Reba McEntire‘s red hair has been her signature look for her whole career — so much so that all you need to do to pull off a convincing Reba Halloween costume is to don a red wig!

But during a recent ET Online interview with McEntire and her Reba co-stars Melissa Peterman and Christopher Rich, Rich took some lighthearted shots at both the women, including a joke that implied McEntire’s hair color might not be quite what it seems.

It actually started as a joke aimed at Peterman, where Rich said, “Well, wait, you’re not really blonde, though.”

But then, he turned in McEntire’s direction, adding, “I’m giving away too much. Because she’s actually more blonde than you are, in real life.”

“She was a little towhead, this one. Back in Oklahoma. Back in the day,” he said, patting McEntire on the leg.

Rich stopped there, though throughout the interview, he cracked a few more jokes at their expense, including one jab about how his entire paycheck from his acting roles might not cover the cost of their makeup.

Of course, Rich has known McEntire and Peterman for decades, since he starred as Brock Hart — McEntire’s character’s ex-husband, who leaves her for Peterman’s character — on the beloved 2000s sitcom.

Read More: Christopher Rich Says Reba McEntire ‘Woke Up My Life’ After Stroke, Career Hiatus

They’re all close friends, and in the same interview where Rich joked about McEntire’s hair, he also credited her with helping him restart his career after he suffered a devastating stroke years ago.

Rich added that during his years-long healing process, McEntire and Peterman never stopped inviting him to industry events or spending time with him as friends. He credits her with his eventual decision to return back to acting after a hiatus of about a decade, to make a guest spot on her new Happy’s Place sitcom.

He also says that he frequently spends time with McEntire and her boyfriend Rex Linn, including watching football games together.

“I spend a lot of time at her and Rex’s place, watching the Longhorns. Hook ’em! They didn’t make it though,” he explains with a sympathetic gesture toward McEntire.

As for the question of McEntire’s a real redhead? Well, only her hairdresser knows for sure — though you’d be hard pressed to find old photos of her with any shade of hair lighter than strawberry.