Jane Seymour says the romance viewers saw between her and Joe Lando on Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman briefly extended beyond their characters.
The former costars revisited their relationship during an October 17 panel at 90s Con in Hartford, Connecticut. Seymour, 75, and Lando, 64, discussed the show’s earliest days and their first impressions of each other.
She played Dr. Michaela Quinn, a Boston physician building a life in Colorado Springs, while Lando portrayed her love interest, Byron Sully.
Seymour recalled being immediately attracted to Lando when they met, describing him as one of the most handsome men she could remember seeing, according to PEOPLE.
They Escaped a Flash Flood Before Going Out for Margaritas
A flash flood struck during one of their first days on set. Lando urged Seymour to get into his pickup truck, and they drove away from the danger together.
After reaching safety, they went out for Mexican food and margaritas. Seymour recalled spending about $5 and realizing during the outing that their attraction had developed into something more.
She connected that experience to their performances in the pilot, suggesting that the affection audiences saw between Michaela and Sully reflected the actors’ feelings at the time.
Different Family Plans Helped End Their Relationship
Seymour recalled that Lando imagined a home with a white picket fence, four children and a younger wife. She already had children and believed she would not be able to have more. She later welcomed twin sons, giving her a punchline when she revisited that concern at the panel: “But I showed him. I had twins.”
In a June interview with PEOPLE, covered by Entertainment Weekly, Seymour estimated that their attempt at dating lasted a week or two. Both described being better suited to friendship and working together than to marriage.
Lando married Kirsten Barlow in 1997, and they have four children. Seymour announced her engagement to musician and emergency room physician John Zambetti in June.
Seymour Housed Lando’s Family After the Palisades Fire
After the January 2025 Palisades fire destroyed Lando’s home, he and his family stayed at Seymour’s Malibu property for seven weeks.
In a June interview with Parade, the actors described Lando’s family of seven, two dogs and two parakeets occupying the lower level of her house. Seymour said her own property had also come close to being lost.
With the gas shut off, Lando used a camping stove he had brought in his truck to cook breakfast and lunch for nine or ten people. Seymour had a generator, vegetables and fruit from her garden, and eggs from her chickens.
Lando said the stay gave his family time to choose another home without rushing into an unsuitable arrangement. Seymour has also described her close friendship with Kirsten, who sometimes turns to her for help when Lando is worried about acting work.
Harry Wild Brought Them Together in New Roles
Lando joined the fifth season of Harry Wild as Pierce Kennedy, a state pathologist who meets Seymour’s retired literature professor and amateur detective, Harriet Wild. The season premiered June 22 on Acorn TV.
According to AMC Global Media, Pierce assists Harry, her investigative partner Fergus and her son Charlie as they tackle new cases. Seymour had previously suggested bringing Lando into the series, but union clearances had to be resolved for the production in Ireland.
In a June 22 interview with TV Insider, Lando confirmed that they had filmed two endings. At that point, the actors said they did not know which version had made the final cut.
Dr. Quinn Arrived When Seymour Feared Losing Her Home
Seymour has also recalled accepting Dr. Quinn while facing financial trouble. In an earlier interview with PEOPLE, she said she was penniless and at risk of losing her home when she asked her agent to find her work.
The script arrived quickly, with a decision required the following morning. After accepting at 10 a.m., she was trying on costumes by noon and filming the next day. The CBS series ran for six seasons from 1993 to 1998. The cast returned for television movies in 1999 and 2001.