Exclusive Interview
‘Chicken Sisters’ Wendie Malick Says Sexy Doesn’t Stop at 60 as Gus’ Romance Heats Up
[Warning: The below contains MAJOR spoilers for The Chicken Sisters, Season 2 Episode 2, “Mama Tried, Y’all.”]
Things are getting very interesting for Gus (Wendie Malick) in the romance department on The Chicken Sisters. An old flame, played by David James Elliott has come back to Merinac, and it is stirring up old feelings. Gus spent the majority of Season 1 trying to keep people a minimum of six feet away, at least emotionally. No one may have expected her to have romantic sparks with anyone so soon, but the heart wants what it wants.
It’s a joy for Malick, who also plays Harrison Ford‘s love interest on the Emmy-nominated dramedy Shrinking, to see Gus explore this part of herself again. The actress thinks that Hollywood as a whole can learn a lot from both The Chicken Sisters and Shrinking about the sexuality of older women.
“I am so glad these two shows are showing that you don’t stop being sexy just because there’s a six in front of your age,” she told TV Insider. “It’s short-sighted of Hollywood not to realize that chemistry isn’t something that dies, ever, in your life. People will still have romantic relationships right up until the very end.”
The second episode of The Chicken Sisters ends with the arrival of Clayton Briggs III (Elliott), who is not only Gus’ ex, but her eldest daughter Mae’s (Genevieve Angelson) father. Gus dug out his number so that she could give Mae the opportunity to have the man she’s been curious about her whole life be at her wedding.
“Calling Clayton is one of the hardest things she’s ever had to do. It is a testament to how much she loves her daughter. Mae has begged her so many times to tell her who her dad was. Out of protective instinct, Gus has refused to,” Malick revealed. “Gus wonders what could she give Mae now that she’s getting married. It’s the hardest thing for her to do, but it’s worth it.”
It’s not just Gus’ pride at stake here. Clayton’s return to Merinac is going to open old wounds that Gus has fought for years to let heal over. It’s also going to force Gus to confront feelings she’s been avoiding for decades.
“She’s kept his number in a safe box in her pantry for all of these years. She’s never stopped loving this man, but he broke her heart so badly. She’s never allowed herself to care for anyone since, and the minute she saw him walk in the door, it brought all of these old feelings,” Malick explained. “She’s confused about what to do with them. She’s overwhelmed because she’s so drawn to him, and always was.”
The actress cautions that Chicken Sisters fans should get ready for a rollercoaster as Gus and Clayton figure out where they stand with each other after more than three decades of being estranged. However, she teases that Elliott was a delight on set, and there is definitely more for viewers to look forward to.
“He had such a good attitude, a good sense of humor, and he wasn’t intimidated to be surrounded by women. I think he’s very comfortable surrounded by them,” she said of her co-star. “And he’s a good kisser. That helps too. If you have to kiss someone on camera, it’s really nice if they bring it.”
Malick couldn’t reveal the circumstances that led to Gus and Clayton lip-locking, but an upcoming kiss is proof that Gus is trying to grow after keeping everyone at a distance for so much of Season 1.
“There’s a sense of redemption. It’s never too late to change your ways. We are all works in progress. You should never feel like your growth is over,” Malick reflected. “In this season, Gus has opened her eyes and her heart. She [is] taking in the people around her that she really admires and is realizing she has a lot to learn from them, including her daughters.”
Her daughters, just like Gus, will be navigating their own romantic minefields this season. Mae is planning her wedding. Amanda (Schuyler Fisk) is figuring out who she is as a divorced woman while also fighting her attraction to Sergio (Ektor Rivera). Malick teases that fans should buckle up for the emotional ride coming in the rest of the season.
“Everyone kind of has romantic relationships, which is really fun. Some very interesting men are going to be coming through this group,” she said. “It’s a season of empowerment, which I love. Everyone is going to continue on their journey and become a lot more confident as the season goes on.”
The Chicken Sisters, Sundays, 8/7c, Hallmark Channel and Hallmark+.
