Country Comfort is a Netflix family sitcom that follows Bailey (Katharine McPhee), a young singer attempting to break into the country music industry who ends up working as a nanny for a cowboy named Beau (Eddie Cibrian) and falling in love with his five children. Bailey quickly realises that her Southern charm will only get her so far, and she’ll have to work hard not only for stardom but also as a mother figure to these children.
During a virtual junket for the new series, co-stars Katharine McPhee and Eddie Cibrian spoke to Collider about what drew them to the projects, how they’re similar to their characters, having country comfort superstar LeAnn Rimes (who also happens to be Cibrian’s wife) guest star, and whether Bailey’s upbeat attitude is ever shaken.
What drew you in and made you want to be a part of this when it came your way? Given that you can’t know what the full story or character arc will be on an ongoing TV show, what was it that drew you in and made you want to be a part of it?
KATHARINE McPHEE: It was Bailey’s long discourses and lack of a filter, written cleverly and humorously, that drew me in. It’s something I’ve never had to do before. Musically, I didn’t have to do country comfort music either. And I’m not aware of many sitcoms that feature music and an opportunity for the actors to perform. For me, it was a home run. I fell in love with the pilot right away and could see where the story of The Nanny and The Sound of Music was going. Using these themes as a pull, I had an idea of how entertaining the show could be.
EDDIE CIBRIAN: Playing a cowboy in a sitcom came naturally to me. Who wouldn’t want to do something like that? Who doesn’t, right? It was relatively simple for me to sell. And the script was both funny and warm. I believe that all of these characters had distinct personalities and were well established. This had a lot of potentials and staying power.
How much of yourself do you see in Bailey, Katharine? Do you have any stories from when you were struggling to make it that you still remember?
McPhee: The woman I used to be, not so much. But she’s a great cook, and I’m actually quite stupid. I get to embrace my stupid, goofy side, which I believe will help the character even more. Maybe it’s her enthusiasm for being a good kid. She is genuinely concerned about this family and their children. Her desire for a career reminds me of how badly I wanted to work in the entertainment industry in my early twenties. It was most likely more on the acting side, which may surprise some people, but I enjoyed it. Nobody I know has mouth diarrhoea like Bailey. I can’t think of a better phrase. A more effective sentence. And the more they write it that way, the more I discover about the character. I really enjoy playing with her.
Eddie, what’s up? How much of Beau is in you, and how different are you?
CIBRIAN: I share his affection for his children. I can relate to this, and I just want to make sure that it’s okay to want the best for your children and to give up everything for their happiness. This is what motivates Beau, and it is also what motivates me in life. Beau was born and raised in Nashville, Tennessee. He owns a horse farm and a ranch. He owns a horse ranch. That was always something I aspired to be. It’s only in me for some reason. Despite the fact that I am a Valley boy, born and raised in L.A., I feel at home. We’re not the same, but it’s the soul connection that Beau and I share.
When you host a show about country comfort music, you naturally want LeAnn Rimes to appear as a guest. Eddie, how surreal is it to have your wife appear on the show as herself as a guest star? Does it feel like a strange mix of TV and real life?
CIBRIAN: It’s a little surreal, but it’s fun, and we’re having fun with it. Our featured Caryn [Lucas] wrote a few lines about how she is my wife in real life, but she looks like my wife in television shows. It’s entertaining. It’s entertaining. She had a great time doing it. She was a fan of the show before Caryn asked her to do it. She watched the first few episodes and fell in love with it. It was complete nonsense. It was unavoidable, and I’m glad they got it out of the way early on in the first season.
What’s it like to sing with LeAnn Rimes, Katharine?
McPHEE: It’s thrilling. Her music has long been one of my favourites. We’re both the same age, but she did it when she was much younger. My mother had forwarded to me an article about a young 13-year-old girl who had become famous due to her song “Blue.” I’m fully aware of what’s going on. As a result, working with people you admire and idolise is always surreal. Eddie and I have a lot of similar interests. We’re both Valley kids born in Los Angeles, and we’ve both married people with more Grammys and musical accolades than we’ll ever have. It’s enjoyable. It was a pleasure to collaborate with her.
You have to care about the characters and believe in them, as a family, to make a show like this work, and five kids is a lot. What is one of your favourite memories from working with one of your younger co-stars?
McPHEE: Get to know them early on. Because they didn’t have much experience, they had already worked and done a boat camp before Eddie and I arrived. When we arrived, they were already a well-established unit. One of the joys of the first four episodes was the real-life experience of a live audience. It was taken away from us when we all returned to work during COVID, so we all missed it. But seeing the children experience their first live show as adults was exciting for me, and seeing them after taping, the partying aspect of making a live recording is real. It’s truly festive. It was not even cool for me to watch them, or even a specific scene, but to experience something for the first time.
CIBRIAN: They have real joy and true joy in playing and working, and this really resonates with everyone. It’s palpable. It’s palpable. This is a family. It is a family. When we’re there, we feel like a small family, and it’s very special.
Dear Katharine, Bailey is known for her never-say-die attitude, but everyone has a limit. Where does she draw the line? Will we see how far she can go this season, and how far she can go?
McPHEE: Nothing is too far to go in the first season in terms of demonstrating Bailey’s dedication and love for children, as well as his career. She has a naive joy of life, but her management skills are lacking. She tries to do a lot of things at once, but she’s not very good at it. But she tries, which gets her in a lot of trouble because she always tries too hard. I don’t think she’ll change her mind about it. This is her allure. This is her allure.
Country Comfort is available on Netflix.
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