Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward's daughter is telling the story of their love. Melissa Newman wrote the book Head Over Heels: Joanne Woodward and Paul Newman: A Love Affair in Words and Pictures. Released on October 10, 2023, it features a handful of personal and intimate photographs of who was known as one of Hollywood's elite couples and their family. During an interview with Jenna Bush Hager, cohost of Today With Hoda & Jenna, Melissa gives a deeper and more intimate look into the lives of her parents.
For a while, the 62-year-old only had two family photos of her parents. One was a picture of her dad as a cowboy, and the other was a picture of her mom as a stripper.
"We were having baby groups and playdates and they would say, ‘Who are these people?’ And I would say, ‘They’re my parents,’" Melissa explained. "And they just wouldn't say anything else.”
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She spoke about her parents' bond, describing it as "deep" even though their relationship was sometimes complicated. “I think what I found so fascinating is this sort of inexorable connection that they had."
The couple met in 1953 while working together on Picnic, which was a Broadway show. They got married in 1958 and had three daughters: Elinor, Melissa, and Claire. Paul also had three children from a former marriage.
"The picture on the cover of the book is from very, very early in their relationship," Melissa shared. "You can see how it was a snowball rolling down a hill. They found each other."
She continued on to talk about her father's playful side with her mother. “I would watch my father walk by my mother, and he would just do this little pinch,” she explained. “As they were walking by, they would just touch each other. They were very affectionate with each other.”
The book, according to Melissa, captures two different sides of her parents: one as stars and one as family-oriented people. The first photo in the book shows one of the daughters pointing at Joanne, who is dressed up. “You know, there was that and then there was my mother, who was really hands on when she was home," Melissa said. "She knew where everybody was. It was typical. Don’t ask my dad where anybody is. Ask my mom."
Joanne and Paul remained married until his death in 2008. “He just found her endlessly fascinating,” Melissa said. Joanne, who has Alzheimer's, is living a private life away from the spotlight.
