Patricia Heaton's Desperate Audition For Everybody Loves Raymond

Everybody Loves Raymond Star Reveals Her "Desperate" Audition Move To Land Role Everybody Loves Raymond's Ray Romano as Ray Barone and Patricia Heaton as Debra BaroneImage via CBS By  Jeff Dodge Published 15 minutes ago Jeff Dodge (he/him), a published author and graduate of Western Washington University, has been a TV news editor for many years and has had the chance to interview multiple reality show stars, including Randy Jackson, Nick Cannon, Heidi Klum, Mel B and John Cena. Fun Fact: he’s been to every single Idol Live! Tour. Sign in to your ScreenRant account Summary Generate a summary of this story follow Follow followed Followed Like Like Thread Log in Here is a fact-based summary of the story contents: Try something different: Show me the facts Explain it like I’m 5 Give me a lighthearted recap

During the 30th anniversary reunion special for Everybody Loves Raymond, actress Patricia Heaton opened up about how desperate she was to land the role of Debra Barone. The beloved sitcom Everybody Loves Raymond aired for nine seasons from 1996 to 2005, and earned dozens of award show nominations along the way.

Heaton herself won two Emmys for Lead Actress in a Comedy Series in 2000 and 2001.

The actress might not have won those accolades if she weren't extremely determined to join the cast of Ray Romano's sitcom. During the Everybody Loves Raymond: 30th Anniversary Reunion special, she revealed the lengths she went to during her audition to land the role.

Creator Phil Rosenthal admitted that he and the other producers considered 200 other women for the role of Debra before Heaton even showed up. "When she came in, she just knocked it out of the park," he claimed.

Heaton told her side of the story by revealing that she had two younger children back then and was worried about getting back home so the babysitter could leave.

While in the waiting area, she was hoping to drink some water before her audition and was going to ask a man sitting nearby to help her find water; it turns out that man was none other than Romano.

Then it was finally time for Heaton's audition, and even though her mind was drifting to her kids and the babysitter, she was determined to succeed. While auditioning opposite Romano, she ended up kissing him when the script said, "She kisses her husband." Unlike the other auditioners, who mimed a kiss, Heaton actually locked lips with the comedian.

That was the "one key element" that secured the role for Heaton, according to Romano. Heaton admitted that she kissed Romano because she was that "desperate" to get the job. Her audition also showed Rosenthal that the two actors have the "most spectacular chemistry" as Raymond and Debra.

Eventually, the cast of Everybody Loves Raymond was locked in, with Brad Garrett, Doris Roberts, Peter Boyle, Madylin Sweeten, Sawyer Sweeten and Sullivan Sweeten rounding out the Barone family.

After Everybody Loves Raymond ended, Heaton went on to star in other projects, including The Path to 9/11, Back to You, The Middle (which also ran for nine seasons) and Carol's Second Act.

But it's Everybody Loves Raymond that will stand above all others as the defining show of Heaton's career. The reunion special aired ahead of the sitcom's 30th anniversary in September 2026.

Unfortunately, multiple cast member losses over the years meant that fans didn't get to hear from Roberts, Boyle or Sawyer Sweeten, but their legacies will live on via Everybody Loves Raymond for years to come.

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Everybody Loves Raymond

10 stars 9 stars 8 stars 7 stars 6 stars 5 stars 4 stars 3 stars 2 stars 1 star Like Follow Followed TV-PG Comedy Release Date 1996 - 2005 Network CBS Showrunner Phil Rosenthal Directors Gary Halvorson, Will Mackenzie, Jerry Zaks, Kenneth Shapiro, Steve Zuckerman, Jeff Meyer, Michael Lembeck, Brian K. Roberts, John Fortenberry, Michael Zinberg, Jeff Melman, Ken Levine, Alan Kirschenbaum, Andy Ackerman, Asaad Kelada, Michael Lessac, Paul Lazarus, David Clark Lee, Rod Daniel, Wil Shriner Writers Jason Gelles, Bruce Kirschbaum, Eric Cohen, Jay Kogen, Kevin James, Scott Buck

Cast

See All

• Ray Romano Ray Barone
• Patricia Heaton Debra Barone

Main Genre Comedy Genres Comedy Creator(s) Phil Rosenthal Executive Producer(s) Aaron Shure, David Letterman, Lew Schneider, Phil Rosenthal, Ray Romano, Rory Rosegarten, Stu Smiley Producers Cindy Chupack, Ellen Sandler, Jennifer Crittenden, Jeremy Stevens, Kathy Ann Stumpe, Ken Ornstein, Leslie Caveny, Lisa Helfrich, Mike Royce, Mike Scully, Tom Caltabiano, Tucker Cawley, Holli Gailen Seasons 9 Streaming Service(s) Paramount Plus Powered by Expand Collapse

• Everybody Loves Raymond

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