Gayle King And Oprah Have Been Pals For 50 Years: Inside Their Legendary Friendship

There are few friendships that last a lifetime. But when they do, they're special, and people seem to take notice. For example, there are some pairs of Hollywood BFFs who nailed the coordinating outfit trend in 2025. Oprah Winfrey and Gayle King also happen to have a special friendship that has lasted for decades (and is still going!). The pair have been friends since 1976, which is fifty years! That's impressive, especially for two busy women in Hollywood.

Winfrey, whose 'Ozempic face' transformation is wild to see, is now a billionaire media mogul with a thriving book club, digital brand (Oprah Daily), and television network (OWN). King is now an award-winning journalist and co-host of "CBS Mornings." The two met when they were both starting out in their careers on television, and the rest is history. Their friendship has been filled with memorable moments, from road trips and joint business ventures to supporting each other through ups and downs. 

In 1976, both Oprah Winfrey and Gayle King were working at Baltimore's WJZ station. Winfrey was a morning news anchor, and King was a production assistant. Although they worked in different departments, fate would lead King to crash at Winfrey's house for the night. In 2006, the two recalled that chance moment for an issue of "O, The Oprah Magazine" (via Oprah.com). There was a bad snowstorm one night, and King couldn't make it home. So, Winfrey invited her over to her house to stay. 

The two spent the night talking and realized they had a lot in common, including musical tastes. During the interview, King said, "We became friends that first night because for the first time, I met somebody who I felt was like me. I'd never met anybody like that." The two have been friends ever since, with People magazine honoring their long and strong friendship in 2022. 

"The Oprah Winfrey Show" made its debut in September 1986. During the show, Winfrey interviewed everyone from regular people to celebrities and politicians. Winfrey's best friend, Gayle King, made an appearance on the show during its debut season. The episode was about celebrities and their best friends. The two talked about bad hairstyles and clothing. It would mark King's first of over 100 appearances on the show. 

Winfrey and King have had some very memorable experiences on "The Oprah Winfrey Show." For example, in 1991, an episode aired in which the two friends read their old high school love letters out loud. And in Season 18, the two went back in time, joining a small group of people living as a remote colony in Maine with no running water or electricity. In 2005, Winfrey also made one of King's dreams come true by setting up a meeting between her and singer Josh Groban. How special it must have been to have those experiences documented. 

Many friendships come to an end or turn sour due to jealousy. But Oprah Winfrey and Gayle King are both successful in their own ways and did not let jealousy get in the way of their friendship. The two proudly celebrate one another and have shown up for each other throughout the decades. One prime example is in 2018, when Winfrey accepted the Cecil B. DeMille Award at the Golden Globes. King and Winfrey's partner, Stedman Graham, were both Winfrey's dates for the event. Winfrey even posted about it on Instagram. 

Later in 2018, it was Winfrey's turn to support her friend, King, who was inducted into the Broadcasting & Cable Hall of Fame. Winfrey presented King with the award and gave a toast, saying, "She deserves to be celebrated, not just for her news acumen, but for being her consistently joyful, vibrant, best-outlook-on-life, best-outlook-on-everybody self." Winfrey also gushed about how King has always been happy for the success of others (via Instagram). 

Few things test a relationship like travel does. Oprah Winfrey and Gayle King tested their friendship when they embarked on an 11-day road trip across North America. The two started off in California and ended their trip in New York. As a precaution, they took an oath not to let the trip ruin their friendship. The show was entertaining for audiences, but Winfrey did not seem to have much fun. In fact, she often refers to it as one of the worst experiences she's had. It wasn't because of King, though. 

Winfrey said (via Oprah.com), "I thought we'd wake up in the morning and somebody would have nice little muffins there. And it turned out to be an 11-day [trip] to get to the next thing, and you're on the interstate—you can't take the scenic route." King tried to be entertaining by playing a game of 'Would You Rather?' but Winfrey quickly shot it down. We're glad their friendship lasted, despite the somewhat poor experience for Winfrey.

It takes a strong friendship and strong people to withstand rumors. And even Oprah Winfrey and Gayle King are susceptible to nasty rumors. Due to their very public friendship, a rumor started in the '90s that they were a secret lesbian couple. King did say on the Call Her Daddy podcast that she got divorced, and "The National Enquirer" ran a story about how it was because she was gay. She said, "If we were gay, we would tell you."

King revealed that these rumors bothered her and made dating difficult. She also revealed that she used to ask Winfrey to clear up the rumors so that she could get a date. Winfrey cleared up the rumors when speaking to Barbara Walters in 2010. Winfrey also has a partner, Stedman Graham, with whom she has been with for decades (since 1986). She also doesn't have children and is one of the celebs who are unapologetically childless by choice. 

In January 2019, Oprah Winfrey and Gayle King launched a joint video series called OG Chronicles (OG stands for their initials). During the show, the pair gives advice to their fans about relationship issues. In the first episode, which is on YouTube, they spoke about everything from how to keep a relationship spicy to sleeping with someone on the first date. 

During the show, the two throw in stories from their personal dating lives. For example, King revealed in the first episode that she once wore saran wrap and a trench coat to spice up things. Winfrey keeps things a bit more toned down, though, and instead cooks to keep her partner happy. Having this series around is really like having a conversation with your closest gal pals. The two are open, honest, and hilarious. We're surprised they didn't launch something like this sooner.