Why JoAnna Garcia Swisher Credits Her Husband for Teaching Her How to ‘Check Out for the Day’

Providence Falls, a new three-part movie event from Hallmark, adapts Jude Deveraux’s New York Times bestselling novels into a sweeping blend of romance, mystery and the supernatural. At the helm is actress-producer JoAnna Garcia Swisher (Sweet Magnolias, Reba), whose signature charm and storytelling sensibility bring new depth to a tale of love that defies centuries. As executive producer, Garcia Swisher (via her Rolling Clover Reads book club) ushers a fan-favorite saga from page to screen, all while keeping self-care—and “messy hair”—a priority.

How does it feel to have all these pieces—the production, the books, the movies—all fall into place?

“It’s definitely a moment that we’ve been waiting for—a moment that I’m just so proud of. I’m so excited to have the world finally see them. They’ve lived in my head and my heart since 2021, when I read the first book. Then, during the development process, I just have learned so much along the way, and it’s just been a really enjoyable experience from start to finish. Now is the best part. The whole reason for all of it is that we make it for people to enjoy, and I’m just very excited for this moment.”

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What is the hardest part for you? The acting, the production, the adaptation? It’s a lot of moving parts.

“They’re challenging in different ways, but the challenging part of each of them is actually what I love most about them. I really enjoy the creative process of developing something. Obviously, with our partners at Hallmark, being able to bring these stories to life with the audience, the Hallmark audience in mind, was really fun. It’s so detail-oriented. There are so many decisions to make, and when you’re producing, you have your hand in all of it. Then, with directing, it’s that, but just in a different way, in a very creative and visual way, working to bring the producers’ ideas to life, but then also supporting the actors in their journey.

Then, as an actor, that is what I feel like I’ve done the most. I definitely have done it the most. It is my first love and something that I will always love to do; I will always love to perform. I don’t know that I really answered your question, except that I think the most challenging part of each of the jobs are probably my favorite parts of them.”

I know you called it a “little passion project,” but it’s obviously a lot of work. What do you do at the end of the day to get back to yourself, your family and away from work?

“You know, the person who finally taught me how to do that right was my husband. He is an athlete, and when he played these games, he had some days! There are days with extra innings and days with great games…but, some days, there aren’t such great games, even when there were still extra innings.

But he always left it all behind. Playing any sport is, obviously, very physically taxing, and the same goes for acting on some days. When we’re performing, we’re putting on our costumes and we’re in this other headspace…which isn’t always easy to get out of. But it’s so important to let it go. It’s so important to take the time for self-care and to do something other than work, even if it’s just 15 minutes in front of my red light tower. Zoning out is key.

Right now, I am here in Georgia, where I shoot Sweet Magnolias; I live on a lake that I have totally fallen in love with, and I love this community! To get to work, I have to drive about an hour. I really love my commute because it’s a time for me to listen to a tape or a podcast or an audio book. I know they don’t call anything ‘tapes’ anymore! But you do have to switch gears.”

Driving is a good mind-clearer. I know you’re very into beauty. Can you share anything that you really like?

“Well, right now, I’m just now using my friend, Alli Webb’s new hair-care line called Messy. She just launched it. It has been a game-changer for me! My daughters have very different textures of hair, but they both have curly hair, and they got that from me. I have a lot of texture and movement, but when I’m working, I feel like the heat is just overwhelming to my hair. I’m embracing the air-dried era, and we’re trying to do it at work, too, to save my hair a little bit. I’m very much loving those products.

Beyond that, I will forever be a Shani Darden retinol fan. I also use her acid, and I have rosacea. She is my guru, my OG guru, and I’m always asking her a million questions. I feel like I’m in a good zone with my skin care right now. I’ve simplified it, and I’m not messing with anything right now, especially since I’m shooting in the summer in Georgia.

Then, I also just got the ZIIP Beauty. Have you heard of that?

Yes, it’s good. I’m not good at using it a lot, but that is user error. It works.

“It’s shocking, right? That is something I’m very into. And, I love a good sheet mask. Love the Mederma one; I really enjoy that one. J.Lo has—it is a really good sheet mask that my friend, who’s also an actress, got me onto it. It has a strap and everything; I feel like it makes me look super snatched when I do it. That is my ultimate—like coming home, putting a mask on, sitting in front of my red light mask, getting all of those things—relaxation.”

All good ones. Messy is about to make a lot of people’s lives easier—your hair looks good.

“Messy is magic! I’m rocking it right now. This is the Messy magic! The products are really good. Seriously…I worked until 6 a.m. this morning and this is my hair! I’m not complaining. I got a little sleep, but not much, and I’ll go back to work tonight at 7 p.m. tonight. This is how I bring my hair back to life. It works!”