The 1 Thing Reba McEntire & Rex Linn Don’t Agree on While Filming Happy’s Place

The actors have different endearing approaches to prepare for shooting scenes, according to cast mate Pablo Castelblanco.

A sitcom is nothing without its ensemble cast, and Happy’s Place is no exception. The cast has a deep bench with Reba McEntire returning to sitcoms as Bobbie Jo, who inherits her father’s tavern and finds out about his secret daughter Isabelle (Belissa Escobedo). (McEntire previously starred for many seasons on the hit sitcom Reba.)

Pablo Castelblanco plays the bar’s accountant Steve, and Tokala Black Elk plays waiter Takoda. The show brings together the band of loveable characters in the charming Tennessee tavern. In a chat with NBC Insider, Escobedo and Castelblanco opened up about joining the show alongside sitcom legends.

Belissa Escobedo and Pablo Castelblanco share what it’s like to work with Reba McEntire

Is there anything Reba McEntire can’t do? The country music star has soared on the Billboard charts, is a Coach alum on The Voice, has a killer sweet potato casserole recipe, and proven her acumen as an actress with her iconic 2000s sitcom with her namesake.

Melissa Peterman as Gabby and Reba McEntire as Bobbie in Happy’s Place Season 1, Episode 1. Photo: Casey Durkin/NBC

Though Happy’s Place is a completely new concept and show from McEntire’s last sitcom, she reunites with Melissa Peterman (Reba, Young Sheldon) and many of the same crew and writers joined as well, according to Escobedo.

“It feels like… being part of a resurgence of sitcom television, and that’s very special ,and so I’m feeling so lucky,” Escobedo said. “Reba is an angel, so it’s awesome to go to work every day and have it be her at the forefront.”

Bobbie (Reba McEntire) and Isabella (Belissa Escobedo) during the Pilot Episode of Happy’s Place. Photo: Casey Durkin/NBC

For Castelblanco, one of the biggest joys for an actor is the chance to be doing a multi-cam sitcom.

“You get to rehearse it and then performing in front of a live audience,” Castelblanco explained. “It’s like you’re opening a play every time you tape an episode.”

Working with the cast of Happy’s Place has been a “delight” for him.

“I’m working with great people that are hilarious,” Castelblanco said. “They’re all doing a very specific thing.”

Rex Linn and Reba McEntire appear during a segment on TODAY on Tuesday, October 10, 2023. Photo: Nathan Congleton/NBC

McEntire’s real-life love Rex Linn rounds out the cast as Bobbie’s love interest, the bar’s short-order cook Emmett.

“They’re so cute that they’re gross,” Escobedo joked about the couple’s dynamic on and off set. “No, I’m just kidding, but they are like sickeningly sweet…I love seeing them be happy…I can’t imagine how cool it is to go to work and be able to be with your boo. That’s really sweet.”

Castelblanco called them the “sweetest couple ever.”

“They’re also, like, very supportive of each other,” Castelblanco said. “I feel like they know their tempos really well. Rex loves to rehearse the episodes. I think Reba’s like… waits a little bit more to see what the final lines are gonna be.”

The different methods lead to the actors pushing each other in either direction, Castelblanco explained.

“Like, ‘Oh, you should rehearse more,’ and she’s like, ‘Well, you should wait until the lines…’ and I just love that they’re, like, keeping each other safe and… happy, but then at the same time they’re kind of like…you know they’re a couple,” Castelblanco said.

Season 1 of Happy’s Place returns Friday, January 3, 2025 at 8/7c on NBC. New episodes are available the next day on Peacock.