Sara Rue plays Reba McEntire's next-door neighbor in "Malibu Country." She loves her sometimes over-the-top character. Her character announces on the show that she's pregnant.
"This is the first time I've gotten to play a character like this," said Sara. "I was so excited when I got the job, not only because it's a great gig but it's also just a total departure for me."
Jai Rodriguez plays a record company worker who befriends Reba as she tries to figure out how to re-ignite her music career.
"She's got that moxie that she keeps coming back and being persistent," said Jai. "And I think my character totally respects that and probably is going to become her one ally in the music industry."
For Sara, living the "Malibu" life is a far cry from her own upbringing.
"My parents were both in the New York theatre," said Sara. "My dad was a Broadway stage manager. My mom was an actress. We grew up in an apartment in Manhattan. It's a very different upbringing so I watched a lot of 'Real Housewives of Orange County' and 'Real Housewives of Beverly Hills' to prepare. I really did."
And for Jai, all those years on "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy" is something that he just can't shut off.
"I definitely feel like now it's just a part of me. Yeah, it's crazy," said Jai. "I can't give it up as much as I'd like to."
"Malibu Country" airs Friday nights at 8:30 on ABC7.
