With the recent passing of Betty White on December 31 at the age of 99, all four beloved stars of TV's The Golden Girls—White, Bea Arthur, Rue McClanahan, and Estelle Getty—are now seemingly together at the Miami house in the sky.

The Golden Girls aired for seven seasons from 1985 to 1992, winning each of the actresses an Emmy Award and capturing the hearts of viewers.

As the iconic sitcom is at the forefront of everyone's minds right now, here are seven surprising secrets from the set of Miami's most beloved (fictional) senior citizens.

1. The casting of the show could have been drastically different.

Originally, Betty White was offered the role of Blanche Devereaux, but ultimately, the role went to Rue McClanahan. Elaine Stritch, a Broadway legend, also revealed that she auditioned for the role of Dorothy Zbornak, which was eventually played by Bea Arthur.

2. Reports suggest that Bea Arthur and Betty White did not always get along. They apparently had different approaches to their craft, which led to some tension between them. However, they were still friends and would often drive each other to work.

3. The Golden Girls had the honor of performing for Queen Elizabeth, also known as the Queen Mother, during a live show in 1988. The Queen even came down to the stage after the performance to meet the cast.

4. The sitcom featured an impressive array of celebrity guest stars throughout its 180 episodes. Some of the notable names include George Clooney, Alex Trebek, Debbie Reynolds, Sonny Bono, and Rita Moreno.

5. Bea Arthur reportedly hated cheesecake, which was the sweet treat of choice for the Golden Girls. However, she still managed to eat through the 100 cheesecakes that were served on set.

6.

Estelle Getty, who played Bea Arthur's onscreen mother, Sophia Petrillo, was actually one year younger than Arthur in real life. To make the age difference believable, the glam team used heavy makeup and a wig to transform Getty into an elderly character.

7. While The Golden Girls was set in Miami, the exterior shots of the girls' home were actually filmed at a private residence in Brentwood, Los Angeles. The property was sold in August 2020 for $4,000,620.

These surprising secrets from behind the scenes of The Golden Girls show just how iconic and beloved the series truly is. The show's enduring popularity continues to captivate audiences to this day.