Spin up some margaritas and call over your gals, “Sweet Magnolias” Season 3 is here. Based on the book series by Sherryl Woods, Netflix’s sweet small-town drama follows the intertwined lives of three life-long best friends — Maddie Townsend, Dana Sue Sullivan and Helen Decatur — who call themselves the “Sweet Magnolias.”
Raised together in the idyllic yet gossip-hungry town of Serenity, the trio has been through it all, together. The series follows the stories of the Sweet Magnolias and their families, from the messy first loves and heartbreaks of their kids at Serenity High School to the (even messier) adult trials of romance, parenting and pursuing your dreams.
If you’re wondering who’s who in “Sweet Magnolias,” or who plays them, here’s a handy guide to the residents of Serenity and their tangled family ties.
JoAnna Garcia Swisher as Maddie Townsend
Recently divorced and rebuilding her life, Maddie is one of the title trio of “Sweet Magnolias.” Maddie is making her way back into the workforce and co-owns The Corner Spa with Dana Sue and Helen, while raising her three children; teenage boys Ty and Kyle, and younger sister Katie. Maddie is played by JoAnna Swisher Garcia, best known for playing Cheyenne in the 2000s sitcom “Reba,” Sam in the 90s Nickelodeon show “Are You Afraid of the Dark?” and Ariel in “Once Upon a Time.”
Brooke Elliott as Dana Sue Sullivan
Local top chef and owner of favored Serenity restaurant Sullivan’s, Dana Sue is a fellow Sweet Magnolia and co-owner of The Corner Spa. Dana Sue earned her share of small-town gossip as a single mother to her teenage daughter Annie, but is now rekindling her marriage with Ronnie after their estrangement. Brook Elliott plays Dana Sue. Best known for starring in “Drop Dead Diva,” Elliott has also appeared in “Dolly Parton’s Heartstrings” and re-teamed with her “Sweet Magnolias” co-star Brandon Quinn in the Lifetime Original “A Country Christmas Harmony.”
Heather Headley as Helen Decatur
The third member of the Sweet Magnolias, Helen is a lawyer extraordinaire who also co-owns The Corner Spa. But don’t let her career ambitions fool you, Helen is also a family-oriented woman who wants to be a mother no matter what, tired of waiting for the right partner to come along. Helen was heartbroken by a miscarriage in Season 2, but bonded with Erik through her grief. Unfortunately, their hard-won romance faltered when her ex, Ryan, returned at the end of the season. You may have noticed Helen’s killer voice in the series — she is played by Tony and Grammy Award-winning actress Heather Headley. Headley’s Broadway roles include originating “The Lion King,” “Aida” and “The Color Purple,” and her previous TV titles include “She’s Gotta Have It” and “Chicago Med.”
Justin Bruening as Cal Maddox
Former pro baseball player turned former Serenity High School baseball coach, Cal Maddox co-owns Dana Sue’s restaurant, Sullivan’s, and dates Maddie. He’s played by Justin Bruening, who starred as Jamie Martin in “All My Children” from 2003 to 2011. Among his other previous roles are “Grey’s Anatomy,” “Switched at Birth” and a handful of recent Christmas TV movies including “The Last Christmas Home,” “Swept Up by Christmas” and “Reindeer Games Homecoming.”
Brandon Quinn as Ronnie Sullivan
Ronnie is Dana Sue’s husband and Annie’s father, who recently returned to Serenity a reformed man looking to salvage his marriage. He’s played by Brandon Quinn, another Christmas TV movie regular, who recently starred in Lifetime’s “A Country Christmas Harmony” with “Sweet Magnolias” costar Brooke Elliott. You might also recognize him from “Die Hart,” “The Fosters” and “Big Wolf on Campus.”
Chris Klein as Bill Townsend
Maddie’s ex-husband, with whom he shares three children (Kyle, Ty and Katie), Bill Townsend is a doctor, philanderer and generally the cad of Serenity. Bill had an affair with a young nurse, Noreen, who gave birth to their daughter Rebecca in Season 2. He is also Isaac’s long-lost biological father. Early-2000s teen movie regular Chris Klein plays Bill. Best known as Oz in the “American Pie” films, Klein’s other notable titles include “Election,” “Just Friends” and “Wilfred.” More recently, he played Orlin Dwyer, aka Cicada, on The CW’s “The Flash.”
Jamie Lynn Spears as Noreen Fitzgibbons
Bill’s mistress turned fiancee turned ex-fiancee, Noreen is the mother of Bill’s youngest child, Rebecca, and has since bonded with the Sweet Magnolias after apologizing to Maddie for taking part in the affair. Noreen ultimately left Bill, but decided to stay in Serenity after her daughter’s birth. She is roommates with Isaac. Noreen is played by Jamie Lynn Spears, younger sister to Britney Spears. She is best known for playing the title role on the Nickelodeon series “Zoey 101” and will revive the role for the 2023 Paramount+ original “Zoey 102.”
Anneliese Judge as Annie Sullivan
Annie is the teenage daughter of Sana Sue and Ronnie Sullivan. She attends Serenity High School with Maddie’s sons Kyle and Ty, the latter of whom she had a crush on and once kissed while drunk. The fallout from that night stuck a wedge in their lifelong friendship and afterward, she started dating Ty’s baseball rival, Jackson. Annie is played by Anneliese Judge, who is best known for “Sweet Magnolias.” She also starred in the movie “Where’s Rose.”
Carson Rowland as Ty Townsend
The oldest of Maddie and Bill’s kids, Ty attends Serenity High School and was close friends with Annie until the fallout from an awkward, intoxicated kiss drove them apart. Ty was also a star baseball player until he broke his throwing arm in an accident and decided he wanted to do something else with his life. Carson Rowland plays Ty. His previous credits include “Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin,” “I Am Frankie” and “American Housewife.”
Logan Allen as Kyle Townsend
Ty’s younger brother, Kyle, is the sweet, sensitive middle child with a passion for musical theater. He befriended Noreen during his parents’ divorce and has a crush on his schoolmate Nellie. However, at the end of the first season, he crashed his parents’ car with Nellie in the passenger seat and her parents have forbid her from seeing him. Logan Allen plays Kyle. His previous credits include “Stranger Things,” “Creepshow” and both “Bernie the Dolphin” movies.
Chris Medlin as Isaac Downey
Isaac first came to Serenity searching for his birth parents before making it his home to stay. He discovered that his birth mother is Peggy Martin and his father is Bill, a pair who had the briefest of hook-ups in high school. Isaac is a chef at Sullivan’s and roommates with Noreen. He’s played by Chris Medlin, an actor and dancer best known for his role on “Sweet Magnolias.” He was an original Broadway cast member in “Mean Girls” and “Diana,” the latter of which was filmed in advance of its Broadway opening.
Dion Johnstone as Erik Whitley
A talented chef at Sullivan’s, Erik came to Serenity from Atlanta, where he left behind a heartbreaking past. As we learned in Season 2, Erik was an EMT and happily married until they lost their baby in labor. Erik and Helen bonded when the two opened up about their loss, and their slow-burn romance paid off in Season 2 — only to be derailed when her ex Ryan came back to town. Erik is played by Dion Johnstone, who has appeared in many, many TV shows over the years, including “Departure,” “Star Falls,” “Ties That Bind,” “Defiance” and “Stargate SG-1.”
Janet Hubert as Bev Decatur
Bev is Helen’s mother and makes her debut in Season 3, so she’s still a bit of a mystery. However, the press release that announced her arrival promised “unique blend of humor, compassion, and tough love.” The woman who raised Helen Decatur would have to be pretty special, indeed. Bev is played by Janet Hubert, who originated the iconic role of Aunt Viv on “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.” Her other credits include “One Life to Live,” “General Hospital,” “The Last O.G.” and “The Ms. Pat Show.”
Wynn Everett as Kathy
Kathy arrives in Serenity like a whirlwind in Season 3, stirring up trouble for the Sweet Magnolias. Speaking of family — Kathy is Ronnie’s sister and Dana Sue’s sister-in-law. She’s played by Wynn Everett, who has a healthy list of recognizable credits including “Doom Patrol,” “This Is Us,” “Agent Carter” and “The Newsroom.”
