From near-anorexia to botox blunders – take a look at this once hailed and award-winning actress today

Dana Delany, the iconic star of China Beach and Desperate Housewives, has captivated audiences for decades.

But despite her success and fame, she’s never tied the knot – leaving fans curious about her unconventional choice…

Dana Delany partner

I first discovered the stunning Dana Delany through her role in the classic TV series China Beach, but it was her memorable performance as Josephine Marcus in the western film Tombstone that truly won me over. Since then, I’ve been an ardent admirer.

It’s surprising to think that, despite her captivating presence and charm, no man has managed to capture Dana Delany’s heart in a lasting way. At 68, she still looks gorgeous – yet she remains single.

What we know is that Dana Delany has never been married or had children. The New York-born actress, renowned for her kind and respectful demeanor towards fans, has occasionally opened up about her love life.

In a 2006 interview, she shared her thoughts on romance and relationships, revealing that she was looking for a man.

”I turned 50 and I’m ready to get married… I don’t know who he is yet but I’m ready… He has to be smart, funny and kind,” she said.

Ex-boyfriends

But it’s not as if Dana Delany has been without love in her life. In fact, she has dated and had relationships with several famous actors

Treat Williams and Henry Czerny, both well-known actors, have each been part of Dana Delany’s romantic history.

But no relationship has worked out in the long run — at least not yet. Perhaps the reason lies in the type of men Dana Delany has been drawn to. The actress has almost always been attracted to younger men.

“I’ve been dating younger men since my 20s,” the actress told TV Watch.

For example, the Tombstone star dated a wine connoisseur who was 11 years younger and a writer who was 14 years her junior. Her preference for younger men has certainly added an interesting twist to her love life.

“I can’t go any younger than that!” she says. “That’s my limit. But younger men are just more fun. I like their energy. I’ve always been kind of young for my age.”

Dana Delany children

In a 1994 interview, the then 38-year-old Dana Delany was asked if she was worried about her biological clock ticking faster. Watching her friends start families and have children can be stressful for anyone in their mid-thirties. She admitted that she did want children in the future, but at the time, she was with 29-year-old Darius Anderson, a political consultant, so both marriage and children were put on hold.

Delany’s parents divorced when she was 17, which may have contributed to her hesitation to rush into marriage.

”I wasn’t shocked. I wondered what took them so long,” she told The Vicksburg Post.

Dana Delany’s parents’ divorce led her to appreciate the independence and freedom of being single.

“It definitely changed me, it changed my perspective on things. It made me feel like marriage wasn’t that important,” she says. “It took the pressure off.”

”I never lived with anyone. I like it that way. Because I saw my mother have to repress herself in such a conventional home that the minute I was in my 20s, and I realized I could dod what I wanted and leave clothes on the floor and not make my bed and go to sleep in the middle of the afternoon if I felt like it… I just felt such a sense of freedom. I don’t think I ever want to lose that”. 

Dana Delany husband

As Dana grew older, she realized just how unconventional her path has been.

Despite her success in the spotlight, Delany once doubted whether she was too ordinary to pursue an acting career. She used to think she was too ordinary to be an actress and never liked being in the spotlight.

”I am never recognized, which I take as a compliment. I have a love-hate thing with publicity,” she says. 

Even though Dana’s life is far from conventional, she remains open to finding true love. She’s definitely open to the idea of marriage, just like many others who are seeking meaningful connections later in life.

”Marriage has never been a big deal for me… But I think I’m ready now… I got to have all the fun in the world, to experience a lot of people and figure out what I really like,” she told TV Watch.

Dana Delany lesbian rumors

As of now, Dana Delany is single, and there are no reports of a current relationship.

Over the years, Dana Delany has faced various rumors. One common question she’s faced is whether people assume she’s a lesbian simply because she hasn’t married. It’s unfortunate that such assumptions persist, but Dana has addressed these speculations head-on.

”Oh, I hear that rumor all the time — that I’m secretly a lesbian. Honestly, if I were a lesbian, you’d know it. It’s not like I’m one to hide things about my life,” she told Brandon Voss.

View on the Vietnam war

Many still associate Dana Delany with her iconic role as Colleen McMurphy, the Army nurse in Vietnam.

“The part was originally written [as a] Midwestern girl and she had blonde hair – I think ‘the color of wheat’ was the description of it, because she was from Kansas — and I didn’t look like that,” says Dana.

To countless fans of China Beach, McMurphy embodied the spirit of that era and the complexities of the Vietnam conflict. During the Vietnam war, Dana saw her father undergo a transformation. Once a proud Nixon supporter, the Watergate scandal changed her dad.

”He really had believed in this guy, and to see his belief system in America shattered, his marriage shattered… It just seemed that there were no sure things, in my family and in the world,” the Emmy-winning star told The Vicksburg Post.

Dana Delany went the extra mile to immerse herself in the world of China Beach. She traveled to Vietnam to better understand the environment and its people, gaining insight into Vietnamese pride and identity. The series made a conscious effort to cast Vietnamese actors rather than resorting to generic portrayals. Dana’s own understanding of the war, mostly shaped by TV coverage, was initially quite limited.

“When I got the job, I felt, ‘I have no right to play this part, because I don’t have any connection to it,’” Dana told The Daily Spectrum in 1991.

Coming from a middle-class background with few personal connections to those sent to Vietnam, playing a nurse in China Beach presented a significant challenge for her at first. However, her dedication to authentic representation and her commitment to the role made a powerful impact on the series and its viewers.

“I thought it was really smart to do it from the perspective of women. It was sort of a different way in,” says Dana.

Dana’s own life also became increasingly political during these years. She joined the Hollywood Women’s Political Committee and extended her involvement beyond politics. She served on the board of the Scleroderma Research Foundation and, alongside her friend Sharon Monsky, worked to raise awareness and support for finding a cure for scleroderma, an autoimmune disease that causes inflammation and fibrosis (thickening) in the skin and other areas of the body.

Additionally, she collaborated with director Bob Saget on the TV movie For Hope (1996), which was inspired by Saget’s sister Gay, who had died from the disease.

One step away from anorexia

Ask many men who grew up in the late ’80s who they’d choose to be stranded with on a desert island, and Dana Delany is often the top answer.

Known for her iconic role in China Beach, Dana wasn’t a classic sex symbol but rather exuded a girl-next-door charm that won over many hearts. Today, she continues to captivate with her timeless elegance and grace.

Dana strives to stay in the best shape possible and prefers a healthy diet, including vegetables, tofu, fish, and gluten-free pasta and bread. However, there was a time in her life when her perception of her own body became poisonous.

”I binged,” she told Prevention magazine. ”I starved. I was one step away from anorexia – a piece of toast and an apple would be all I’d eat in a day.”

Today, she has a much healthier attitude toward her physique and body.

”I do my yoga every day, for over 30 years. If I can’t do it one day, I really feel the difference. If I know I’m shooting the next day, I don’t have wine the night before. That’s depleting. I’m so lucky I come from a family of good sleepers. I love eight hours. I can go more.”

Botox gone wrong

Looking at Dana Delany today, it’s hard to believe she’s 68 years old. She remains incredibly beautiful and has aged gracefully. However, she did opt for a touch of cosmetic enhancement to maintain her youthful appearance — just once, and never again.

This decision was prompted by an unfortunate incident in 2003 when she tried a Botox injection in her forehead. Sadly, the needle damaged a nerve, affecting the muscle function in her right eye and causing it to droop slightly.

“I notice it more than anybody else, but I was symmetrical before and now I am not,” Dana told The New York Daily News.

Dana Delany revealed in an interview with Prevention magazine that she had never even heard about Botox. Her dermatologist suggested she give it a try. Sadly, her nerve in her forehead has been dead ever since. After that, the China Beach actress vowed never to undergo plastic surgery again.

Dana Delany today

Today, the iconic actress remains actively involved in acting, taking on roles in various television and film projects. She continues to have a busy schedule, with her most recent and frequent work including roles in Mayans MC and Tulsa King.

When she’s not acting, Dana Delany loves to travel and explore art. She loves traveling to Europe and has explored much of Southeast Asia. Paris is her favorite city.

“Art is kind of my side passion as an appreciator,” she said. “I travel all over the world to look at art. It’s what I do for fun, so I do know a lot of artists”.

Dana also thinks it’s important to enjoy life to the fullest.

“I’m just learning to appreciate life and not worry about stuff,” Dana told Closer. “Just relax, enjoy yourself. My favorite thing is to get home at night, pour a glass of wine and watch TCM.”

Dana Delany’s incredible career and zest for life are truly inspiring. Her commitment to her craft, love for art, and focus on enjoying every moment make her journey special. Thank you, Dana Delany, for sharing your talent and energy with us. Your grace and dedication mean so much!