Going Solo
Donny and Marie haven’t always been a yin and yang on the stage together like they were in the 70s and now in Las Vegas. In the 1980s, the two decided to split their act in order to have solo careers. They needed to explore their independent options.
Many people missed the two together and were extremely pumped when it was announced that the two would be teaming up again to do Vegas. Donny confessed that he knew they would always end up performing together again and when he laid eyes on the Flamingo he called his sister and said, “This is it.”
Keeping Healthy
Marie said she lost nearly 50 pounds during the Flamingo Show in Las Vegas and her appearance on "Dancing With the Stars" (season five in case you were in the mood to look up some of her impressive numbers on the show.) She confessed that her mom and grandmother died of health issues and that she didn't want to be the next one.
She realized how dire the situation was when her son said, “Mom, you’re all we have.” Marie was deeply moved by her son's words and took the hard work all in stride saying, “I had to be healthy.”
Losing Inches
Turns out that Marie isn’t the only member of the duo who has watched the inches fade away from her costume measurements over the years. Donny has lost two inches from his waist since he started doing shows at the Flamingo in Las Vegas.
The hour-and-a-half variety show got pretty intense at times, meaning Donny got in some cardio and leg work all while performing. He also supplements this ‘workout’ with regular trips to the gym to work out his full body. Pile all of that on top of the regular rehearsals and you got yourself a navy seal training program to keep anyone in tip-top shape.
Bringing in a Mediator
The two could not have guessed how hard it would be to work together again. Sure, they did it in the past but they have since gotten to experience solo careers, and letting go of that didn't go very smoothly at first. Donny confessed that he was no longer the stubborn one. He once said in an interview, “I’m dealing with somebody who is in control of her own career now.”
This meant that he could boss her around no more! Whatever seniority the older brother had over her was no longer a thing. The two decided to bring in director and choreographer Barry Leather to mediate their working relationship.
Living Separate Lives
Much has changed since the days when the siblings were so close all those decades ago. They have both said they don’t see much of each other outside of the show anymore. Just think about it — would you want to see your coworkers outside of work every day? Yeah, that's what we thought.
While their dressing rooms are next door to each other, they don’t constantly hang out, contrary to what people might think. Outside of working hours, it’s extremely rare to see the two together. Donny said he would rather spend time with his wife and kids when he's free.