Oprah Winfrey is one of the most famous people in the world, and she obviously has a lot of celebrity connections. But there are only a handful of people in her inner circle. While appearing on Hoda Kotb's podcast Making Space With Hoda Kotb, Winfrey said that she only has three friends in her life who she considers close. Fans certainly know that one of those people is Gayle King, Winfrey's longtime buddy, but there are two other people with whom she has deep connections. Read on to find out who they are and what makes their relationships so special.
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First, there's Maria Shriver.
Stefanie Keenan/Getty Images for The Hollywood ReporterWinfrey appeared on Kotb's podcast with Maria Shriver, and they discussed their friendship. They met in the bathroom of a Baltimore TV station 42 years ago when they were both working as TV news journalists. "I forever think that that was, like, a divine moment that happened," Winfrey said of meeting Shriver, "because she was one of my true, grounded friendships that carried me through my entire career."
Shriver said of her friendship with Winfrey, "I would describe it as deep, simple, low-maintenance, trustful, loyal, constant, consistent, honest, tired and true. Should we keep going?"
Winfrey is also close with King, of course.
Kevin Mazur/Getty ImagesWinfrey and King's friendship is something that they have both been very vocal about for years. In a video for Oprah Daily in July, they talked about their 40-plus-year relationship. "I have to say that one of the reasons that we've remained friends is the same thing I tell people, which is surround yourself with somebody that is as happy for your happiness as you are for your happiness," Winfrey said in the video (via Entertainment Tonight). "And over the years, Gayle has always has always been happier for my happiness." King did share, however, that there was one time she was jealous of her friend: when Winfrey got to dance on stage with Tina Turner.
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Her third close friend was her trainer first.
Mitchell Gerber/Corbis/VCG via Getty Images"I don't have a lot of friends," Winfrey said on Kotb's podcast. "Everybody knows Gayle. There's Gayle, there's Maria, there's Bob. And that's about it, you know?
"Bob" is Bob Greene, who started out as Winfrey's trainer before they developed a deeper relationship. Greene and Winfrey, who met in 1993, wrote two exercise and diet books together starting with 1996's Make the Connection: Ten Steps to a Better Body and a Better Life. He also appeared on her talk show multiple times. Since then, they've formed a close friendship.
"I still work with her, though not daily," Greene told Today in 2011. "We're in touch weekly. She was the best person at my wedding. I chuckle when someone says, 'Your client Oprah.' It's way beyond that."
Winfrey has let more people into her life recently.
Barry Brecheisen/WireImage via Getty Images"Gayle and Maria, I met around the same time," Winfrey said on the podcast. "And I never really expanded that circle until, recently, I have become friends with a couple people in my later adult life in the past five years. But the thing that got me through all of those years, I would say, grounded and the truth. Oh my god, Maria’s going to tell you the truth no matter damn what."
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