What First Attracted Karen Kline To Her Wife Linda Hunt?

Hollywood icon Linda Hunt made acting history with her Oscar win for Peter Weir's "The Year of Living Dangerously," in which she portrayed a male Chinese-Australian character. These days, however, Hunt is known for her role as Hetty in the long-running TV show, "NCIS: Los Angeles." Despite her onscreen success, Hunt originally envisioned a career in theater, as a USA Today profile attests. Regardless, she acknowledges that the theater wasn't an obvious choice for stardom. Speaking to USA Today, Hunt said, "For me to want to be an actor was an improbable idea. I wasn't beautiful or pretty in any conventional way. I wasn't an ingénue at 22." That said, she added, "I was always certain of [the theater] and certain of its power. I felt the power when I went to the theater at 9, 10, 12 and 14." 

Playing Hetty for the past decade has given Hunt a new lease of life, and the "NCIS" writers particularly enjoy writing scenes for the no-nonsense character. As Hunt gets older though, she's understandably working less, preferring instead to spend more time at home with her long-time partner, Karen Kline. The loved-up couple stays mostly out of the limelight, and are only glimpsed out and about every now and then, but their connection runs incredibly deep. In fact, Kline knew Hunt was the one immediately, for one very unlikely reason. 

Connection and chemistry are different for every couple. Some people's eyes meet across a crowded room, others instantly feel as though they've known each other forever, and some take a longer time to find their groove. For Karen Kline and Linda Hunt, it all came down to the pants. As the retired therapist told "CBS Sunday Morning" (via Cheat Sheet), "I was kind of struck [by] Linda's corduroys." The outlet reports that the two began dating in 1987 and have been inseparable ever since, despite their age difference. "Karen's six years younger, but I forgive her daily," Hunt joked. "I do, I forgive you for being younger." Express.co.uk confirms that the couple tied the knot in 2008, but were living together much longer than that. 

Although Kline and Hunt don't have any children, the couple share three "doggies," per USA Today. According to the outlet, the "NCIS" fan-favorite actor has a keen interest in psychology, which might further explain what brought the two ladies together in the first place. Their well-appointed Hollywood bungalow, which was built in 1919, was featured in a glossy Los Angeles Times spread in 2014. Of the home they've carefully and lovingly built together, Hunt enthused, "This house has whimsy and a special kind of elegance. It's welcoming." No word yet on whether there are any corduroy accoutrements.