Words by Mckenziee Belton |Photographs by JC Stewart
By now you’ve probably seen Logan play the goofy and lovable Kyle on Netflix’s Sweet Magnolias. We got to chat with him about the show and what it was like working with Jamie Lynn Spears.
Your character Kyle Townsend is kind, caring, and optimistic even though he’s navigating his parents’ divorce, a crush whose love is unreciprocated, and a father who’s frankly selfish. He ends up forming a sweet relationship with the most unlikely character -his father’s pregnant fiance Noreen. Do you think Kyle and Noreen’s friendship will endure through Noreen’s departure?
I think their friendship will definitely still be there. Nobody is really trying to separate them. They both became really close after all that they went through with their relationships. It’s a bond that no one can break at this point.
What was it like to work with Jamie Lynn Spears?
It was incredible! I’ve been a fan of hers since I was little. I loved her in Zoey 101. So, when I heard that she was in the show I kind of freaked out a bit. She was so cool and down to Earth. The only bad thing is, she’s an LSU fan and I’m a UF fan so we had our little rivalry.
As the season goes on Kyle’s easy-going demeanor begins to change into frustration and the onset of depression. What (or who) do you think will help him heal?
We see Nellie help him a bit at the end of the season, so I expect her to help him if a season 2 comes along. I also feel like Annie will be there for him more after the events of episode 10.
I had the pleasure of watching Sweet Magnolias and I’ve got to say that the cliffhanger was torture (I’m still trying to figure out who else was in the car)! What was your reaction when you read the script for the finale?
I remember the table read very well. We were all so happy but also very emotional. After around 4 months of filming, we’re at the end. No one saw the ending coming. I was in shock (so was the rest of the room) and didn’t really know what to say. To this day, no one in the cast knows who was in the car. The writers won’t tell us. We’re as eager as you!
What do you hope to see happen in season two?
I didn’t get to do any scenes with Brooke Elliot AKA Dana Sue. She was so nice to hang out with when we weren’t filming. I mean… Kyle needs some Sullivan’s.
What are your favorite memories from filming?
The people. Everyone was so cool and so fun to be around. You actually build really good relationships with these people. I definitely miss the conversations that we’d have at lunch or while on set.
Sweet Magnolias is based in the small town of Serenity, and you grew up on a farm in Florida, did you find similarities between you and your characters experience?
I also am in a small (kind of) town here. I think I can relate to the fact that we know most people in town just like Kyle does. In small towns, you pretty much know everyone because you constantly run into them. But that also means that gossip and drama happen pretty often. I experience that a lot just like Kyle and the rest of the characters do in Sweet Magnolias.
You were also recently on an episode of the AMC horror series Creepshow, what was it like to prepare for this role?
It was amazing. I’m a huge horror fan. I especially love the 80’s and 90’s horror. The Creepshow TV series is based on the original Creepshow films that came out around that time. I love those films so it was great to be in this “reboot” I guess is what you can call it. Also, I got to work with Greg Nicotero and Dave Bruckner. They were incredible and talented people. It was really a dream come true. I hope to do some more horror in the future!
As a fan of video games, would you ever consider contributing your voice and doing motion capture for video games?
I would love that! I’m a huge fan of video games so hearing my voice while playing one would be amazing!
What advice do you have for aspiring actors?
To start out, get an agent or some kind of representation. They will help with getting you the auditions for different roles. They can also suggest classes that you can take. When you start, you need to know that you’ll get rejected a lot in this business. You have to make sure you don’t get to attached to a character in an audition because if you don’t get it, it’ll hurt you. Also, surround yourself with people that want to see you make it to the top.