Decades after playing America’s most famous TV siblings, Brady Bunch stars Barry Williams and Maureen McCormick are opening up about their real-life teenage romance that simmered behind the scenes.
On a recent episode of The Real Brady Bros podcast, Williams, 70, admitted his “on-again, off-again” relationship with McCormick, 68, created some on-set tension—especially when she filmed romantic scenes with other actors.
The candid conversation emerged as Williams and former costar Christopher Knight revisited the classic 1973 episode “The Subject Was Noses,” where Marcia Brady’s broken nose ruins a big date.
Knight, 67, teased Williams about the palpable chemistry between him and McCormick during filming: “You two were looking a little less like brother and sister and more like… dreamy-eyed.” Williams confirmed their flirtation, calling it “a little dance that was broken up by hiatus.”
Though the pair kept things professional during work hours, Williams confessed he strategically positioned himself on set whenever McCormick had to film affectionate moments with other actors. “At all times. Always… Just to have a presence,” he admitted with a laugh.
The tension reportedly peaked during the show’s Hawaii episodes, where Williams orchestrated their first kiss under a full moon—a moment McCormick later described in her memoir as both “passionate and deep” and slightly surreal (“I’m kissing my brother!”).
While their romance eventually fizzled, the nostalgia remains strong. McCormick has said any Brady reboot would need to “knock her socks off” to participate, but for fans, these behind-the-scenes revelations prove the original cast’s bonds were always more complicated than their squeaky-clean TV personas.
