In 2022, Deadline reported that country legend Reba McEntire would be the star and executive producer of a new Lifetime movie called The Hammer.
The movie is based on the life of traveling circuit judge Kim Wanker. Deadline described McEntire’s character as “an outspoken, firecracker lawyer who is appointed Judge of the 5th District of Nevada and is one of the few traveling judges left in America.”
The movie followed her as she “finds herself covering a circuit that stretches between Las Vegas and Reno — a rugged, often desolate area where anything and everything can happen. With gavel in hand, she lays down the law with a no-nonsense brand of justice, that quickly earns her the nickname ‘The Hammer.‘”
Not only was McEntire’s character replacing a judge, she is also trying to find out who killed her!
Deadline explained that McEntire’s character “must work even harder to make certain the appropriate justice is served” when her sister is named a prime suspect. Her sister was played by Melissa Peterman, McEntire’s real-life best friend and former Reba co-star.
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Another familiar face we saw in The Hammer was Rex Linn, McEntire’s boyfriend of two years. Linn portrayed a character named Bart Crawford. Deadline described his character as “a mysterious cowboy with unknown motives.”
This isn’t the only project she and Linn worked on together. They also became series regulars on the ABC show Big Sky, playing married couple Sunny and Buck Barnes, who have lots to hide.
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Falling in love during quarantine teaches you about the other person, but working with them really shows you a side you normally wouldn’t see. In an interview with TV Line, Linn reveals what it’s really like to work his his girlfriend of two years…and as we predicted, he only has good things to say about her.
“She doesn’t stop moving,” he says. “I’m telling you, man, she’s like a great white shark. Can’t stop or they’ll die in the water. [Laughs] At least that’s what the scientists tell us.”
When asked what his favorite scene to shoot with McEntire was, he truly couldn’t decide.
“Every scene was fun for me because I was working with her, and I mean that. We’ll wink at each other in the middle of a scene,” he said.
As far as working together again, Linn is all in! He hopes that McEntire will return to the show he works on, Young Sheldon, to be his character’s love interest. She’s already been in a few episodes, so we’re sure they can work it into the storyline.
Watch Reba talk about how they met below!