Diane Cannon might have numerous friends, but it’s not what you think.
The actress recently stirred up some buzz at the 10th Hollywood Beauty Awards in April by seemingly admitting to having “several friends with benefits” at the age of 88.
A figure in Hollywood known for past relationships with Johnny Carson and Cary Grant, Cannon now co-hosts a podcast called God’s Table Hollywood, which explores faith and purpose.
“I went to the red carpet, and this really cool lady from People Magazine asked if she could interview me. I said yes,” Cannon shared. “She asked if I had many friends in Hollywood, and I responded… and then she mentioned ‘friends who benefited.’ I said something like, ‘They benefit me in many ways.’
“She followed up with, ‘Well, how so?’ and I replied, ‘In multiple ways.’ Then she wrapped it up saying, ‘Thank you so much for this interview!’ Okay, then,” Cannon recounted.
However, after her comments hit the headlines, she realized there was a misunderstanding.
“I had no idea what that meant!” Cannon admitted. “My friend was like, ‘Diane, come on.’ Even my best friend was confused. I mean, there’s a movie about that! I said, ‘I can’t watch all the movies!’ To me, a friend who benefits is just someone supportive.”
“The next morning, my phone blew up. I was getting congratulatory messages from around the globe. One Christian friend even said, ‘Oh, well, Diane, that’s not a good look for you.’ I replied, ‘Guys, come on! I thought a friend who benefits means someone who enhances your life!’ How did it get so muddled?”
Initially, Cannon wasn’t laughing about it. The unexpected attention really shook her.
“I was genuinely upset at first. If that were true, why would I be sharing about my sex life with a magazine? The congratulatory notes, though, that really changed my perspective,” she said, laughing off the situation now. “People were supportive, which helped lighten things up.”
Cannon and Cary Grant were married from 1965 to 1968, welcoming their daughter Jennifer Grant in 1966.
Cannon pointed out that the idea of having a “friend with benefits” doesn’t fit with her beliefs. However, she’s still open to meeting someone special, though she’s not keen on dating apps anytime soon.
“I almost considered trying online dating, but my hip friend advised against it,” she said. “So, I’m not venturing there.”
These days, she’s embracing her singlehood.
“It took me a while to figure out how to be content on my own. I always thought that being married and having children was the path to happiness. Yet, that wasn’t the case for me. I’ve learned to be happy alone, and there’s a lot of freedom in that,” she reflected.
“I’m very much open to dating,” Cannon added. “Right now, I don’t have a partner, but I have two rescue puppies who are fantastic companions, plus wonderful friends. Those are the real treasures in my life.”
While she’s open to love again, she’s hesitant about remarrying.
“I had to choose between my career and my marriage,” she shared, looking back. “I don’t think I want to do it again. It’s not about trading one for the other; it’s about finding someone who genuinely supports and loves you.”
“Faithfulness is important to me. I often reflect on what the world should do. When I align with that, I feel good; when I don’t, things get messy,” she said.
Currently, she finds joy in co-hosting “God’s Table Hollywood” rather than pursuing new romantic relationships. She works alongside Emmy Award-winning actress Tracy Bregman, television personality Kim Douglas Robertson, and chef Christine Avanti Fisher.
“We were having dinner one night at the Polo Lounge in Beverly Hills when one of the girls suggested ‘God’s Table.’ I was like, ‘In Hollywood?’ And there we were, creating the show ‘God’s Table Hollywood,'” she recalled.
“We see each other as we are and don’t always agree, which I think will spark interesting conversations. I’m grateful to be part of it with such strong women,” she concluded.
