“Three’s Company” star Suzanne Somers stepped out with her stepdaughter and granddaughters, and fans couldn’t recognize the 76-year-old actress.
She went through “stepfamily hell” after she married her older spouse.
They were together for more than 50 years, and he still thought she was beautiful.
Suzanne Somers was best known for her roles in “Three’s Company,” “She’s the Sheriff,” and “Serial Mom.” She was also a divorced, single mother of one child when she met her husband.
Together, Somers and Alan Hamel navigated blending their families and becoming the strong couple they were. Somers was a proud grandmother, despite her fans thinking she looked different than she used to.
Somers passed away peacefully in her home in the early hours of October 15, 2023. She was surrounded by her family, who had gathered to celebrate her birthday on October 16. Now, they will celebrate her life.
It was love at first sight for Somers when she met Hamel after her divorce from Bruce Somers. However, their relationship was sometimes challenging. They worked hard to overcome their issues when they arose.
Hamel and Somers married in 1977 after meeting when she was working as a model on “The Anniversary Show.” Somers went into the marriage with her son, Bruce, and Hamel went into the marriage with two sons, Stephen and Leslie.
While Somers and her new husband were elated that they had tied the knot, their children were not as charmed. Somers said:
“The unwillingness to accept a new parent put a strain on everyone.”
Somers had a more difficult time with Hamel’s sons than Hamel had with hers because their biological mother clarified that they couldn’t have another mother. The actress said she understood that her stepsons would not want a new mother.
As she navigated being a stepmother for the first time, her ex-husband and Hamel’s ex-wife made it all the more difficult for her to build a relationship with her new husband’s children.
She said the exes were angry, which made their situation even more precarious. Hamel and Somers often argued in the first decade of their marriage because they were protective of their children.
Somers described the early years of her marriage to Hamel as “stepfamily hell.” However, when they finally sought help from a family therapist, they were able to make it through the difficult time.
Does Somers Have the Same “Hell” with Her Six Grandkids Now?
After years of hard work, Somers finally became as close to her stepchildren as her son, and she and Hamel welcomed grandchildren. The pair shared six grandchildren who range in age from 19 to 30.
Somers loved being a grandmother because it allowed her to fall in love again. She once said, “Kids don’t know blood. They just love you. There’s no ‘Yours, mine, and ours’ or anything.”
Somers cooked with her grandchildren often because they are a big “food family.” The actress loved seeing her family together and said it made her feel like a success.
She joked that seeing everyone in her family getting along and sharing laughs and smiles allowed her to rest well because she knew they made it through the most challenging times.
Why Did Fans Think Somers Looked “Different” in Her Late 70s?
Although Somers was in her late seventies, she did not look a day over 40. In late 2022, she stepped out with her granddaughters Camelia and Violet, daughters of her biological son, Bruce.
When she was seen with her granddaughters, many fans thought it was strange that she didn’t seem to be aging. However, Somers said she was and was enjoying it, too. She shared:
“I like the way I look. Aging is amazing. Aging is something you should aspire to and look forward to and want.”
Somers believed a healthy lifestyle was the key to aging gracefully. One only needed to know what was harmful to one’s body to combat it with the right food and lifestyle changes.
Earlier this year, Somers shared a video on her Facebook page, which was initially a live-stream video. She talked about International Women’s Day and how she demanded higher pay on “Three’s Company” because the men in the cast were earning much more. She was joined by some female guests who talked about self-care.
Those who saw the video were curious about Somers’ appearance. One fan asked if she had a facelift and said they loved her new wig after telling her she looked “so different.”
Another fan said that if Somers had been wearing a wig, it must be a high-quality one. The fan wondered what was going on but didn’t press on the matter, acknowledging that it was ultimately only for Somers to know.
Others asked if the woman in the video was really Somers because she looked very different from what her fans were used to seeing during her younger days.
For more than five decades together, Hamel’s love for Somers stood strong. Like many other Hollywood couples whose relationships have stood the test of time, they were often asked what it was that kept them together and in love for over fifty years. Somers said that giving each other attention was essential because it is something that many couples forget to do after many years.
Somers also said she loved to be affectionate with her husband, hugging him and running her fingers through his hair. As for Hamel, Somers effused:
“He tells me I’m beautiful all the time.”
The actress and her husband were so affectionate that they held hands all night while they slept. She joked that sometimes when she woke up in the morning, they were still holding hands. Somers thought it was the best part of her marriage.
The couple built a beautiful life and had much to celebrate with their family being blended and loving. They often gushed about their marriage and family, showing their love for one another.