Jane Seymour and Joe Lando’s onscreen romance in Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman had a real-life twist that fans might not have expected. Decades after playing one of television’s beloved couples, the actors revealed how a frightening experience brought them closer and helped them realize their feelings were genuine.
The former co-stars reunited for a nostalgic panel celebrating the Western drama. They revisited their first impressions, whirlwind romance, and eventual breakup. Although their relationship didn’t last, their connection clearly survived long after the cameras stopped rolling.
The actress opened up about her unexpected connection with Joe Lando
During their October 17 appearance at 90s Con in Hartford, Connecticut, Seymour, 75, recalled her immediate reaction to Lando, now 64. Speaking at the panel moderated by PEOPLE executive editor Breanne L. Heldman, she admitted she found him irresistible from the start.
“My feeling was I saw him and I went, ‘Oh my God, I’ve not seen a man that looks that gorgeous as long as I can maybe ever remember except, you know, as an imaginary, you know, romance song or something,’” Seymour recalled.
She added, “We really fell in love. That’s a secret. It’s not a secret, is it anymore?” Their connection deepened after they experienced a flash flood during their early days on set. Lando urged Seymour into his pickup truck so they could escape together. Once they reached safety, the pair grabbed Mexican food and margaritas.
“And it took us like $5, and then we realized that, you know, we had actually fallen in love,” Seymour said. She added that the feelings viewers saw in the pilot were real. However, their romance ended soon afterward. Seymour explained that Lando envisioned a traditional family with four children, a white picket fence and a younger wife. She already had children and believed she couldn’t have more. She later became pregnant with twins, joking, “But I showed him — I had twins.”
Despite the breakup, the pair remained close. Lando previously told People in June, “We’re kind of like an old married couple.” Seymour agreed they could finish each other’s sentences and anticipate each other’s reactions.
Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman ran for six seasons from 1993 to 1998, followed by two television movies. The actors later reunited on Harry Wild. Lando has been married to Kristen since 1997, while Seymour announced her engagement to physician John Zambetti in June. Seymour also credited the show with arriving at a desperate moment. She told People she was “penniless and about to lose my home” when she accepted the role, which changed her life.
