JoAnna García Swisher Opens Up About Her Off-Screen Relationship With The 'Reba' Cast

JoAnna García Swisher is getting candid about her roots on the beloved sitcom "Reba," and fans of Cheyenne Montgomery are going to love what she has to say.

In an exclusive chat with The Blast, JoAnna García Swisher called working alongside Reba McEntire “a dream come true,” revealing their off-screen connection was just as heartwarming as what fans saw on camera.

When speaking about her new partnership with Ziploc, the actress reminisced about her time on the hit comedy show, speaking highly of her on-screen mom, Reba.

“She’s just an exceptional person inside and out and such an inspiration,” she said. “You have this person that’s just such an icon, she’s the queen, and then she’s also like a mom to me. And she was in it with us. She was doing a sitcom for the first time and dove in fearlessly.”

García Swisher went on to say that McEntire’s humility and warmth left a lasting impact. “She’s just a real humble, good human. She doesn’t take herself too seriously. She’s all heart. I’m in awe of her.”

The "Sweet Magnolias" star confirmed she’s still close with Reba and the rest of the cast. “We talk all the time. We are very, very close,” she said, calling her time on the show “a pivotal moment in my life.”

The sitcom, which ran for six seasons from 2001 to 2007 on The WB and The CW, followed Reba Hart (played by McEntire), a Texas mom navigating life after divorce while co-parenting with her ex-husband and his eccentric new wife.

García Swisher played Cheyenne, Reba’s oldest daughter, who faced the challenges of teen pregnancy and growing up fast with humor and heart.

“I look back on the show and remember Steve [Howey] cracking me up or trying so hard to keep a straight face,” she recalled. “Melissa [Peterman] knocking Steve over the head with a bat, on and off screen, still makes me laugh. We had a lot of fun.”

When asked what Cheyenne might be up to today, García Swisher lit up.

“I’d like to believe that her and Van are still together, we have to be!” she said with a laugh. “I never imagined her to be vapid. She was never not intelligent. Just young. She made some choices that complicated things, but she’s a survivor. She was raised by a woman like Reba.”

"At the end of the day, all of us were raised by a Reba. She’s a bada--," García Swisher added of the rest of the cast. "There’s no way we’re not all a little bit stronger because of her.”

While "Reba" remains a career highlight, García Swisher emphasized how formative the experience was, both personally and professionally.

“It was such a pivotal moment in my life. I was in my early 20s, and we spent so much time together,” she shared. “It was cool to see someone who had achieved so much in other areas of entertainment be so eager to try something new. Her fearlessness is something I’ll forever admire. She was in it with us.”

Though she’s not currently donning Cheyenne’s heels, García Swisher is still making magic behind the scenes with her new production company, Rolling Clover. Inspired by her book club, the company’s first major project is "The Providence Falls Series," a trio of steamy romance films premiering on Hallmark starting August 2.

“The first book we optioned was 'The Providence Falls Series' by De Burnham. We made three movies this winter, shooting in Ireland and Canada,” she shared. “I’m not in them as an actress, I’m producing, but my heart is all over this. I fell in love with these books while filming in Ireland years ago. It’s been a dream come true.”

The series stars "The Bold Type"’s Katie Stevens and rising actor Lachlan Formby. “The romance is so steamy, so beautiful. The cast takes my breath away,” García Swisher said. “I hope people fall in love with it the way I did.”

From her unforgettable role as Cheyenne to her new chapter as a producer, it’s clear JoAnna García Swisher is just getting started. “Thank you so much for letting me chat about all of this,” she added warmly. “It means a lot.”