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Q: I’m so happy to see so many cast members on Reba McEntire’s new sitcom. Are there any other cast members from the original “Reba” series set to appear in the future? – M.W.
A: Christopher Rich, who starred on the WB sitcom “Reba” from 2001-2007, recently guest-starred on McEntire’s new NBC sitcom “Happy’s Place.” Rich suffered a stroke in 2018 and was thrilled to reunite with his former co-stars in an episode where he plays a tattoo artist who was also dealing with the residual effects of a stroke. He was eager to incorporate this experience into the character and hopes to return for another guest spot next season.
Reba McEntire and Christopher Rich star in “Happy’s Place.” (NBCUniversal photo)
JoAnna Garcia Swisher, who played Cheyenne on “Reba” and currently stars in the Netflix series “Sweet Magnolias,” told People magazine that she would 100% guest-star on “Happy’s Place” if and when she’s asked.
Q: Did the actress who played Eve on the Apple TV+ series “Bad Monkey” appear on a soap opera when she was younger? She looks like the actress who played Lizzie on “Guiding Light.” – U.B.
A: If you’re thinking of Emme Rylan, who played Lizzie Spaulding on “Guiding Light” from 2006-2009, she does resemble her, but it’s not the same actress. Meredith Hagner, who recently starred opposite Vince Vaughn in “Bad Monkey,” did get her start on a CBS soap around the same time as Rylan. She was cast as young Liberty Ciccone on “As the World Turns” and was nominated for a Daytime Emmy award before the long-running soap was canceled in 2010.
Hagner most recently played one of the double-booked brides in the Amazon comedy film “You’re Cordially Invited,” opposite Reese Witherspoon and Will Ferrell. Off-screen, she’s married to actor Wyatt Russell (“Under the Banner of Heaven”), son of Kurt Russell and Goldie Hawn.
“Bad Monkey,” which was filmed on location in Florida, will move its production to the West Coast next season after receiving a $20 million tax credit from the state of California. According to Colleen Bell, director of the California Film Commission, these incentives help encourage jobs in the state and drive economic growth. Bell stated, “The impact goes beyond the entertainment industry – it supports families, local businesses and communities statewide.”
Q: Is it true that Kate Hudson was originally offered Anne Hathaway’s role in the movie “The Devil Wears Prada”? – K.W.
A: Yes, Kate Hudson was offered the role of Andy Sachs in the 2006 hit movie “The Devil Wears Prada” (based on the best-selling novel of the same name), but she turned it down. The film’s director David Frankel told Entertainment Weekly that several big-name actresses were in the running for Hathaway’s role, including Rachel McAdams, Scarlett Johansson and Natalie Portman. Hudson says that the timing wasn’t right for her to do the role, but she regrets her decision after seeing the movie.
Next up, Hudson stars in the sports-comedy series “Running Point,” which was co-created by Mindy Kaling for Netflix.
Send me your questions at NewCelebrityExtra@gmail.com, or write me at KFWS, 628 Virginia Drive, Orlando, FL 32803.
© 2025 King Features Synd., Inc.
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