‘Sweet Magnolias’ Star Anneliese Judge Teases a Love Triangle for Her Character: Why Season 5 Allows Annie to ‘Spread Her Wings’ (Exclusive)

Before Anneliese Judge began portraying the fan-favorite character of Annie Sullivan on Sweet Magnolias, the actress had a feeling it was meant to be. 

“I could see myself as her and thought I could do a good job at this,” Judge shared of her audition to Woman’s World. “I feel like I stepped into her so naturally because I shared so much of her personality and her ambitions and desires.”

Sweet Magnolias was Judge’s very first professional acting role, which is hard to believe since the actress truly brings the character to life so authentically and beautifully. Judge booked the part in 2019 and has since spent four seasons portraying Annie Sullivan. Now, the actress is heading into the show’s fifth season and tackling an entirely new era for her character: college preparation. 

Sweet Magnolias follows three women or the Magnolias—Maddie (JoAnna Garcia Swisher), Helen (Heather Headley) and Dana Sue (Brooke Elliott)—in the southern town of Serenity, South Carolina, who lean on each other for support through the ups and downs of life. Judge portrays Dana Sue’s teenage daughter, Annie, who is trying to find her place in the world and among her people. Now a Mini Magnolia, or the next generation of Magnolias, Annie is attempting to figure out college plans and, of course, love.

Woman’s World had a chance to chat with Anneliese Judge about Season 5 of Sweet Magnolias, including what’s next for Annie and what she’s excited for fans to see. 

WW: Sweet Magnolias Season 5 is on the way — can you give a quick update about where we left your character, Annie, and what might be next for the mini magnolias in Season 5?

Anneliese Judge: Annie is about to graduate high school, looking at what she wants her future to look like in her relationships with her family and her friends. She’s at that age where people are really finding themselves for the first time as adults and there’s so many scary and exciting moments that come with that. So, she’s kind of in this new season of life and she’s really coming into her own in a way that  is really special.

WW: It’s nice to see her growth over the past few seasons and how she’s found her niche and her people. 

Anneliese Judge: That was something she wanted so badly. In the early seasons, Annie wanted her magnolias so badly. That was something she really yearned for and cried about more than a few times.  She’s really excited to share that sense of belonging and the love that we have for our friends. She knows how important it is and how it feels to not have that support system. It kind of melts my heart a little bit.

WW: What was it about Annie that made you want to audition for the character?

Anneliese Judge: Oh gosh. Well, this is a show that I would have watched anyway, with my mom, so  that was really exciting. It was material I was already really drawn to. I also grew up in a really small town as well in the South, so I already really connected to Annie. I was 17 when I auditioned for the show and she was a little bit younger in the first season, but it’s still that age of becoming. A lot of Annie’s plot the first season was about her feeling like her creative dreams couldn’t exist in this small town and if she wanted to pursue something creatively, she couldn’t also love and appreciate the village that she had at home. 

There were parts of that journey that I really resonated with. I wanted to be an actor and I wanted to move to LA and all of the things that come with that—that was my big dream. Annie had a little bit of an edge to her, for as soft and as kind as I think she is. Immediately, reading the sides [the audition script pages], I just connected to her and the importance of friendship and community. I could see myself as her and thought I could do a good job at this. So I gave the audition my all. Norman Buckley, one of our executive producers, was, like, “Yep, I want her.” And I didn’t believe them at the time because I assumed they were just being nice. I feel like I stepped into her so naturally because I shared so much of her personality and her ambitions and desires. 

WW: Annie has finally found her place as a mini magnolia with CeCe and Lily. What do you hope for fans to take away from this new friendship?

Anneliese Judge: It’s just so important to have friendships in your life that uplift you and support you and give you that reality check when you need it but also that wrap you up and love you for exactly who you are. That’s such a rarity, too. I love being able to show that through the mini magnolias.

WW: What did it feel like diving into the mini magnolia storyline, considering the original Magnolias story is so beloved? Was it nerve-wracking or were you excited to put your own spin on it?

Anneliese Judge: I was super excited. It was something that we were all hoping for, for Annie. The first time we clinked the milkshakes and then they cut to the Sweet Magnolias clinking their margaritas, there was a little bit of anxiety there. But everybody was all giggles and smiles and we were just so excited that that was where the story was going. It was so exciting.

WW: Over the past 3-4 seasons, fans have gotten to see the storyline between Ty and Annie building up and, as a rom com girl myself, it’s been totally worth the wait. What about their relationship or their friendship leading up to it have you enjoyed the most to play out?

Anneliese Judge: I’m also a rom com girly. I mean, I’ve always been a big reader. I’ve always been a big romance person. Growing up, my Grammy and I watched every Hallmark movie, I think, ever… I just love sweet romances. I love the tropes, like the childhood besties to sweethearts in that way. So I really loved the yearning. It wasn’t easy to get to that point because that’s just not reality. That’s something I really love about the show. Our writers really honor the reality of situations and the journey as it typically plays out.

That relationship has been really meaningful to Annie’s journey, and it’s been really exciting to play that out, especially with Carson [Rowland, who portrays Ty]. I mean, he’s a fantastic actor. He’s been an incredible scene partner and a very generous scene partner. Working together to bring the little touches to life that make a relationship was so fun to do and so fun for people to watch. It’s been really exciting and a really cool thing to have explored.

WW: It feels very real and realistic, kind of like the friendships on the show. It’s been building up and it does make sense for them to be together. There was also a debate on Instagram where you and Carson asked fans to choose a ship name for your characters between Tyannie and Tynnie—which do you prefer?

Anneliese Judge: I think we landed on  Tyannie but I like them all. I just like that people are so invested in these relationships and care so much. I mean, that’s what you hope for as an actor. You really hope that people connect to it and love it and want to be involved in some way and ship names are such a sweet way to do that. But it’s Tyannie. I think that’s what everybody settled on.

WW: Ty and Annie have that friends to lovers storyline, but what is your favorite romance trope that you love to read and watch?

Anneliese Judge: I love a love triangle, which I think I can tease that we will see this season. I’m really excited. I really hope that people will be excited about this next chapter for Annie because we’re introducing some new characters that really challenge her in very different ways and challenge her to grow in terms of who she wants to be and what kind of people she wants to be around. 

Annie’s so open hearted and kind. She cares so much about everybody around her and it’s exciting this season to see her kind of turn some of that care back onto herself and really think about what she wants and what she wants her college experience to look like. So, that is probably one of my favorite tropes. 

WW: Speaking of romance tropes, do you have a favorite romance book? 

Anneliese Judge: It’s so hard. I love so many romance books. One of my favorite authors, who is also one of my best friends, is Betty Cayouette. She has two books out right now, One Last Shot and Tell Me How You Really Feel. Both are amazing… I also love Annabel Monaghan. She has another book coming out, but I really loved her books Nora Goes Off Script and Summer Romance.

WW: What about your favorite rom com?

Anneliese Judge: Ah, you’re asking me the tough questions today. I feel like my mind goes blank because I think of so many different things at once, but I really love Someone Great on Netflix. I don’t know if it’s really a rom com, it’s kind of sad, but that was my favorite movie for a really long time. I  almost feel like it’s because the female friendships were at the center. I just really love that energy and it’s something that we also get to explore on the show. 

WW: You also started an online book club, Who to Judge? What inspired you to do that?

Anneliese Judge: Who to Judge is a play on my last name, Judge. I started the book club because during COVID, I realized I hadn’t read a book for fun in a really long time. When you get busy being an adult, the things you think are just guilty pleasures and joyful things, they usually take the back burner to things that you feel are more of a priority. So, I set a goal for myself to read one book a month for the whole year and post about it on Instagram to hold myself accountable. It’s since evolved into me getting to interview authors and highlight some really incredible books and some really incredible debut authors.

I call it a book club, but it’s very untraditional because there’s no deadlines and there’s no homework, and there’s not even a monthly book anymore. It’s very much just a space for people to come together, talk about what they’re reading and where they’re at in their reading. If you happen to be reading the same thing as me, that’s amazing, or if you’re just looking for a book recommendation for your TBR [To Be Read list], that’s the place for you, I hope. I tried to join some book clubs and the homework that was given, or if you missed a certain number of meetings, you weren’t allowed to join anymore, which was fine because those were rules and I agreed to them when I joined. But I was kicked out very quickly and I felt like I was either rushing to finish the book, so I didn’t really even enjoy it because I was rushing, or I didn’t finish it at all. It was just sucking the joy out of it. I wanted the book club to be a space for people to come in and enjoy reading together and building a community. 

WW: Back to Sweet Magnolias for a moment, what are you excited for fans to see this upcoming season?

Anneliese Judge: I’m excited for it all. There’s some really interesting, complex relationships across the board for Annie this season, whether it’s her love life, her friends or within her family. There is so much that happens for her. This is such a transitional period for her and this is a season of becoming before she spreads her wings and goes off to college. 

I’m excited for everybody to hopefully see her become an even more emotionally mature, cooler, funnier version of herself. 

WW: Can you tease the season in three words?

Anneliese Judge: It’s genuinely romantic and it’s super emotional at times, too. I watched the screeners for this season and I was crying. There’s such a wide range of emotions that I’m hoping people will feel alongside all of our characters… It’s stunning and it’s beautiful, both emotionally and on the screen.