While season 5 of Sweet Magnolias features a potential move to New York, JoAnna García Swisher teased how the story will remain grounded in Serenity.
“[Filming in New York] made the season bigger,” Swisher, 45, exclusively told Us Weekly while attending the Netflix House Philadelphia VIP Housewarming Party on Monday, November 10. “It just got us out of our comfort zone a little bit.”
Swisher, who plays Magnolia Maddie Townsend, noted that the next season goes through changes.
“We got out of the city a couple times,” she added. “New York was the only place that we went to. But honestly what I thought was really special is that there were a few pinch me moments when we were shooting in New York.”
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The actress continued: “It was so fun. We brought most of our crew from Georgia. It was a really special moment.”
According to Swisher, the biggest twists and turns will remain in South Carolina.
“But then I realized the real drama this season is right back in Serenity,” she shared with Us. “That says a lot. There is some real drama — it’s not going to break anyone’s heart.”
JoAnna’s husband, Nick Swisher, who joined her at the event, agreed with his wife. Despite not wanting spoilers about JoAnna’s hit Netflix show ahead of time, the couple joked that he sometimes has no option.
“He doesn’t [want to know early],” JoAnna told Us. “But I directed the middle of the season and so unfortunately, he has all those spoilers.”
Sweet Magnolias, which premiered in 2020, is based on Sherryl Woods’ novels about three women who have been best friends since childhood as they navigate their romantic lives, careers and family. Season 4 of the hit Netflix series showed JoAnna’s character, Maddie, choosing to take a job in New York City despite living in South Carolina.
“For so long, Maddie had dedicated her life to her family, and then that got turned upside down when Bill and Noreen got together, and then she met Cal. So much has happened for her in such a short period of time,” JoAnna previously told Us exclusively in July. “So to get this opportunity to flex her muscles and be in a big city and feel that energy, I know it was triggering for people. But for me, I leaned into it and I really likened it to how I feel very lucky that I have a husband and kids that are supportive of my dreams and my career. They’re always along for the ride and they’re always ready to support.”
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JoAnna expressed hope that fans will keep an open mind going into season 5.
“It definitely was something that I never thought twice about when I read the scripts. But it was interesting to see the feedback and the way people felt,” she noted. “So I feel really excited to be able to portray a character that is still flexing her muscles and still dreaming and has an incredibly supportive partner and children. They’re all thriving and everyone’s OK and life is still revealing itself.”
At the time, JoAnna acknowledged the surprising backlash to the story. “Someone had mentioned something about people who were not happy that Maddie took a job in New York City. And I was like, ‘OK, let’s look into that. Let’s kind of dive into that because it’ll help me as I navigate Maddie in season 5,’” she said.
She concluded: ”It’s really all about just expanding and contracting. That’s what life is. Just because we got the man or we have the kids at home, we’re still vital, living, breathing people. Our dreams don’t end when we just get to one destination. That’s the part that I’m really leaning into.”
Sweet Magnolias is streaming on Netflix.
