Jaime King might not be from the south, but her hospitality is so sublime, even the most pristine Belle would be proud. For example, when I rang up the adorable Hart of Dixie actress to talk about season two, she replied with, "Good afternoon sweetheart, how are you?"
And the pleasantries didn't stop there as we discussed Lemon's slightly uncertain future in the wake of her broken engagement. Turns out, not marrying George might be the best thing that's ever happened to Lemon ... and her relationship with Zoe!
TheInsider.com: Looking at season two, what are you excited for the fans to see?
Jaime King: All the characters are blossoming in directions that I never imagined. Last year was really about establishing who we were and what the dilemmas are. But everyone ended season one in such a state of upheaval that each character is on their own journey to really discover what their truth path is this season, which is exciting.
Insider.com: And what does that path look like for Lemon?
Jaime: You see her learn how to do her first job – she's only been taught how to be a wife and a mother, so there's some struggle there. But she wants to be independent, she wants to get her own place, she wants to make her own money. And there's a lot of comedy we get from that. It's also about Lemon discovering who she is without a man. Most of season one was about Lemon wanting to be with George or Lavon, and that was the basis of her fulfillment. So it's exciting to see her on her own.
Insider.com: But George and Lemon still live in the same small town, so what's their interaction like in the aftermath of this broken engagement?
Jaime: In the beginning it's a rocky road, but we have such a long history that I appreciate the way Lemon handles it. With all they went through last season, she knows by the end that she did the best she could and that her heart was in the right place. Ultimately there was nothing more she could do about the fact George just didn't want to marry her. So George gets a cold shoulder in the first few episodes, but they come together in a loving way eventually because they are friends, and you really get to see that.
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Insider.com: Speaking of their friendship, one of my favorite episodes last season involved a mini-caper Lemon, George and Wade went on. Will we see more of that Lemon this year?
Jaime: That's a huge part of this season. That's one thing the creators wanted to focus on because the audience loved that episode too, so there is a lot more comedy for her this season. You'll also see more Wade and Lemon because Wilson [Bethel] and I have so much fun working together. You'll also learn a lot more about the history of that friendship. And that's what I love about this season: it's all about the history these people share and when it comes down to it, they all really love each other. It's just about getting past their petty B.S.
Insider.com: Where does that leave Lemon and Lavon?
Jaime: This is a great season for Lavon and Lemon – there's a new antagonist named Ruby Jeffries, who is the woman Lavon dated in high school and the woman who bullied Lemon all through high school. She breezes back into town after 16 years and just tears the town apart. She runs for office against Lavon, who has always run unopposed – so Lemon becomes his campaign manager and that's what is so great about Lemon this season: she's so gung-ho about doing a great job. And she does! That's a big, fun plot at the start of this season. Ruby and Zoe get into it too, so she really gets under everyone's skin.
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Insider.com: Does the end of George and Lemon mean she can find common ground with Zoe now?
Jaime: They have a lot more common ground. Of course there's quips here and there, but I've always said that if Lemon and Zoe sat down for a beer, they would realize they have so much in common, they'd probably be best friends. They are both very head strong, fish out of water, so this season is great because you'll see them bond almost in spite of themselves. Lemon even gives Zoe her blessing to date George and I like that because you get these bittersweet moments where they connect on a human level.
Insider.com: In season one the town of Bluebell is basically its own character with all the community events. What are some of the crazy spectacles we can expect this year?
Jaime: There is an awesome Halloween episode and the mayoral race becomes a big storyline. Through that, you'll also learn about all these crazy laws, like a chicken has the final say in who wins ... I know [laughs]. I think we all dream of escaping to an otherworldly town like that, and while there's a lot of that this season, a lot of the big events are based within the characters. Every event is integrated in with the characters. I'm super proud of all the episodes so far, and I think the audience is just going to flip out over what they'll see!
Hart of Dixie airs Mondays at 8 p.m. on The CW.
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