By India McCarty
SWEET MAGNOLIAS star JoAnna García Swisher opened up about the bond she shares with REBA “parents” Reba McEntire and Christopher Rich.
“She’s the best. She is such an incredible human, just, like, just in general,” Swisher said of the country star during an appearance on the “Sibling Rivalry” podcast.
The actress praised McEntire’s “very real humility” and “appreciation” for her life and career, adding, “She is such a huge star, and she just still amazes me with her, you know, like, ‘I can’t believe this is happening to me’ vibe.”
Swisher also said McEntire and Rich “stepped in” to fill the void left when her own parents died. Rich even officiated her wedding, while McEntire and REBA castmate Melissa Peterman were bridesmaids.
“The girls love her so much. She’s so good to my girls,” Swisher said of McEntire. “I just told her, I was like, ‘You know, looking back on all those pictures in that time in my life, I was so lucky to be a working actress on a television show that was beloved, but also, you know, that I had, like, real people that cared about me and made sure I was safe.’”
Swisher continued, “When something amazing happens for my kids, I send pictures. These are people that genuinely are so excited to, like, see that and be a part of our lives and a part of our world.”
Swisher has also leaned on her husband Nick, calling him the “biggest hype man” to the couple’s daughters, Emerson, 11, and Sailor, 8.
“I was very, very, very close to my dad,” she told PEOPLE. “He was the ultimate girl dad. So I know how important that role is in a young girl’s life.”
Swisher continued, “I feel so grateful that I’m doing this with him and I feel grateful for my daughters.”
In addition to being a devoted mom and successful actress, Swisher recently celebrated another milestone; she got the chance to direct an episode of the fourth season of SWEET MAGNOLIAS.
“As if this show wasn’t already a dream come true,” she captioned an Instagram post. “This season I was given the opportunity to direct and it really was the most incredible experience. I love these characters, their stories, and the actors who bring them to life so much. I will forever be grateful how they wrapped their arms around me and supported me every step of the way.”
Swisher hasn’t commented on whether or not the show will return for a fifth season, but showrunner Sheryl J. Anderson recently told Deadline “everything’s on the table.”
“We don’t have a Season 5 yet, but I’ve been doing this show long enough that 85% of my waking thoughts are about SWEET MAGNOLIAS. So all sorts of possibilities exist,” she added.
Whether or not Swisher continues to work on SWEET MAGNOLIAS or goes on to different projects, there’s no doubt that her TV parents will be cheering her on along the way.
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