We know all about Scott Bakula’s NCIS: New Orleans character, Dwayne Pride. He’s the leader of the team, he’s definitely out to avenge Lasalle’s death, and he’s had a long-distance love interest named Rita for years.
What you may not know about the 65-year-old St. Louis native is that he’s actually married to the actress who plays Rita. That’s right, Chelsea Field, 62, is Scott’s longtime love, who you may also recognize from her roles in Masters of the Universe and The Last Boy Scout.
Just like Daniela Ruah and Eric Christian Olsen from NCIS: Los Angeles, these two more than enjoy getting the chance to work with their family. “I absolutely adore having her there,” Scott told CBS This Morning. “I’m very lucky.”
They’re deep in marital bliss now, but he’s been through some ups and downs in his marriages. Take a look back at Chelsea and Scott’s road to romance.
First, he was married to Krista Neumann.
Scott and Krista were married from 1981-1995, and share daughter Chelsy, 35, and son Cody, 28. The two were together during the beginning of his career, including when he scored a role as a regular on Quantum Leap.
But his schedule took a toll on his home life. “It took me a long time to work out my feelings about our relationship,” he told People, adding that he regretted missing Chelsy’s “formative years.”
Then, he found Chelsea Field.
Scott and Chelsea tied the knot in 2009 after 15 years of dating. The couple had two children together, Wil, 24, and Owen, 20. But this time, Scott had experience on his side to help him focus on what really mattered.
When he signed on to do Star Trek: Enterprise he added a caveat that reflected his top priority. “I had it put in my contract that I would be done every Wednesday at 6 so I could be home for dinner,” he said. “And I made time to coach my sons’ soccer and baseball teams.”
But he also finds ways to keep the flame alive with Chelsea, too. “We work hard to stay present,” he said. “Chelsea is amazingly present and has taught me a lot about relationships and spirituality.”
Now they do everything together, including work.
Some couples may find mixing business and pleasure on the job a recipe for disaster. But for Scott it’s “pretty fantastic.”
“I love working with her, we’ve worked together a bunch before,” he told Rachael Ray. “She makes me a better actor because she works more intensely and more deeply than I tend to work.”
We’re not sure when we’ll see Scott and Chelsea’s characters reunite again on NCIS: NOLA, but we hope it’s soon!
Megan Stein is the executive editor for The Pioneer Woman, and oversees entertainment, features, and news for the website. Whether it's catching up on the latest true crime podcast, or re-watching the best '80s movies for the zillionth time, she's always here to talk about anything and everything relating to pop culture.
