to last as long as it did. Initially assuming the reboot would be short-lived, he had already moved on to another project—HBO’s The Righteous Gemstones—by the time The Conners took shape. Looking back, Goodman expressed gratitude for the experience, despite the bumpy start and the absence of his original co-star. For him, the show’s continuation marked both an unexpected opportunity and the closing of a significant chapter in his career.