Who didn't love the overly tan and slightly self-absorbed Brock Hart on Reba? The dentist may have been Reba Hart's (Reba McEntire) ex-husband, but his dedication to his kids and respect for his former spouse made him an integral piece of this iconic early 2000s Texan family.
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Without his quips and incessant need to save a buck, Reba wouldn't have been the same.
Texas-born actor Christopher Rich played Brock for the entire series, from 2001 to 2007. While his character got a lot of flak for his antics in the show, Rich — like many viewers — had a soft spot for him. "He doesn't see that he's done anything really wrong," he told The Spokesman-Review in 2004. "As a matter of fact, he sees that he's pretty much done the right thing.
"True, he had an affair with his dental hygienist. True, she got pregnant. But did he abandon her? No. He decided to marry her. Of course, he already had a wife, Reba. But he and Reba worked things out and got a divorce. And the rest, as they say, has been one funny, warm and wonderful ride."
So what has life been like for Rich post-Reba? Read on to find out.
He's Still Acting
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Since wrapping up his seven-season run on Reba, Rich has had roles in a number of films and TV series. While Brock is still his most notable role to date, the actor made guest appearances on hit shows such as Desperate Housewives, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, Shake It Up, Rizzoli & Isles, Melissa & Joey and Boston Legal.
Even though he very much enjoys playing villains — including Lute Cantrell, whom he played in the TV Western film The Gambler Returns: The Luck of the Draw alongside McEntire — goofy characters are his bread and butter. "I always loved the villains," he told The Spokesman-Review. "And I still do. I love the way their minds work. ... But I keep getting these great comic roles offered to me, and, honestly, when they're as well written as Miller was on 'Murphy Brown' or as Brock is on 'Reba,' I could never turn them down."
Rich definitely slowed down his acting career in the last few years, but the 69-year-old actor is still popping up in movies and TV shows every now and then. His most recent roles include Bob Gentry in the holiday comedy The Christmas Trap and Dr. Matthews in the 2021 crime drama Spiked.
He's a Father of Three
Being on-screen may have been Rich's passion for over four decades, but it doesn't even come close to his favorite lifelong role: dad.
The actor has three children in total. He married his first wife, Nancy Frangione, in 1982 after they met while working on the soap opera Another World. They were married for 14 years and had a daughter together, Mariel Wilson.
In 2003, he married his second and current wife, Eva Rich, a former Miss Poland finalist and gymnast who participated in the 1980 Summer Olympics. The following year, they welcomed twin girls, Daisy and Lily. While Rich isn't the most active guy on social media, he did take a moment to brag about his family back in 2016. He shared a photo of him with his wife and two daughters with the caption: "Prettiest girls in the world! I'm feeling kinda blessed."
He Had a Stroke
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Rich hasn't stepped into the spotlight much since his time on Reba. But in 2022, he did a promotional video for a Texas regenerative medicine clinic where he received stem cell treatment following a stroke. The stroke damaged the right side of his brain and impaired his ability to walk, talk and use his limbs.
"I almost didn't make it to the Easter service at church because I was busy having a massive stroke," he says in the video. "My left side was completely frozen. I couldn't walk or use my left arm. I actually had some stem cells injected into my shoulder a few days ago, and the pain is down 80%. I have more mobility...I'm walking better. I mean, I'm still talking like an idiot, but I don't think that's ever going to change."
He hasn't spoken publicly anywhere else about the stroke or how his recovery has been going since this video. But it's clear that the incident shifted the way he sees life. "When you face a major medical issue, it changes your perspective. When you come through it, you begin to enjoy each day a little bit more."
Will there be a Reba Reboot?
Rich may fly a little under the radar these days, but his former on-screen ex Reba McEntire still is a force to be reckoned with. In addition to being one of the most respected country singers in the game, she's still actively in front of the camera. She recently wrapped up filming the latest season of Big Sky and her biographical TV film The Hammer.
While she's as busy as ever, she would drop it all for a Reba reboot.
"That would be a lot of fun," she said back in 2020. "We had so many stories we were wanting to tell when they canceled us, so we were shocked. We had no idea why they canceled us. We were a huge success, so it was a head scratcher for us. So, to come back now ... that amount of time, that time spread, we'd have a lot of stories to tell."
Rich hasn't shared his thoughts on the potential reboot. But if he is asked to come back as Brock Hart, we know one thing for sure: It'll be quite the ride.
READ MORE: What Happened to Van From 'Reba'? Everything We Know About Actor Steve Howey
