It feels as if everyone and their mother is obsessed with Sweet Magnolias — and who could blame them? Between the strong female friendships, swoon-worthy romances and small-town charm of Serenity, South Carolina, it has all the makings of a binge-worthy hit. The fact that it's been renewed for a third season is proof that its popularity isn't waning anytime soon.
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The Netflix adaptation of Sherryl Woods' novels is anchored by three leading ladies: Maddie Townsend (JoAnna Garcia Swisher), Helen Decatur (Heather Headley) and Dana Sue Sullivan (Brooke Elliott). But it's the Sweet Magnolias characters who orbit around them — such as Cal Maddox, the charming baseball-player-turned-restaurant-owner — who round out the ensemble and give the show much of its heart.
The role of Maddox is played by actor Justin Bruening, who has been in the spotlight since his early 20s. But before he was a TV heartthrob, Bruening's rise to fame wasn't quite so conventional. Here's everything we know about the actor — and how he came to be at the center of Sweet Magnolias' most memorable love story.
Small-Town Boy
Bruening's story starts in St. Helena, Nebraska, where he lived among a whopping 85 people and graduated from high school in a class of nine. According to a 2008 interview with Norfolk Daily News, the now-43-year-old actor grew up on a farm and left college to pursue acting. He relocated to San Diego, where he was discovered by a talent scout in the most unlikely of places: McDonald's.
From there, Bruening was immediately thrust into the world of modeling. His first job was posing for none other than Abercrombie & Fitch, which indicates that he could have had a pretty successful career on the runway. But acting was always the plan. So he started studying the craft and taking classes. It wasn't long before his talent for performing began began to shine through.
All My Children Era
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Pretty soon after landing that A&F commercial, Bruening caught the eye of the casting director for a little soap opera called All My Children. Originally, he was supposed to play Adam Chandler Jr., but a last-minute change gave him the iconic role of Jamie Martin, which he would go on to portray for the next eight years. He recently said in an interview that he sees a lot of parallels between his first gig on All My Children and his current one on Sweet Magnolias.
"On soaps, I always felt that the women characters were far more interesting than the men ever were because, generally, they had all the secrets," he said. "But [Sweet Magnolias] is set in a small town, so everyone knows everything about one another already. It's the men who come into town who have the secrets. You get to explore their pasts, which is always very interesting."
While Bruening eventually left the soap opera world for unknown reasons, he didn't leave empty-handed. The star actually proposed to his co-star Alexa Havins on set — right after his character popped the question to her character on the show. They've been married since 2015.
Small-Screen Star
If Bruening looks familiar, it might be because you've seen him on some of television's biggest shows. During his stint on All My Children, he starred as Mike Traceur in NBC's revival of the Knight Rider series. He told his hometown newspaper that landing the role was surreal because he grew up watching the show.
"I was so psyched," he said back in 2008. "It was a show I loved when I was a kid, and I was excited it was coming back because I wanted to watch it again. To be in it is just amazing."
Since making the leap from soap operas to series, Bruening has appeared in multiple hits including Cold Case, CSI: Miami, Castle, Ringer, Switched at Birth and Ravenswood. He also appeared in quite a few episodes of Grey's Anatomy as the lovable Matthew Taylor — so the "nice guy" role he plays on Sweet Magnolias is one he knows well.
"I have to go murder a bunch of people in my next project," he joked in an interview with EW. Look at Christian Bale in American Psycho! He was a great-looking guy, and he was insane! I hope I get to play those types of characters. But it's not a bad thing to be the nice guy."
In addition to being a series star, Bruening has also appeared in his fair share of films, including some classic Hallmark Christmas stories such as The Last Christmas Home and Swept Up By Christmas.
What is Justin Bruening Doing Now?
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When he's not playing Cal Maddox, Bruening loves spending time at home with his wife and three kids. The couple are serious about their privacy — neither of them runs social media accounts — but Havins said in a 2018 interview that she and Bruening are "living a really fulfilled life."
"It is kind of nice, when you are so exposed and out there," she said. "When I was on All My Children, every ounce of me was on display — our marriage, everything. I think for a minute, it was just nice to have a couple of things for myself."
If you're counting down the days until Bruening is back in your living room, you don't have to wait too much longer. Season 3 of Sweet Magnolias premieres on Netflix on July 20.
