How long have Reba McEntire and Rex Linn been together? Relationship timeline explored as couple announces engagement at 2025 Emmy Awards

​​Country music legend Reba McEntire and actor Rex Linn have officially taken the next step in their long-running romance and have announced their engagement at the 2025 Emmy Awards. The reveal came subtly but unmistakably on the red carpet when an E! News reporter referred to Linn as McEntire’s fiancé. This made the couple smile, nod and pose together as cameras flashed. It marked a major moment for two stars who have kept their relationship heartfelt yet largely private over the years.

For years, they worked in the same world but lived completely separate lives. It wasn’t until 2020 that their paths really lined up again - and this time, they didn’t drift apart. What started as old friends catching up slowly turned into something much deeper. And now, nearly five whole years later, they’re planning a wedding and fans who’ve watched their quiet love story unfold couldn’t be happier.

Reba McEntire and Rex Linn have announced their engagement at the 2025 Emmys

Reba and Rex met in 1991 while filming the television film The Gambler Returns: The Luck of the Draw, when they were just friendly co-stars at different stages in their careers. They did not fall in love and once the filming was finished, they went on with their lives. Over the years, they'd stumble into each other at events always friendly but nothing more.

Everything changed in 2020 when Reba lost her mother in March of that year and Rex reached out to comfort her. That single message started a series of lengthy chats that gradually became a part of their daily routine. Reba later shared that they even had something they called “Coffee Camp” where they’d talk on the phone every morning for hours, even though they lived in different states. Those chats became their safe place and soon quietly evolved into something romantic.

They were formally dating by the middle of 2020, though they first kept their relationship mostly secret. That October, they appeared together for the first time on a red carpet and confirmed what many had suspected. Over the next few years they became regulars at award presentations, sporting events and country music concerts always standing side by side. They also started working together onscreen with Rex guest-starring in some of Reba's productions which only strengthened their connection.

By 2023 and 2024, the two of them had developed a solid and supportive relationship. In interviews, she frequently spoke favorably of their relationship praising him as someone who shares her enthusiasm for the outdoors, ranch life and wonderful food. Linn also praised McEntire in public, calling her "one of the most remarkable people" he has ever known. Those who saw them together could tell they had chemistry, but they seemed inclined to keep the details of their relationship hidden.

Everything changed in 2020 when Reba lost her mother in March of that year and Rex reached out to comfort her. That single message started a series of lengthy conversations over text that gradually became a part of their daily routine. Reba later revealed that they even had a "Coffee Camp" where they would spend hours on the phone every morning despite living in different states. These conversations were their safe haven and before they knew it, their friendship had gradually evolved into love.

After years of friendship and nearly five years of love, this engagement marks a beautiful new chapter for them. What began as two co-stars reconnecting has grown into a steady, deeply personal bond — and now they’re ready to take the next step together.