Ever since it premiered on May 17, 2020, fans have been obsessed with the Netflix show Sweet Magnolias. Well guys, J-14 just caught up with Carson Rowland — who played Tyler Townsend — and he spilled a bunch of epic behind-the-scenes secrets from on set of the new show!
J-14: Tell us about Sweet Magnolias — what’s it about?
Carson Rowland: Sweet Magnolias is TV comfort food, told in a beautiful cinematic way. It centers around three South Carolinian women and their struggles. But no matter what happens, they have each other. The themes of friendship, community and struggle are so relevant, especially now. I am thrilled to be a part of a story so genuine and real.
J-14: Who do you play specifically? Can you tell us about your character?
Carson: I play Tyler Townsend, AKA Ty — the eldest son of Maddie and Bill Townsend. After his parent’s recent divorce, Ty doesn’t know how to process everything and is searching for someone to blame. His grades and his primary passion, baseball, start falling apart because of it. Family was such a cornerstone in Ty’s life and seeing it fall apart, affected him so deeply. Ty’s story is one of heartbreak and redemption and how friendship and family are pillars he needs to utilize for support.
J-14: Do you relate to your character at all? If so, how?
Carson: In several ways. Ty, underneath, is one of the sweetest individuals, however with his family in shambles and baseball heading down a similar road, he genuinely doesn’t know how to process everything. I feel like so many people, including myself, can related to that. I push issues and stressors to the forefront of my mind and sometimes I let that control me. But if I would just take a step back and decompress things would definitely turnabout better. Unfortunately, Ty doesn’t take heed to that advice.
J-14: Can you share some fun, behind-the-scenes stories or memories from on set?
Carson: On set, I learned more about the filmmaking process than ever before, and that, was so so much fun. Norman Buckley, our director and co-executive producer, and I would discuss classic films, directors, and actors. I basically had a four-and-a-half-month master class on film, you could say I was definitely living my best life.
J-14: Did you and your costars get along when cameras stopped rolling?
Carson: Of course! One of the many things that is so special about this show is the incredible family that was developed behind the scenes. Every single one of my costars became a dear friend and I know our friendships will transcend Sweet Magnolias.
J-14: I know you previously starred in Nickelodeon’s I Am Frankie, are you still in contact with any of your costars from that?
Carson: Almost every day. I made some of my best friends on that show. It was my first relatively big project and being able to share that experience with those people, was honestly, one of the best experiences of my life.
J-14: Which do you prefer and why — making music or acting?
Carson: Each has its purpose, and each accomplishes something different. Music is more personal and much more of a hobby, while acting is my true passion. Nothing compares to the thrill of developing a character and watch it come to life in real time.
J-14: Who is your dream collaboration?
Carson: Christopher Nolan. PERIOD.
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