Why Reba McEntire Makes a Convincing Villain on ‘Big Sky’
Reba McEntire has entered her baddie phase!
The country queen, known for her grace, cheery disposition and perpetual kindness, shows a darker side in the new season of ABC's hit drama Big Sky.
On the show McEntire plays Sunny Barnes, the matriarch of a family of cattle ranchers, who owns a glamping business in Montana.
At first appearance, Sunny comes off as a sweet, humble woman of the woods. However, as the series progresses, cracks in her cheery facade start to appear.
Sunny's secrets could spell trouble for Cassie Dewell (Katheryn Winnick) and Jenny Hoyt (Kyle Bunbury), the investigative duo on the hunt for a missing backpacker, whose mysterious disappearance is connected to Sunny's son, Walt, who is secretly lurking in the woods.
McEntire spoke to Entertainment Weekly about the approach she took for the darker character.
"I didn't want to come on as Reba McEntire. I wanted to play somebody else. I get to play me all the time. I wanted to be a character, and to be a dark character is even better," she told the outlet.
McEntire shared she loves playing a more sinister character, noting she's having "so much fun" playing the role of Sunny. "I've just never got to do anything like this before," she said.
When asked if viewers should trust Sunny, the former Malibu Country star emphatically said "probably not," adding: "She'll teach you how to cook a brownie or cut your carotid artery — you just never know which is going to happen."
Sunny presents a completely different side of the "Fancy" singer... and we're here for it!
McEntire has starred in Lifetime movies, played sharpshooter Annie Oakley in Annie Get Your Gun and kept America laughing on her sitcom, Reba, which ran for six seasons on the WB, then the CW.
She's played a mom, friend, lover and Western outlaw. We've seen her star in many different roles, but never as a *gasp!* villain.
Ultimately, her dark turn works, and here's why:
McEntire above all things is an incredible actress. She effortlessly molds into the mama bear role who will do anything to protect her family, especially her sons. After all, on Reba she did play a hyper-dedicated "single mom who works too hard, who loves her kids and never stops..." The same can be said for Sunny, albeit with a more ruthless, twisted approach.
McEntire is also so darn likable that you can't help but root for her in any role. Although it's not exactly easy to extract the "I'm a Survivor" singer from her TV roles, she has the innate ability to make any performance enjoyable.
That said, lthough Sunny has a sinister side, you find yourself rooting for her, because ultimately, you're rooting for McEntire.
Big Sky: Deadly Trails airs Wednesdays at 9PM ET on ABC.