Whatever Happened to Delta Burke?
In the ’80s and early ’90s, Delta Burke — who turns 69 on July 30, 2025 — was famous for her role as Suzanne Sugarbaker on the show Designing Women, which she starred on from 1986 to 1991. After leaving the show, she appeared on other series, including her own show, Delta, and a recurring role on Boston Legal. However, in the 2000s, Burke left acting behind, leaving viewers wondering what became of her. Now, her longtime husband, actor Gerald McRaney is giving fans a much-needed update on how she’s been and if there is any chance she might appear on our screens once again.
In 1991, Burke left Designing Women, reportedly over a feud with the show’s creator Linda Bloodworth-Thomason. She continued acting on and off but in recent years, she has been living a much more private life. McRaney shared with PEOPLE, “I think she had had it with the tabloids and that dust up she had on Designing Women, and she got tired of all the stuff that goes with it.”
Rich Fury/Getty Images for THR
Last year, Burke, now 69 years old, gave a rare interview and opened up about the tough time in her life. She admitted that, during the peak of her fame, people constantly taunted her about her weight and asked her if she were pregnant. She revealed on the Glamorous Trash podcast, “I thought I was stronger. I tried very hard to defend myself against lies and all the ugliness that was there, and I wasn’t gonna win. I’m just an actress, you know. I don’t have any power.”
While McRaney has continued to act, appearing most recently in the series Paradise, he said he can sympathize with his wife. He added, “It does get to be annoying after a while when you read absolute lies about yourself. There’s very little you can do about that. At one time, you could sue them for it, but now you’ve got to prove that you actually lost money because somebody defamed your character.”
Richard A. DuCree/Netflix/Everett Collection
When asked if Burke could ever return to acting, he said, “There’ve been a couple times when her old agent, who is now a producer, has persuaded her to come out of retirement, but she will do it very reluctantly.” For now, it seems she is enjoying her privacy and life with her husband, whom she has been married to since 1989. Her last role was in an episode of Dolly Parton’s Heartstrings in 2019.
Remind 
’80s Where Are They Now
March 2023
Who can forget all the great TV shows, movies and music of the ‘80s? See what your favs are up to now!
Buy This Issue