Sweet Magnolias’ co-stars and love pursuits Heather Headley and Dion Johnstone are good mates and share a superb rapport. The minute we began our joint digital Zoom interview, it was obvious how a lot they’d missed working collectively.
We had the chance to talk with Headley and Johnstone throughout a current press day, and it was one of the vital enjoyable chat experiences. This interview was carried out earlier than the SAG-AFTRA strike.
Both actors have been dissatisfied they didn’t work a lot collectively throughout Sweet Magnolias Season 3, although they loved their difficult, emotional arcs.
Headley and Johnstone shared their ideas on Helen and Erik’s breakup and whether or not they believed a reunion was attainable. We additionally mentioned the assorted friendships on the sequence and Helen taking in CeCe.
Check out the in-depth interview under.
Hello Dion and Heather. I’m an enormous fan of each of yours, and I do know you each have an enormous fan base. I additionally noticed you get pleasure from working collectively. This season should have been powerful, barely interacting with one another after your emotional breakup scene.
Dion: Heather, I don’t know if you happen to keep in mind this after we have been filming the breakup scene, and we have been ready whereas they have been setting the lights, and also you talked about now we’d have to attend till the tip of the season when we have now our reuniting within the rain on the doorbell, hair streaming, product coming down making an attempt to altering my thoughts.
Heather: Take me again to the songs and the music. Laura, I’m going to get in numerous hassle from what I’ve seen on-line about this complete factor. I’ve informed our showrunner Sheryl that she’s not been good to me.
I informed her that when the present launches, I’ll go to Tibet and be with the monks, discover a cave, and sit there for some time till the blow over occurs as a result of I don’t suppose folks shall be enthusiastic about it. Some shall be joyful about it, however most gained’t.
But sure, it was extremely emotional to do it. It’s not enjoyable work. I feel we relish these moments, and we get pleasure from these moments as actors as a result of they’re difficult, and also you get pleasure from digging deep as a result of, ultimately, there’s going to be an amazing arc to it and an amazing ending.
It was not enjoyable, and I used to be telling any individual all the time that you simply’re filming, you’re giving angst as a result of you possibly can’t let that down for too lengthy. We couldn’t movie a scene and alternate small speak. We every went to our corners which saved the temper in examine. These scenes allowed us to dive deeper and higher join with these characters.
I don’t know what’s going to occur with Erik and Helen going ahead, however I hope it improves them. We will see. Laura, there’s that downside with Genevieve too, however we gained’t discuss that.
It appeared like Erik and Helen may reunite by the tip of Season 3. There have been little scenes that gave me hope. Is there potential for a reunion?
Dion: I undoubtedly suppose there’s potential for a reunion. But there’s a journey to be taken earlier than that would occur. One of the large issues for Erik, and certainly when he bought the information, he reacted so strongly that he by no means stopped to ask, however why? Why do you must give it some thought?
So, there’s a lacking part to this modification in Helen’s emotions and what she wants to think about that he doesn’t know. That’s set him on a complicated journey, determining why it didn’t work. Why would she return to somebody who, from my understanding, basically couldn’t work?
They disagreed on crucial factor in her life, which was irreconcilable. We understood that earlier than we began. So how can this man are available and probably sweep her again? Is there one thing that I missed? Did I overestimate my worth on this relationship?
It units him on an entire journey of needing to outline his worth for himself as a result of he feels on many fronts that he’s overextended himself and hasn’t stood up for who he’s and what he wants. Enough. And for this reason that is that is taking place. But there’s a giant piece that he’s lacking.
For a big a part of the season, he’s harm and indignant. A portion of him needs to punish all these round him. He leaves the restaurant. He leaves his group. Then he hits the purpose the place it’s like no therapeutic has to occur, and he needs to cease hurting and never harm anybody else.
That’s when he begins to create the area the place he might be open to Helen once more and understand that he’s by no means stopped loving her. They’re in numerous worlds, and he feels caught since he’s not sure if it’s attainable to maneuver ahead from this. He’s began one thing new, and he gained’t drop that.
But the extra important factor is that we nonetheless want to speak. We nonetheless don’t know the place one another’s hearts and heads are. He doesn’t perceive why this occurred within the first place. I feel there’s numerous floor for them to cowl, and if they might make it by that, it could possibly be an unbelievable relationship.
I hope so since you guys are my favourite couple on the present. I’m completely Team Erik.
Heather: Team Erik. I hear that on a regular basis. I’m all workforce Erik. If you don’t choose Erik, it’s going to throw my distant on the TV, is what I’m listening to.
I’m sorry. I really like Helen and also you, Heather, however I’m nonetheless Team Erik.
Heather: I get it, Laura. I get your subtext. Part of my job is to take care of subtext, and I’m listening to your subtext loud and clear. She’s like, I such as you, Heather. But I’m all workforce Erik.
When Helen broke up with Erik and selected Ryan, how did that alter the dynamics within the core group of mates?
Heather: It’s like divorce if you’re in a state of affairs the place all of the friendships are so intertwined. People try to choose sides and never choose sides. You have any individual like Isaac who likes Helen and loves Eric, so how do you select, or there’s Dana Sue who loves each of her mates deeply.
All these relationships are tied collectively, and it takes work for them. But to Dion’s level about the truth that Eric doesn’t query why, which I perceive, he didn’t wish to hear. He felt Helen had made her choice. The Magnolias understood as a result of Helen informed them why she needed to see this by.
She would at all times take into consideration the what-ifs and have regrets if she didn’t see it by. This is what has been the motto in her life. It’s at all times been. What would have occurred with Ryan? We may disagree along with her, however her selection is to see it by, see the place it goes, and see it to the tip.
This time there’s an finish. So, the women perceive that. Now that causes some hassle, and it causes a little bit mess sooner or later. But thank God for good friendships. There is a fallout as a result of folks you wish to choose, you wish to choose sides to some extent.
The guys frolicked much more this season than in different seasons. What was that like for you, Dion?
Dion: That was numerous enjoyable. It speaks to the feel and the standard of the present that options robust relationships between the ladies, however you even have strong male characters working on themselves.
From the start of Sweet Magnolias Season 3, Erik acknowledges indicators in Cal that he’s been by and nonetheless is working on. He steps in to supply some assist, and it’s nice as a result of the ball courtroom begins to develop into extra than simply the place the place the blokes can shoot some hoops and do some smack speak.
It turns into an actual place the place with out even asking for it, folks can lend assist to one another on no matter they want with out judgment. Erik’s been studying these instruments by his PTSD group, and he sees the chance to assist Cal earlier than he goes right into a deep darkish gap.
But I additionally discover it ironic as a result of a lot of the recommendation he shares with Cal in Sweet Magnolias Season 3 Episode 1 turns into stuff he has to unknowingly kind by and take care of. He doesn’t know that he’s additionally headed down that path alone.
So, on one stage, he’s constructing group, after which on one other stage, as a result of he’s hurting, he’s pushing himself away from the group, which I discover may be very human. It’s at all times simpler to assist others than to just accept assist your self. That’s a part of the curler coaster of what he goes by.
But it’s a part of the fantastic thing about what’s creating in Serenity. There’s a second the place Isaac comes at Eric. And Eric’s at all times been within the mentorship place, and there have been instances when he’s been tough on Isaac to get him to see issues extra clearly. This turns into a flip of occasions the place Eric wants that.
I don’t suppose he’s used to that dynamic within the relationship. So, seeing these male friendships develop, develop, and develop into extra than simply floor is great.
Heather: Laura, as ladies, we speak. We can get collectively, and we sit, and we prepare dinner. We get the meals, recover from our coffees, chat, and pour it out. Men don’t essentially do this in addition to ladies can as a result of they’re informed to not present their feelings or speak.
And one of many stunning issues the writers have finished this season was to virtually give them their margarita night time on the basketball courtroom the place they will speak.
My husband does it on the golf course along with his mates. It’s the one time that you simply get a person for 5 hours, and also you speak. Men find out about one another generally by sports activities, resembling coping with loss or dishonest.
I loved watching them stand with one another, maintain one another accountable, and assist them by it as a result of they’re all battered. Cal has his issues. Ronnie wants his forgiveness, and Erik has his points. Isaac is holding on to numerous secrets and techniques. And so it’s good to see that as effectively.
I liked these scenes. For my closing query, Helen at all times needed youngsters, so I discovered it fascinating when she let CeCe transfer in along with her this season. What was that like, Heather?
Heather: It’s true when the Magnolias say she jumps from the pot to the fireplace. I questioned if she was going to have a beautiful child. I’ve my little stroller; I’m prepared for this. And then they’re like, no, she’s 18. You’re going to have a giant outdated child.
I assumed it was pretty and it hit me out of left discipline. I used to be not ready. Our writers aren’t pleasant to us, Laura, as a result of we don’t get a script. We get two episodes at a time, two weeks earlier than. You actually don’t know what’s going on, and also you’re enjoying the second of it.
You’re enjoying the second, they usually’re good as a result of from time to time, Sheryl will come to you and say, this will prolong to this. I need you to know that one thing will occur, So after I learn that CeCe was going to come back stay with Helen, I used to be like, Oh, out of left discipline. I assumed. I assumed Helen was going to have a child.
Amazingly, Helen will get this woman who’s had hassle, and most certainly, Helen’s modified the course of her life. Helen can now mentor in her family, educate her issues, and maintain her hand by it to point out her a special option to stay. CeCe now has a path to be a lawyer or one thing else.
So, sure, I used to be additionally shocked that Helen would have any individual on the home. On the opposite hand, Helen would do one thing like that with me. Ryan can’t stay along with her, however she’ll convey any individual else.
I liked it.
Heather: Ryan, you need to discover a home, however come stay with me. So. I really like that she did that. And Laura, to that time, although, one of many issues that this present has finished for me at instances is to remind me about simply group.
There have been these days after we lived in that group, and I hope there’s nonetheless is when folks would discover these youngsters if any individual was going to school and didn’t have an area to remain and was in that state of affairs.
I really like that that’s replayed to say any individual wants assist, and you may step in and say, Yeah, why don’t you come stay with me for a 12 months, and it’ll be okay. So that’s the fantastic thing about Serenity.
Well, thanks a lot for chatting with me. I loved speaking to you each. I hope we get one other season so I can see the highway again to Helen and Erik.
Dion: Team, let’s convey them collectively once more.
Sweet Magnolias Season 3 is streaming now on Netflix.
This interview has been edited for size and readability.
Laura Nowak is a employees author for TV Fanatic. Follow her on Twitter.
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