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During these trying times, we could all use a shot of Southern comfort—which explains why Sweet Magnolias has become the latest Netflix craze (fingers crossed for a second season!). Based on a series of romance novels by Sherryl Woods, this syrupy small-town series follows Maddie Townsend (JoAnna Garcia Swisher), a stay-at-home mom who decides to fulfill her dream of opening a spa with her lifelong BFFs—Dana Sue Sullivan (Brooke Elliott) and Helen Decatur (Heather Headley)—after her husband Bill Townsend (Chris Klein) leaves her for his pregnant mistress (Jamie Lynn Spears).
Fans are already comparing the feel-good series, which is set in the fictional town of Serenity, South Carolina, to a Southern Gilmore Girls, so you can expect frequent cocktail nights, a fair amount of drama, and, yes, a beloved local restaurant. But the real reason this show is as refreshing as a glass of sweet tea (or a margarita!) on hot, humid day? Its charming cast of characters, which you'll quickly notice is filled with lots of familiar faces. Here's your guide to the stars of Sweet Magnolias.
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1
Jamie Lynn Spears as Noreen Fitzgibbons
After taking a 12-year hiatus from acting, Jamie Lynn Spears (of Zoey 101, country music, and Britney-Spears's-little-sister fame) returned to the small screen as Noreen Fitzgibbons, a young nurse whose affair with Bill Townsend (Chris Klein) and subsequent pregnancy stirs up lots of rumors and gossip in the small Southern town. "Although it was nerve-racking to get back in front of the camera, this felt very natural for me," Spears, now 29, told The Hollywood Reporter. "I remember being 16 years old, being pregnant in a small town. And then on top of it, the whole world was watching."
Find her on Instagram @jamielynnspears.
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2
JoAnna Garcia as Maddie Townsend
You probably remember JoAnna Garcia from the Nickelodeon show Are You Afraid of the Dark?, the gone-way-too-soon dramedy Freaks and Geeks, the ABC fairy tale drama Once Upon a Time, or her six-season run playing Reba's oldest daughter on the WB/CW sitcom Reba. But baseball fans might also know the TV veteran as the wife of former MLB outfielder and first baseman Nick Swisher and the mother of their two daughters, Emerson Jay and Sailor Stevie. In Sweet Magnolias, Garcia plays protagonist Maddie Townsend, a mother trying to rebuild her life after her husband (Chris Klein) leaves his family for his pregnant mistress.
Find her on Instagram @jogarciaswisher.
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3
Brooke Elliott as Dana Sue Sullivan
Lifetime fans will instantly recognize Brooke Elliot from the popular series Drop Dead Diva. In it, the 45-year-old actress played Jane Bingum, a razor-sharp lawyer who is possessed by the spirit of superficial model Deb Dobkins. But that's not the Minnesotan's only claim to fame: Elliot actually got her start on the Great White Way, starring in productions of Taboo, The Pirate Queen, and alongside Adam Lambert in the first U.S. tour of Wicked. On Sweet Magnolias, Elliot plays Dana Sue, a single mom and strong-willed head chef of Sullivan's, a beloved local restaurant.
Find her on Instagram @real.brooke.elliott.
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4
Heather Headley as Helen Decatur
As it turns out, Brooke Elliot isn't the only Broadway veteran in Sweet Magnolias: In addition to originating the role of Nala in the musical The Lion King, Heather Headley earned a Tony Award for her title role in the stage adaptation of Aida, and she assumed the role of Shug Avery from Jennifer Hudson in the revival of The Color Purple. In 2017, the mother of three (and wife of retired New York Jets quarterback Brian Musso), broke into acting with roles in the Spike Lee dramedy She's Gotta Have It and the NBC medical drama Chicago Med. Now, she stars as Helen, the whip-smart, socially conscious attorney helping Maddie get through her divorce.
Find her on Instagram @heatherheadley.
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5
Chris Klein as Bill Townsend
Are you thinking, Isn't that Oz from American Pie? (The correct answer: Yes!) After reprising his role as the impossibly polite high school lacrosse player in American Pie 2 and American Reunion, Chris Klein—who was once engaged to Katie Holmes—starred in a couple TV shows (the FX series Wilfred) and movies (the indie comedy Authors Anonymous with Kaley Cuoco) but largely stepped out of the public eye. That is until 2018, when the father of two returned to the spotlight as the villain in the CW show The Flash. Now, the 41-year-old actor is playing Bill Townsend, the small-town cheating husband, who leaves his family for his new, younger, and very pregnant girlfriend (Spears).
Find him on Instagram @iamchrisklein.
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6
Justin Bruening as Cal Maddox
Whether you were Team Japril (Jackson Avery and April Kepner) or Team Mapril (Matthew Taylor and April0), Grey's Anatomy fans will quickly recognize Justin Bruening from his role as the super-sweet paramedic Matthew Taylor. But the 40-year-old actor first stepped into the spotlight in 2003, when he was cast as Jamie Martin, the white knight on the soap opera All My Children, where he met and proposed to his co-star turned wife Alexa Havins. In Sweet Magnolias, the father of three is once more Mr. Nice Guy as he plays Cal Maddox, the hunky high school baseball coach who falls hard for newly-single Maddie Townsend.
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7
Carson Rowland as Tyler "Ty" Townsend
Don't watch Nickelodeon? Then you probably don't know Carson Rowland, who played Cole Reyes on the sci-fi drama I Am Frankie. That will change after you see the 22-year-old play Tyler "Ty" Townsend, Maddie's oldest son and a high school baseball player who jeopardizes his grades—and his spot on the team—as he struggles with his parents' divorce.
Follow him on Instagram @carsonrowland.
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8
Dion Johnstone as Erik Whitley
Another actor fresh off a Nickelodeon show: Dion Johnstone, who played movie star Craig Brooks in the series Star Falls. In Sweet Magnolias, Johnstone plays Erik Whitley, Dana Sue's loyal pastry chef turned sous chef. When he's not on the small screen, though, you'll likely find the Canadian actor on the stage (he's performed in many Shakespeare plays during his nine seasons at the Stratford Festival) or at his drawing table (yes, he's also an artist).
Find him on Instagram @dion_johnstone.
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9
Caroline Lagerfelt as Paula Vreeland
As any Gossip Girl fan will tell you, that's gin sipping CeCe Rhodes! That's not not true, but in real life, it's Caroline Lagerfelt, a French-born actress with an extensive career in TV (she's made appearances in Beverly Hills, 90210, Murphy Brown, The Mindy Project, and The Blacklist to name a few) and an even more distinguished career in theater (she's the recipient of an Obie Award and a Drama Desk nomination). On Sweet Magnolias, she plays Maddie's mom, Paula Vreeland.
Find her on Instagram @mslagerfelt.
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10
Anneliese Judge as Annie Sullivan
You might not know Anneliese Judge yet—but you will after watching Sweet Magnolias. In the show, the acting newbie plays Dana Sue’s teen daughter, Annie Sullivan, who dreams of becoming a photographer.
Find her on Instagram @anneliesecjudge.
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11
Logan Allen as Kyle Townsend
After making his on-screen debut in the Nickelodeon series Talia in the Kitchen, 15-year-old Logan Allen is now whipping up drama in Sweet Magnolias. In the show, he plays Kyle Townsend, an adorable high school freshman and Maddie's middle child.
You can find him on Instagram @itsloganallen.
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12
Bianca Berry Tarantino as Katie Townsend
She might be the youngest cast member of Sweet Magnolias, but Bianca Berry Tarantino (who plays Katie Townsend, Maddie's youngest child) has already had roles in The Gifted, NCIS, Swamp Thing, and perhaps most notably, Jimmy Kimmel's unbelievably cute reality-dating spoof "The Baby Bachelorette."
Find her on Instagram @bianca.berry.tarantino.
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13
Tracey Bonner as Pastor June Wilkes
Just as Gilmore Girls had Reverend Archie Skinner and Hart of Dixie had Reverend Peter Mayfair, no small town would be complete without a warm, welcoming pastor. In the case of Serenity, that's June Wilkes, played by actress Tracey Bonner.
Find her on Instagram @thetraceybonner.
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14
Michael Shenefelt as Ryan Wingate
Despite cameos in Nashville, Stranger Things, and The Deuce, this is Michael Shenefelt's first big-time TV role. In Sweet Magnolias, he plays Ryan Wingate, the ridiculously handsome love interest of Helen (Headley).
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15
Chris Medlin as Isaac Downey
Chris Medlin might be a Hollywood newbie, but he's a Broadway vet who's appeared in Mean Girls and Diana: A True Musical Story. In Sweet Magnolias, Medlin plays Issac Downey, a young chef in Mary Sue's kitchen.
Follow him on Instagram @mrmedlin.
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16
Hunter Burke as Trotter Vidhyarkorn
Every spa needs an extremely fit—and extremely attractive—personal trainer, right? At The Corner Spa, that's Trotter Vidhyarkorn, played by actor Hunter Burke, who you might recognize from the TNT dramedy Claws.
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17
Harlan Drum as CeCe Matney
Rounding out the cast is another actress getting her big break on Sweet Magnolias: Harlan Drum. The 18 year old plays CeCe Matney, another one of the high schoolers, and—more importantly—Ty's love interest.
Follow her on Instagram @harlan_drum.