JoAnna Garcia Swisher Shares How Her Daughters Feel About Those ‘Sweet Magnolias’ Kissing Scenes

JoAnna Garcia Swisher’s children understand that their mom’s job sometimes involves smooching men who aren’t their dad. 

The Florida-born actress has two daughters—Emerson, 9, and Sailor, 6—with husband Nick Swisher. In a recent interview with Us Weekly, Garcia Swisher said that the girls have seen her kiss her Sweet Magnolias love interest. And while it might be a little awkward, Emerson and Sailor understand that it’s just for work.

Garcia Swisher has brought Maddie Townsend to life in the Netflix adaptation for three seasons. Justin Bruening, who plays her frustratingly mysterious boyfriend, Cal Maddox, has starred alongside her in all three of them. 

“It doesn’t confuse them,” she told Us Weekly of her daughters’ reactions to her on-screen kisses. “Especially with Justin [Bruening] on Sweet Magnolias, they know Justin and his family and his wife so much. So we’ve kind of explained it in that way.”

Bruening has been married to wife Alexa Havins since 2005. The pair share a 12-year-old daughter, Lexington.

“I don’t think they’re super excited about it,” Garcia Swisher continued. “They’re not like, ‘Oh, that’s so fun to see, Mom,’ but they get it. They totally understand it. It doesn’t traumatize them—at least I don’t think.”

Season three of Sweet Magnolias is set to premiere on Netflix sometime this spring or summer.