Fox News Flash top entertainment headlines for May 15
Fox News Flash top entertainment and celebrity headlines are here. Check out what's clicking today in entertainment.
Get all the latest news on coronavirus and more delivered daily to your inbox. Sign up here.
Between motherhood, a music career and a return to acting, Jamie Lynn Spears is a busy bee these days.
Like many others, the 29-year-old star is also in coronavirus quarantine. Spears is with her kids -- Maddie, 11, and Ivey, 2 -- at her mother's Louisiana home, a decision she made because she wanted her family to be together amid the uncertain times.
Spears' older sister, popstar Britney Spears, was also quarantining with them for a bit, allowing the crew to soak up some time together.
JAMIE LYNN SPEARS REVEALS WHY BRITNEY SPEARS QUARANTINED WITH HER FAMILY IN LOUISIANA
"It's such a hard time for the whole world and there are so many people that are hurting during this time, but the one thing that has been a little bright spot is having that family time," Spears told Fox News.
"We stay outside, we do chalk art, ride bikes and just literally make up things to do outside," she revealed. "Being outside has been what's mentally helped me feel somewhat normal, just getting outside, being active and just acting like a kid."
Spears' daughter Maddie is homeschooling as most students are, which Spears said has been "hard."
"Thankfully my daughter is a really good student, her teachers are amazing as far as being able to call and FaceTime with the students, but it's still hard," she confessed. "I wish I had all the answers, but I don't. I'm not a teacher."
While she may be stuck at home, Spears has something to look forward to with her new show "Sweet Magnolias" dropping on Netflix on May 19.
The show follows three women navigating life in a small southern town.
"It might be set in a small town, but it deals with things everyone in the whole world deals with, from divorces to children in high school, children who are younger, going through changes and family and community," the actress explained.
Spears said she feels the show is "a breath of fresh air because it's heavy at times, but it's also very realistic and connects to people and I think that's really important right now, the way the whole world has pulled together, I really believe that's the overall message of this show as well."
In the show, Spears plays Noreen, "the other woman," as the actress puts it.
JAMIE LYNN SPEARS' EX ARRESTED FOR BURGLARY
"Nobody wants to have sympathy or compassion for 'the other woman' and as she is holding herself accountable for her actions -- she put herself in a situation and it's not an ideal situation -- but she is trying to do the right thing," Spears explained.
The star described her character as "young," "naive" and as having "a whole town looking at her in not the best light."
"I got back on set on the show and I was like, 'Oh my gosh, I have missed this so much. I've been denying myself a wonderful thing.'"
Noreen is aware of her mistakes, however.
"Once you watch the show and you see where she's coming from, you change your mind a little bit about who she is," Spears said. "She's really misunderstood and I think that's why we shouldn't be so quick to label people without even understanding their background."
"Sweet Magnolias" serves as Spears' return to acting since lending her voice to a 2008 animated movie called "Unstable Fables: The Goldilocks and the 3 Bears Show" and her first on-screen appearance since her days on Nickelodeon in "Zoey 101."
Jamie Lynn Spears. (Image Group LA/Disney Channel via Getty Images)
The gap in her filmography came about due to Spears focusing on her kids and her music, as well as taking time to grow.
"I really was having a lot of personal growth during that time [away from acting] as I was developing my creative outlets ... and I love my music but I always missed acting," Spears said.
The realization of just how much Spears missed acting didn't hit her until she stepped on the set of "Sweet Magnolias."
"I think working with family is fun, especially when you can collaborate in a creative way."
"I got back on set on the show and I was like, 'Oh my gosh, I have missed this so much. I've been denying myself a wonderful thing,'" she recalled. "I really just think it was the timing, it was this character and I was in a place where I wasn't as fully involved with my music, so I was looking for another creative outlet and this was perfect."
Spears is hoping to find "many more acting parts" in the future, saying she hopes to "dive in" and "push myself as an actress."
In "Zoey 101," Spears played the titular character in her adventures at a boarding school that had only recently begun accepting female students.
BRITNEY SPEARS DANCES WITH SISTER JAMIE LYNN, NIECES IN SWEET VIDEO
The show ran for four seasons on Nickelodeon, and Spears said that a reboot may be on the horizon.
"I'm all for it," she said. "I just think it's about working out the business side of it and making sure we find the right home for it because I think the fans want to relate to the characters they did when they were younger and I think we need to tell the story of the 'Zoey' cast from a young adult point of view."
Spears confirmed "discussions" have been held in regards to rebooting the show but are still in the "baby stages."
"I've had some discussions with some of the people who would be the ones to make it happen," she said. "Right now, we're looking for the right home and the right story. Those are the two key points that we need right now."
BRITNEY SPEARS SAYS SHE ACCIDENTALLY BURNT DOWN HER GYM WITH CANDLES
Spear's other career is in the world of country music, having released several of her own singles and an EP, as well as writing for other artists like Jana Kramer.
While her music is vastly different from sister Britney's a collaboration isn't off the table, the star said.
"I'm down for anything," she said. "I think working with family is fun, especially when you can collaborate in a creative way. So of course, I say no to nothing."
While the two have different musical styles, Spears said their "love for music is the same."
"I appreciate her music and she appreciates mine," she said. "That's the really cool thing about music. Good music is good music and that's whenever it crosses genres."
Britney Spears and Jamie Lynn Spears attend the 'Disney Channel Presents the 2017 Radio Disney Music Awards' at Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles on Saturday, April 29. (Image Group LA/Disney Channel via Getty Images)
Spears said that music is in her "blood" and that she's "always working" to develop more, but that taking the occasional break from the craft is necessary.
"I feel like to really make good music or to write good songs, I have to live my life a little to be able to have the stories to tell," she said. "That's why I go through really creative stages of writing, writing, writing and then I need a couple [of] months with another creative outlet and kind of escape from myself."
Spears said that acting serves as the escape she looks for when her music becomes "emotionally exhausting" because of just how "personally invested" she is in her art.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
"While I was pregnant, I filmed some stuff for a semi-visual album but it's not finished, so I don't want to release it just to release it," the singer revealed. "It wouldn't do it justice. I'm kind of holding that back, but there's definitely a lot of music stuff that I have that I can't wait to share when it's the right time."
"Sweet Magnolias" is available to stream on Netflix on May 19.
Trending
