Happy’s Place Season 2 brings more humor and romance.
The latest installment of the NBC sitcom, which returns on November 7, stars former Reba co-stars Reba McEntire and Melissa Peterman, as well as Rex Lynn, Belissa Escobedo, Pablo Castelblanco and Tokara Black Elk.
The series follows Bobby, played by McEntire, as he takes over his late father’s bar, aptly named Happy’s Place, in Knoxville, Tennessee. However, things change completely when their long-lost half-sister Isabella (Escobedo) appears and the brothers join forces to take on this challenge.
Bobby and Emmett (Lynn)’s romance may be thriving on-screen, but McIntyre and Lynn have their own romance off-screen as well. The two have been dating in real life since 2020, and Lynn told PEOPLE in October 2024 that she and McIntyre would “sometimes sneak by to sneak a kiss” during filming.
Peterman told PEOPLE that the couple was “so cute,” adding, “When we take a five-minute break or have breakfast or lunch, I look over and… they’re in a booth at the bar.”
Here’s everything you need to know about the cast’s real-life loves on Happy’s Place.
Reba McIntyre and Rex Lynn
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McIntyre and Lynne may be a couple in real life, but on screen, the country singer plays Bobby, the daughter of the late Happy. Meanwhile, Lynn plays Emmett, a bar cook and Happy’s longtime friend.
The two first met on the set of a Kenny Rogers movie in 1991, but McIntyre and Lynn started dating in 2020. The two made their red carpet debut at the CMA Awards that year, and have since frequently appeared in each other’s social media posts. The actors got engaged in December 2024.
After announcing the news at the September 2025 Emmy Awards, McIntyre shared details about the special moment. The singer tells PEOPLE it happened on Christmas Eve in Leiper’s Fork, Tennessee.
McIntyre’s relationship with Lynn was a game-changer for her. She explained, “I’m happier now than I’ve ever been in my life.”
“It’s amazing. It’s amazing to be 70 years old and still be able to do what I want to do at the level I want to do it,” she continued. “I’ve never been loved by a man like Rex Lynn. Rex has such a kind heart and I just love him with all my heart. He’s a good guy, even though he’s really shy.”
McIntyre also reflected on the dynamic on-set of playing across from each other at Happy’s Place.
She said, “To get to work with Rex, to drive to work with him, to do shows and rehearsals, to drive home and talk about it and rehearse with him, that’s really special to me. It’s something I’ve never experienced before.”
Belissa Escobedo
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Escobedo plays the character Isabella, Bobby’s half-sister, in the series.
In real life, Escobedo is open about his sexuality, but he hasn’t talked much about his romantic relationships. In May 2020, she came out to her family as pansexual when she was a teenager.
On screen, Escobedo’s character focuses on his bond with his half-sister. Speaking to TV Insider in October 2025, she wondered how Isabella would feel if McIntyre and Lynn’s characters explored romance with each other in the new season.
“As much as she loves Emmett, she’s also loyal to her sister,” Escobedo said. “So I think she’s just constantly checking in with[Bobby]like, ‘Are we having fun, are we loving this?'” It’s really fun to see their relationship, the twists and turns that come with it. ”
Melissa Peterman and John Brady
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McIntyre and Peterman reunited on Happy’s Place after a six-season stint on Riva. This time, Peterman plays Gabby, a bartender at Happy’s Place.
Off-screen, Peterman has been married to husband John Brady since June 1999, according to NBC. The two first met in Minnesota and married in Peterman’s hometown of Minneapolis, where they still own a home.
Peterman celebrated his “silver medal” wedding in June 2024, posting a snapshot of the reception with the caption, “In the Olympics of marriage, we are silver medal winners!! Happy 25th wedding anniversary, John Brady!”
Two years earlier, the actress wrote a sweet message for her husband’s birthday in March 2022, which read in part, “In a heartbreaking world, I’m so happy to be married to John Brady.”
“Happy birthday, Thug! I love you,” Peterman added. “I like you. You make me laugh.”
The couple are parents to a son, Riley, who was born in 2005. The actress spoke to PEOPLE in March 2025 about parenting, including what it’s like for baby Riley to grow up.
“I’m an empty nester right now…He just left, so I’m really lonely….I want to go back and do it again,” she said.
pablo castelblanco
Earl Gibson III/Deadline (via Getty)
Pablo Castelblanco returns to Happy’s Place for another season as Steve, a bar accountant who suffers from OCD and has a close bond with Gabby.
Castelblanco, who is openly gay, has not talked much publicly about his personal life, including his relationship status.
However, he spoke of the “very special relationship” and friendship between his character Steve and Peterman’s character in a February 2025 interview with ScreenRant.
“We’re the ones who push each other’s buttons the hardest. I think it goes both ways. I try to ground her in reality, and I think she tries to steer me away from my stubbornness and OCD issues,” he explained. “I don’t think she’s in a mean way, but she’s like, ‘Okay, I’m ready to move on.’
Joanna Garcia Swisher and Nick Swisher
Emma McIntyre/Getty
Joanna Garcia Swisher is not part of the main cast of Happy’s Place, but she is expected to guest star in Season 2 of the series after a cameo in July 2024.
The actress will reunite with her “Reba” co-stars McEntire and Peterman in the series as Kenzie, “a local Knoxville influencer hired to represent Happy’s Place in an upcoming social media marketing campaign.”
In real life, Garcia Swisher married former professional baseball player Nick Swisher in December 2010. They had two children during their marriage, daughters Emerson Jay and Sailor Stevie, born in May 2013 and June 2016, respectively.
In a July 2024 interview with PEOPLE, Garcia Swisher described her husband as her daughters’ “biggest hype man.”
“It’s really nice. It’s really emotional for me,” she said. “I was very, very, very close to my dad. He was the ultimate girl’s dad. So I know how important that role is in a young girl’s life.”
Christopher Lloyd and Lisa Loiacono
Leon Bennett/Film Magic
In addition to Garcia Swisher, Christopher Lloyd is also set to guest star in Season 2 of Happy’s Place, according to Deadline. Lloyd appears as a man named Clive who drops his cell phone in a bar and returns to retrieve it.
Off-screen, Lloyd is married to former real estate agent Lisa Loiacono. The couple met in 2012 when she helped sell their home in Los Angeles, and married in November 2016.
Despite being married for nearly 10 years, Loiacono has kept a relatively low profile and not much is known publicly about the couple.
They made rare comments about their relationship in an interview with the Guardian in March 2021. At the time, Lloyd said Loiacono was his “best fan.”
As for how they cope with Lloyd being away from home for work, he explained, “It’s been great. We eat dinner at home and Lisa prepares great food. I think we’ve gotten to know each other better.”
Most recently, Lloyd and Loiacono made a rare red carpet appearance at the Nobody 2 premiere in Los Angeles in August 2025.
