Reba McEntire was back on set with her on-screen ex-husband, actor Christopher “Chris” Rich, for a February 2025 episode of her new NBC comedy, Happy’s Place. While speaking to Us Weekly in a May 8 interview, McEntire noted that Rich filmed his Happy’s Place episode after taking a long acting hiatus following his severe 2018 stroke.
“To bring Chris back in [after Reba], that was the most special to the producers — Kevin Abbott and Mindy Schultheis and Michael Hanel. They were all from the Reba sitcom. To bring Chris back in after his stroke, it really made a difference in his life. He got to come back to the work that he loved so much around the people that he loves so much. And we all love him. It’s been a huge blessing for all of us,” said McEntire to the publication.
She then expressed her gratitude to work with Rich and other members of the Reba cast again on Happy’s Place. She explained that her former Reba co-stars still all have great chemistry.
“It is so gratifying. We’re so thankful and grateful. [I get to work] with Rex Linn, my boyfriend and Melissa who I’ve worked with before [on Reba] and have known her since 2001,” said McEntire during the Us Weekly interview. “Then having Belissa [Escobedo], Tokala [Black Elk] and Pablo [Castelblanco] as the other cast members — we’re all so different. It’s an eclectic group that is so much fun getting everybody together. We learn from each other and we feed off each other. They’re great actors and we just had the best time. We can’t wait to go back and start working on season 2.”
Rich spoke about his return to acting for Happy’s Place in a February 2025 interview with Entertainment Tonight. During the interview, alongside McEntire and Happy’s Place star Melissa Peterman, who played Rich’s Reba character Brock Hart’s wife, Barbra Jean Hart, the 71-year-old said McEntire convinced him it was time to show off his acting skills again.
“I’ve basically taken the last decade off. And if anyone was going to drag me out of the dark corner of the closet, it would be the redhead,” said Rich to the publication.
He explained that he had difficulty following his stroke and “didn’t even want to go out of the house a lot of the time.” Rich said, however, that his former Reba co-stars would constantly encourage him to go out with them.
“They got me back out. They would invite me to parties and reunion things,” said Rich.
Rich also told the publication that playing tattoo artist Maverick on Happy’s Place “means the world to [him].”
“I needed somewhere that I could feel safe, to really try and trot this broken body out again,” said Rich during the interview.
McEntire then applauded Rich for his bravery.
“For him to have the courage to come do this and to make everyone feel so comfortable, he did have a stroke and he’s back acting. And that gives such inspiration to other people,” said McEntire.
