Belissa Escodebo Gushes Over Reba McEntire’s “Southern Charm” on the Happy’s Place Set

Season 2 of Happy’s Place has been serving up non-stop laughter as Reba McEntire’s Bobbie and her half-sister Isabella (Belissa Escobedo) tackle whatever shenanigans come their way.
How to Watch
Watch Happy’s Place Fridays at 8/7c on NBC and next day on Peacock.
Season 2’s “No” saw Isabella and Bobbie bickering back and forth over how to utilize the top floor of their Knoxville tavern; Bobbie wanted to rent it out for easy income, while Isabella had dreams of expanding Happy’s Place with a secret speakeasy upstairs. Keenly aware of the immense hassle of setting up a new bar — electrical and furnishings would be a burdensome expense — Bobbie turned down Isabella’s pitch. But Isabella wasn’t going down without a fight.
After out-bidding the bike shop for that month’s rent, Isabella began to spiffy up the attic of Happy’s Place. After a quick chat with Emmett (Rex Linn), with whom Bobbie is “just friends” at the moment, she realized she was missing out on an opportunity to spend time with her sister. Bobbie and Isabella reconciled after joining forces on the new expansion. Bobbie tried to stay positive, learning that Isabella intended the speakeasy to be alcohol-free with utmost dismay.
RELATED: Rex Linn Made One of His Go-To Dishes on Happy’s Place: “It’s a Texas Thing”
Bobbie and Isabella were hysterical amid their tug-of-war on Happy’s Place‘s latest, and the feel-good vibes are echoed between McEntire and Escobedo behind the scenes of the sitcom.
Happy’s Place‘s Belissa Escobedo talks working with Reba McEntire: “We’re all very lucky”
NBC Insider chatted with Escobedo about starring opposite McEntire, a sitcom legend who Escobedo has come to look up to during their time on Happy’s Place. As half-sisters on the sitcom, it’s no surprise that Escobedo and McEntire have grown quite close.
“We’re very much friendly. Everyone in that cast is just a collaboration,” Escobedo told NBC Insider. “It’s very collaborative, and always feels like you can bounce something off the other. It’s really nice when we’re in the zone for our work, we’re working, and it’s great, and everybody has their character down. Reba is a great person to look to, just in life, like on how to carry herself on a day-to-day [basis].”
Escobedo added that McEntire’s country roots only sweeten the deal, especially in the high-tension landscape of Hollywood and Los Angeles.
“I love the Southern charm, and that Southern sweetness is actually a thing. As a city girl, born and raised in Los Angeles, it’s nice to have that just genuine warmth, especially on a set. It’s not very Hollywood to be as warm and open as she is, so it’s awesome to see that and to have that be our number one. We’re all very lucky,” Escobedo said.
RELATED: Happy’s Place Has Officially Been Renewed for Season 3 on NBC! (DETAILS)
Happy’s Place is a family at the end of the day, and that on-camera camaraderie is supported by a fun-filled environment behind the scenes.
“Being with the cast is always great, and our favorite moments are always those when we get to have a scene with all of us, the full ensemble. Those are the moments where it really feels like, yes, this right here is our show,” Escobedo said. “We’re in a flow, and we’ve got it. And that’s when I feel like, for me, I find my character the most. Where I’ll have moments like, ‘Oh, that’s what Isabella would do.’ It’s when I’m with the whole group, and I feel like we bring that out in each of us.”
Belissa Escobedo talks about the “comfort watch” of Happy’s Place
Aside from starring alongside primetime legends and crossing paths with powerhouse guest stars on the regular, Escobedo appreciates Happy’s Place for the comfort watch it provides audiences. Even when times get tough at Happy’s Place, you can rely on Bobbie and the gang to lift spirits somehow.
Escobedo told NBC Insider that part of the reason she loves Happy’s Place is that she feels television has been ducking away from the feel-good warmth of family-friendly sitcoms. Happy’s Place serves up something fresh that has been missing from the primetime landscape.
RELATED: Stream Every Hilarious Episode of Happy’s Place Here
“We used to have a lot of [family-friendly series] in the big sitcom, multi-cam era. And so what I hear from a lot of people is just that they missed that, and to have that again, at this point in time in the world, is so nice and so needed,” Escobedo said. “I’ve heard a lot about it just being refreshing, and I love that.”
Watch Happy’s Place on Fridays at 8/7c on NBC and the next day on Peacock.
Reporting by Tara Bennett




