Exclusive Interview
‘Sweet Magnolias’ Star Justin Bruening Shares Rare Details About Alexa Havins Romance
Justin Bruening knows a thing or two about romance. When he’s not being Serenity’s husband of the year, Cal Maddox, on Sweet Magnolias, the actor is at home with his wife, Alexa Havins Bruening, and four kids.
The couple met while filming All My Children when they played Jamie Martin and Babe Carey, respectively. Justin even proposed to Alexa on the set of the soap, which was filmed in New York City. For Justin, the Big Apple will always have a special place in his heart.
“That’s where I met my wife,” he gushed to Swooon. “I didn’t want to join the soap opera. I was like, ‘I don’t know. My grandma watches those. I have no desire.'” Thankfully, he changed his mind.
“Alexa and I look back at our lives, and we’re sort of like, ‘If I hadn’t taken that show, I would not have met you,'” Justin continued. However, he’s convinced fate would have brought them together at some point. “We were always up for each other’s counterparts in shows, like One Tree Hill and stuff like that. I would go in for one of the roles, and she would go in for one of the girls. So, in some way or another, we were going to meet eventually.”
Justin is a self-proclaimed rom-com fan—Serendipity is his favorite, how fitting—and believes his real-life relationship with his wife could be found on the big screen or in the bookstore. “Our whole thing is like a funny romantic comedy, too, which is why I like those so much. It’s like, I can literally write the thing, he said.
The couple married in 2005 and will celebrate their 20th wedding anniversary this June. Justin is expected to reprise his role as Cal on Sweet Magnolias, which was just renewed for Season 5. (Alexa is currently playing Lulu Spencer on General Hospital.)
Justin hopes that Cal and Maddie (JoAnna Garcia Swisher) get the chance to take a honeymoon soon, and he reacted to the possibility of the couple expanding their family like they do in Sherryl Woods’ Sweet Magnolias book series. “It’s up to the powers that be, but I would love to see that,” Justin told Swooon.
