Some Hollywood stories are just too perfect to be true. You know the ones—the ones that feel like they were written by a screenwriter on a deadline. But the connection between Jane Seymour and Christopher Reeve wasn’t just a PR stunt for a movie. It was a messy, heartbreaking, and ultimately beautiful reality that stayed hidden for decades.
Honestly, most people think of them as just the stars of Somewhere in Time. That’s the cult classic where a guy travels back to 1912 because he’s obsessed with a photo of a woman. It’s peak 1980s romance. But if you look closely at the screen during their most emotional scenes, you aren’t just seeing acting.
You’re seeing two people who were actually, deeply in love and found out it was over in the middle of a workday.
The Secret Love Affair on Mackinac Island
In 1979, the production of Somewhere in Time headed to Mackinac Island, Michigan. It’s a place where cars aren’t allowed, and everyone gets around by horse-drawn carriage. Basically, it’s the perfect setting for a secret romance.
Jane was 28. Chris was 27 and fresh off the massive success of Superman. He was the biggest star in the world, but he wanted to prove he could actually act. He took a huge pay cut to do this "little movie."
"Chris and I, when we made the film, we literally fell madly in love," Jane revealed years later. She kept this a secret for almost her entire career. They would sneak out at night, hop into Chris’s small prop airplane, and fly over the island. It was magical.
Then, the world shifted.
On the day they were supposed to film the movie’s biggest love scene—the one where their characters finally find each other—the phone rang. Chris was called away to talk to his ex-girlfriend, Gae Exton.
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When he came back, he had to tell Jane the news. Gae was pregnant.
Imagine that for a second. You’re in the middle of a career-defining romance, filming at a gorgeous hotel on a remote island, and your partner tells you he’s having a baby with someone else. Jane had to "put her big-girl pants on" and film a scene where she looks deliriously happy. If you watch the movie now, you can see the tears welling up in her eyes. Those aren't "happy" tears. That's a woman processing a breakup in real-time while the cameras are rolling.
They ended their romantic relationship that day.
A Friendship That Survived the "Superman" Era
Hollywood breakups are usually ugly. They involve lawyers, tabloids, and "sources" whispering to People magazine. But Jane Seymour and Christopher Reeve did something different. They stayed friends.
Like, real friends.
They didn't talk for a few years in the late 80s—life gets busy when you’re both famous—but they eventually found their way back to each other. Jane even named one of her twin sons Kristopher after him. That’s a level of respect you don't see often in the industry.
When people ask Jane about her favorite co-stars, she always puts Chris at the top of the list. She describes him as brilliant, funny, and incredibly smart. He was a concert-level pianist. He was a sailor. He was a pilot. He was a man who loved to do everything alone and do it at 100 miles per hour.
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The 1995 Accident and the "Tag Team"
Everything changed on May 27, 1995. Chris was at an equestrian competition in Virginia. His horse, Eastern Express, balked at a jump. Chris was thrown and landed on his head. He shattered his first and second vertebrae.
In an instant, the man who lived for motion was paralyzed from the neck down.
Jane was one of the first people by his side. She didn't just send a "get well soon" card. She stayed involved. She later described how she and Chris’s wife, Dana Reeve, would "tag team" his care and support.
There’s a common misconception that Chris was always the "hero" during this time. The truth is much more human. Right after the accident, he wanted to die. He told Dana, "Maybe we should let me go." She responded with seven words that became legendary: "You're still you. And I love you."
Jane saw that struggle up close. She saw the transition from a man who wanted to give up to a man who became the world’s leading advocate for spinal cord research. She was there when he founded what would become the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation.
Why Their Bond Remained Unbreakable
- Shared History: They experienced the "pixie dust" of a legendary film set together.
- Mutual Respect: Jane admired Chris's intellect; he admired her resilience.
- Family Connection: Jane stayed close with Chris's children—Matthew, Alexandra, and Will.
- Authenticity: Neither of them felt the need to perform for the cameras when they were together.
The Missing Watch: A Final Secret
Here is a detail that killa me. In the movie Somewhere in Time, Jane’s character gives Chris’s character a pocket watch.
In real life, Jane gave Chris a watch too.
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She had it inscribed with special words and their nicknames for each other: "Big Foot" and "Little Foot." Because they weren't supposed to be a "thing" back then, he couldn't really show it off. After his accident, Jane would often ask him where the watch was. Somewhere in the world, that watch still exists—a physical piece of a love story that was cut short by a phone call.
What We Can Learn From Them
The story of Jane Seymour and Christopher Reeve isn't just celebrity gossip. It's a masterclass in how to handle life when it doesn't go according to the script.
Most people would have walked away from a friendship after a heartbreak like that. Most people would have drifted away after a catastrophic accident. They didn't. They chose to evolve.
Actionable Insights from Their Story
- Redefine Relationships: Just because a romance ends doesn't mean the connection has to. You can transition from lovers to lifelong allies if the foundation of respect is there.
- Show Up in the Dark Times: It’s easy to be a friend when someone is "Superman." It’s hard to be a friend when they are in a ICU bed. Be the person who stays.
- Look for the "Pixie Dust": Jane often says that the love you see on screen in Somewhere in Time is real. When you're creating something, whether it's art or a business, that genuine emotion is what makes it last.
- Legacy Matters: Both Jane and Chris used their platforms for more than just acting. Supporting causes like the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation is a way to turn personal tragedy into a global benefit.
Jane still visits the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island for fan weekends. She says she can still feel him there. She believes she’ll see him again "somewhere in time."
If you want to support the work Christopher Reeve started, you can look into the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation. They focus on "Today’s Care, Tomorrow’s Cure," providing resources for people living with paralysis while funding the research that might one day end it.
You should also go back and watch Somewhere in Time. Watch that one scene where they reunite in the garden. Now that you know what was actually happening that day, you’ll never see it the same way again.
It’s not just a movie. It’s a documentary of a heartbreak.