Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward, the late actor’s daughter, Melissa, stumbled upon a cache of Newman’s “naughty and bawdy” love letters in the attic of the family’s Westport, Connecticut, home. 

Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward’s legendary romance, which Newman even  referred to as having a ‘f*** hut’ in his memoir, had its roots in an affair that began while he was still married to his first wife, Jackie Witte, with whom he had three children: Scott, Susan, and Stephanie. 

The most intriguing part of this revelation is that the tamer portions of these love letters have been included in a new book titled Head Over Heels: Joanne Woodward and Paul Newman – A Love Affair in Words and Pictures.

She disclosed the discovery of her father’s “risqué” love letters to her mother, some of which were deemed too explicit to be included in their upcoming book, Head Over Heels: Joanne Woodward and Paul Newman – A Love Affair in Words and Pictures.

According to Melissa, as she read through her father’s heartfelt letters, some passages were simply too explicit to make the cut. 

She explained, “I would read the letters and just go, Oh, this is so sweet. This should go in the book. 

And then I would be reading on, and then I’d go, Ooh, Dad, I can’t put this in the book!” 

She described the letters as “charming” and revealed they were both “bawdy and naughty but not smutty,” adding that it perfectly illustrated their passionate connection. 

She also celebrated her mother, Joanne Woodward, as a “free spirit” who was a “sex bomb” in addition to being a powerful force in her own right.