Ted Danson’s deep love for his wife, Mary Steenburgen, was a heartwarming discovery for his costars on A Man on the Inside. In an exclusive interview with Us Weekly, Mary Elizabeth Ellis and Lilah Richcreek Estrada shared how Danson’s devotion to Steenburgen became apparent during filming.

“He really loves his wife. He talks about Mary a lot. It’s very sweet,” Ellis, 45, revealed. “You’re like, ‘Oh my gosh, I’m so tired. I had to get up at five to get here.’ Then he answers, ‘Yeah, I had to get up at 3:30 because Mary and I needed our time together before I came here.’”

Estrada, 35, found it “really cute” that Danson, 76, made time for Steenburgen, 71, early in the morning, doing activities like Wordle and crossword puzzles together. “We learned that we like sleep,” Estrada joked. Ellis added, “And what I learned is that I’m not committed enough in my relationship. Nor do I care to be at 3:30 in the morning.”

Danson and Steenburgen, who first met in the ’80s but only began dating years later, married in 1996. Since then, they've continued to work together on various projects, including Gulliver’s Travels, Ink, Curb Your Enthusiasm, and The Good Place. Danson has expressed his eagerness to work with Steenburgen again in the future, calling her “magnificent” and praising their joyful relationship.

In a previous interview, Danson shared the secret to their successful marriage, emphasizing mutual self-reflection: “If something goes wrong, you look at yourself knowing and trusting the other person is looking at themselves, which is what allows you to grow.”

While Steenburgen didn’t appear in A Man on the Inside, Danson enjoyed working with Ellis, Estrada, and others on the Netflix series, which explores a retired man (Danson) becoming an amateur private investigator. Danson reflected on his passion for purposeful projects, highlighting how A Man on the Inside offers meaningful commentary on aging, something he personally connects with.

Estrada and Ellis praised the show’s optimistic take on growing older, with Ellis noting that A Man on the Inside celebrates aging with dignity and hope. "Getting old is the best case scenario," Ellis said. "We want to be here for a long time."