Reba McEntire learned a little about Día de Muertos watching Coco. She learned more from Belissa Escobedo. But filming an episode of Happy's Place with an ofrenda gave the country star a chance to experience the Mexican tradition alongside castmates who brought photographs of their own loved ones to the set.
"I had seen Coco, and I knew a little bit about it," McEntire told this reporter in an interview joined by Belissa Escobedo and Melissa Peterman. "What a great presentation, and educating the ones like me who didn't know about that. But then Belissa taught me more about the ofrenda."
Mexican-American actress Escobedo, who plays her younger half-sister, Isabella, in the NBC comedy, was in charge of el altar. "I got to put photos of my family members and, you know, pets that I've lost. "I know other cast members had people up there." Dolly Parton had a special place in the offerings, they said.
The episode is part of the third season of Happy's Place, which premieres Friday, October 23, at 8 p.m. ET/PT on NBC, with episodes streaming the following day on Peacock. Justina Machado returns as Isabella's mother, Maritza, adding to a cast that includes Colombian actor Pablo Castelblanco as Steve, the accountant at the Tennessee tavern run by Isabella and McEntire's Bobbie.
For McEntire, preparing for the Día de Muertos story involved asking questions and learning from the people around her. Working with Machado gave her another opportunity to learn.
"It was very educational, very heartwarming," McEntire said. "And what a great tradition. I loved it."
The episode, "Skeletons in the Closet," is scheduled to air October 30. Bobbie and Isabella place a photograph of their father, Happy, on their ofrenda, bringing up unresolved feelings about the man who left them his tavern and a complicated family history. Bobbie only discovered Isabella was her sister after his death.
For Escobedo, having her own family represented made filming particularly meaningful. "It was so special to have the ofrenda," she said. "It felt like the episode came at a time where we all kind of needed that reminder of, you know, celebrating life instead of focusing on death."
Latino actor Pablo Castelblanco was also discovering aspects of the holiday. During a separate interview with this reporter, with Rex Linn and Tokala Black Elk, he made a point of explaining that being Latino did not mean he had grown up celebrating it.
"I'm not Mexican, I'm Colombian, but just like learning as a Latino about that holiday was also wonderful," he told this reporter.
Asked how the Latino actors and guests were influencing life on set, Castelblanco also mentioned director Gloria Calderón Kellett. "We also had Gloria Calderón direct one of our episodes," he said. "She's amazing."
"It is just so lovely to be able to bring, like, you know, our culture and our cultures."
He remembered the show featuring ajiaco, a Colombian soup, during its first season. "Just that we get to do all these things is so, so, so lovely," he said. Castelblanco would like more opportunities to work with Machado, particularly in scenes involving Steve.
"I do hope she comes again and we get to do more things together," he said. "And maybe Steve's now involved."
There could be music, too, if he gets his way. When this reporter suggested some Bad Bunny and Karol G, Castelblanco revealed he had already brought that energy to the cast's celebration. "I did it at the wrap party," he said. "So if they do a karaoke episode, I've got it ready."
Escobedo, meanwhile, is enjoying an Isabella who finally feels comfortable enough around her sister and their coworkers to stop trying so hard. "She knows that these are her people. This is her family. Her family loves her," she said. "So I think we see her less kind of searching for their approval and more just having fun in this new life that she has."
That includes getting annoyed with them, and saying so. "She isn't afraid to say it now because she's like, 'I know you love me, so I'm going to tell you ... you're bugging me,'" Escobedo said. "Like real family."
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