Rob Lowe says he came close to dating Madonna, but never made it onto the dance floor. The actor told Andy Cohen the story during a Radio Andy appearance to promote his new film, The Musical. He remembered planning to meet Madonna at a party at New York’s Limelight. When she went dancing, Lowe stayed behind.
The next thing I knew, she was married to Sean Penn. Missed it. I was this close.
The line gets a laugh because Lowe tells it as a missed moment, not a hidden romance. He did not say they dated, and there is no reason to turn a near-meeting into a secret relationship. Cohen’s show used the story as one part of a wider conversation about Lowe’s career.
Why he was talking to Andy Cohen now
Lowe appeared on Andy Cohen Live while promoting The Musical, a film now in theaters. The movie gives him a direct connection to the entertainment coverage here: his latest acting work is the reason for the interview, and Cohen also asked him to look back at other moments from the screen and stage.
The Musical follows a school theater teacher played by Will Brill. Lowe is part of the cast, and an official still shows the two actors together on a stage set. You can find the film’s premise and release details on our movie page. This interview is not a new announcement about the movie’s plot or box office.
The Oscars number he still hears about
Cohen also brought up Lowe’s performance with Snow White at the 1989 Academy Awards opening. The actor joked that he still gets dragged for it and that there ought to be a statute of limitations. He was talking about a well-known TV moment from his own career, not announcing another Oscars performance.
Lowe shared one more work update: he said he has written a third book and expects an official announcement this week. His earlier memoirs were Stories I Only Tell My Friends and Love Life. He said the next book is in a different genre, but gave no title, release date or publisher in the SiriusXM summary. Those details should wait for an announcement.
The original conversation is on Radio Andy. SiriusXM has also posted a short clip of the Madonna story. The clip is useful because it lets listeners hear Lowe’s delivery, while the published summary gives the three topics he discussed: the almost-date, the new film and his earlier Oscars appearance.
The clear takeaway is less dramatic than a tabloid headline: Lowe says he almost connected with Madonna at a party and missed his chance. He is currently promoting The Musical and has another book on the way. Nothing in the interview confirms a past relationship between them.
