Onscreen, the stars of The Golden Girls had such wonderful chemistry that it’s difficult to believe they weren’t close friends in real life. However, some open interviews in the 25 years since the program ended have shown an underlying tension—and, at times, outright hostility—among the actresses, particularly between Betty White and Bea Arthur, who portrayed Rose Nylund and Dorothy Zbornak, respectively.

Over the years, many closest to the two ladies have talked openly about their dispute, with many blaming Arthur for prolonging their off-screen battle. Arthur, born Bernice Frankel, died of severe cancer complications in 2009 at the age of 86. However, in a 2015 interview with Closer magazine, her adopted son Matthew Saks revealed some of the reasons behind the friction behind the scenes of the comedy show.

“My mom unknowingly carried the attitude that it was fun to have somebody to be angry at,” her eldest son, Matthew Saks, told Closer. He went on to say that White became her “nemesis,” the guy with whom she could roll her eyes.

But interactions between the actresses weren’t always that tense, as Saks recalls White and Arthur riding to work together. In fact, Blanche Devereaux, the promiscuous Southern beauty, played by Rue McClanahan, stated Arthur wouldn’t go to lunch with her unless White was present.

So, what triggered the co-stars’ tumultuous relationship off-set? During an HLN interview with Joy Behar in 2011, White addressed the issue.

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According to the Village Voice, White said of Arthur in a 2011 presentation, “She was not that fond of me. She found me a pain in the neck sometimes. It was my positive attitude — and that made Bea mad sometimes. Sometimes if I was happy, she’d be furious!”

Aside from opposing viewpoints, the tension might also be attributable to conflicting performing approaches. Arthur relied on her stage play background throughout filming, according to Jim Colucci, author of Golden Girls Forever: An Unauthorized Biography, where she always kept in character. Between takes, White, on the other hand, was more relaxed, chatting and laughing with the live audience. Arthur, according to reports, wasn’t a huge fan of her breaking character.

“Sometimes Betty would go out and smile and chat with the audience and literally go and make friends with the audience. Which is a nice thing “” a lot of them have come from all over the country and are fans,” Saks told the Hollywood Reporter. “I think my mom didn’t dig that… It’s just not the right time to talk to fans between takes. Betty was able to do it and it didn’t seem to affect her. But it rubbed my mom the wrong way.”

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Some assume that White’s Emmy win sparked envy. White was the first to win for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series in 1986, despite the fact that all of the ladies subsequently won Emmys and were nominated during the show’s first season. Arthur was apparently enraged that White had won, according to McClanahan’s memoir, My First Five Husbands…And the Ones Who Got Away, published in 2007.

According to Jim Colucci, author of Golden Girls Forever, the show’s writers and actresses jokingly said, “it’s going to be rough around here!”

“My mom was the real deal,” Saks suggested. “I think she felt she was more of an actress than Betty. Mom came from Broadway. Betty starred on a game show at one point.”

Arthur’s hatred escalated when the show’s writers started “Dorothy bashing,” as Golden Girls historian Colucci describes it.

“Insulting commentary about Rose’s intelligence or Blanche’s promiscuity “could roll off [White’s and McClanahan’s] backs because they were not like their characters,” said Colucci, but “the things that were said about Dorothy were that she was big and ugly. And that wears on an actress after a while.”

Regardless, Arthur, White, and the rest of the ensemble worked on the project until 1992. The show’s appeal began to wane as it approached its final season, and Arthur “made it very clear that she was done,” according to Colucci.

Unfortunately, Arthur died before the two could mend fences. Since The Golden Girls ended, White has enjoyed a comedy renaissance, starring in the popular film The Proposal and the hit TV series Hot in Cleveland. She is the only member of the cast who is still living, at the age of 95. McClanahan died in 2010 from a brain hemorrhage, while Estelle Getty, who portrayed the spunky and wise-cracking Sophia Petrillo, died in 2008 from Lewy body dementia.

Although White and Arthur’s quarrel seemed dramatic from the outside, considering Arthur’s aloof character, it may have been unavoidable. Saks told Closer in 2015, “My mom wasn’t really close to anybody. I’m not saying she was a loner, but she just liked to go home and read the paper.”