JoAnna Garcia Swisher talks about the ultimatum: queer love

JoAnna Garcia Swisher is taking on a whole new role. You may have seen her as Cheyenne Hart Montgomery on “Reba,” or more recently as Maddie Townsend on Netflix’s “Sweet Magnolias,” but hers is her latest work on Netflix. “The Ultimatum: Queer Love” marks her first time as a hostess.

“The job itself, as a host, was new to me, but it was very exciting and I was very proud to be a part of a show that celebrates queer relations,” she tells POPSUGAR. “It really opens the door to dig a little deeper into the dynamics of queer relationships, as well as the challenges.”

“The Ultimatum: Queer Love” follows the structure of its parent show, “The Ultimatum: Marry or Move On,” focusing on five couples as they go through a trying period of married life with their partner, and then with someone else. From there, they decide once and for all if they really want to get married.

For Swisher, despite all the inevitable drama, the most rewarding part of the experience was the love he was able to witness between the contestants. “Deep down, there’s so much love between the people who were on the show, and it was really amazing to see how vulnerable they were and how willing they were to go there and experience the task at hand.” she says. “…It was really amazing to see them go through this process.”

Still, she notes, her hosting duties meant she didn’t spend as much time getting to know the cast as she would have liked. “I wanted to spend more time with all the people that were part of the show. I feel like I got to know them so intimately by watching their stories unfold, but I didn’t get to chat with them as much as I wanted to,” he says, noting that, thankfully, “in the end I was able to spend a little more time with them.” Ultimately though, she viewed the role of hosting herself as a supportive position. “I was there to help push the experiment and the process forward, and it was really amazing to see how it all turned out,” she said.

Swisher herself does not identify as queer, a fact confirmed by a contestant in the opening frames of the show. Still she told him daily elite that his sexuality “didn’t really surface” during the filming process. She’s also careful to acknowledge that there are differences between straight and queer relationships. “Obviously, there are so many special nuances and complexities to queer relationships, that I think it’s really important to highlight, celebrate and stand out,” Swisher told the outlet on May 24. “It’s a big reason why this show is so special.” and so important.”

“The Ultimatum: Queer Love” comes amid a difficult time for the LGBTQ+ community, with anti-trans and anti-drag laws increasing across the country. It feels like the right time for a show that celebrates weirdness, queer love, and queer community, and Swisher seems grateful to be along for the ride. “I think it’s such an important show and I’m really excited for people to see it,” says Swisher. “It’s so fantastic.”

“The Ultimatum: Queer Love” is now streaming on Netflix.