Who plays Dana Sue in Sweet Magnolias? Star's career and notable projects, explored 

Netflix's Sweet Magnolias, the romantic drama series based on a collection of books by Sherryl Woods, premiered in 2020.

The story follows three women, who grew up together and are navigating through their respective relationships and careers together in their 40s. Following the success of the first three seasons, Sweet Magnolias was renewed for Season 4 which arrived on Netflix on February 6, 2025.

The show is led by three actors, JoAnna Garcia Swisher, Brooke Elliott, and Heather Headley.

Brooke Elliott plays the role of Dana Sue Sullivan in Sweet Magnolias. She is the Head Chef and owner of a restaurant named Sullivan's.

More on Elliott's career and her character in Sweet Magnolias in our story.

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Which projects have Sweet Magnolias star Brooke Elliott taken up so far?

Sweet Magnolias star Brooke Elliott was born in Minnesota in November, 1974. Her parents said that she began singing when she was just three years old.

In 1999, Elliott began her career in theater. Her early performances came in the productions of Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, The Miracle Worker, and Heathers, with a theater company called Babes with Blades.

She then moved on to star in famous productions of plays like Beauty and the Beast and Wicked, where she performed alongside Adam Lambert.

Elliott made her debut in movies in 2000, starring alongside Mel Gibson in What Women Want. Since then, her film and television credits include titles like Denise Bell in Law & Order: Trial by Jury, Jane Bingum in Drop Dead Diva, Dolly Parton's Heartstrings, and More Beautiful for Having Been Broken.

After multiple guest appearances and cameo roles, she finally bagged a lead role in Sweet Magnolias in 2020.

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Exploring Brooke Elliott's role in Sweet Magnolias

In Sweet Magnolias, Brooke Elliott plays the role of Dana Sue Sullivan. She is the head chef and owner of the most happening restaurant in a fictional town of Serenity in South Carolina, called the Sullivan's.

Dana is one of the main characters on the show along with her other friends, who are seen navigating their respective experiences with love, friendships, and careers in their small town.

Season 3 saw Dana mending her relationship with her estranged husband, Ronnie, as they renewed their vows. However, the ceremony was overshadowed by Kathy, Ronnie's sister, who returned in Season 3.

Kathy was at loggerheads with Dana throughout Season 3 because she believed that she deserved the restaurant, but instead, it went to Dana. However, after Ronnie wrote her a settlement check, she left town for good.

Dana finally got her second chance with Ronnie, and her friends made sure that her special day did not turn sour as they gathered the whole town to celebrate the couple.

In Season 4, Dana took a step back from Sullivan's and shifted her focus on charity through the Magnolia Community Foundation, a charitable organization she started with the money left in her hands by the town matriarch, Frances Wingate.

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