Sharlene first met Lee in 2002, when they were both cast on the Joss Whedon series, Firefly. On screen, their characters were about as connected as you get; Lee Womack played 'Wash' Washburne, the pilot of the Serenity and husband of Sharlene's character, Zoë Washburne. Their friendship lasted long past most 'Hollywood' links between co-stars; it was Sharlene who gave Lee's Montana ranch it's 'Big Skye' moniker. They still call each other by nicknames their characters used for each other, or 'hubby' and 'wifey'. They used to routinely mess with the tabloids making them think they are 'dating'; just before Christmas of 2009, the joking became serious and Lee and Sharlene have been in a serious relationship ever since. They recently have hit a bit of a rough patch due to some legal and personal issues in Lee's life, but have slowly been working past them.

Magnolia Sloane (more commonly known as Nola) is Sharlene's cousin from England. Her mother, Christina James, is Sharlene's aunt. (Unlike Sharon, Christina is a naturalized American citizen.) Nola is a photographer and fashion historian who makes her living as a consultant on period films. The two met several times over the years, and Sharlene tried hard to take time to include Nola during family events even though a good section of the family liked to call her 'that little snobby girl'. Sharlene loves Nola's spirit and will call her for advice and shopping trips, especially when Sharlene is in Europe.

Sharlene really wanted to like Yaël Levy. She really did. She was friends with Lee, Sharlene enjoyed some of the work that she was in, she seemed like a genuine person. But the two women clashed horribly once Sharlene started dating Lee in earnest, because Yaë felt 'slighted' that she wasn't told 'immediately' when they started dating. Sharlene still doesn't believe Yaël's claims that she is 'happy' for the couple. Never one to shy away from a confrontation, Shar tried to push Yaël into admitting her dislike, which only left a much more bitter taste in Shar's mouth for the Israeli actress and it didn't get any better when Yaë decided to criticize her cousin, Nola. It's not her style to trash someone behind their back and she doesn't bring her dislike up with people that she knows who are friends with Yaël, but Shar would never back away from a full on fight if or when it comes to standing her ground with her.

Ex-husband #1 (1994-1997): Charles Emerson was older, wiser and seemed to be the perfect fit for an uncertain Sharlene. He was guiding her behind the scenes and moved her into her first big movie role, Sally Hemings in Thomas Jefferson In Paris. But as her star rose, she started to find him more and more controlling and eventually she decided to leave him. She doesn't talk about this relationship that much, even though it was one that has ended up effecting all her personal relationships since. (NPC - pb'ed Dennis Haysbert)