By Michaela Gordoni
Clean comedian Leanne Morgan can’t believe she finally released her new sitcom, opening up about the incredible experience she had working with her costars.
“I don’t even know if I can describe it,” Morgan told PEOPLE of how it feels to have her own show the same year she celebrates her 60th birthday.
“I thought I was going to be younger and thinner, but that’s okay,” she joked.
The 16-episode show came out on Netflix on July 31.
“I think if this had happened to me at 20, I don’t know that I would’ve taken it well,” she said, joking that she might have “smoked a lot of cigarettes and done a lot of horrible things.”
In her new show, Morgan stars as a woman whose husband of 30+ years leaves her for another woman. Johnston stars as her twice-divorced sister.
She says their bond was “instant.”
“The minute we met, we bonded,” Morgan said. “I go stand in her dressing room and stare at her as she’s trying to rest. But I do, I love being with her and we had a ball.”
The show’s co-creator, Chuck Lorre, recommended Johnston.
“She’s perfected the craft,” he said. “As stand-up comedy goes, when she’s on stage, you know as the audience you’re in good hands. This is going to be great.”
He never doubted that they’d be a pair that amuses and resonates with audiences.
“That’s something you can write down on a script, all the words in the world and all the jokes in the world, but you can’t instill the feeling of empathy and compassion for a character. That comes from the actor or actress. It has to be built in,” he explained. “It is very much part of who Leanne is.”
Morgan is still surprised by all of her success.
“I’m a mama from Knoxville, Tennessee, and this happening for me, it’s a miracle and a blessing,” she says, getting emotional. “And honey, I still don’t believe it.”
Movieguide®’s review of her show, LEANNE, reads, “The first three episodes of LEANNE…focus on Leanne’s strong family bonds, such as her sister’s and children’s support for her. The episodes include positive Christian references. For instance, Leanne and her sister working a bake sale at their church, Leanne discusses her grandson’s baptism, and the sisters pray together when their mother suffers a fall.”
The show has received a lot of support in the week since the show’s release.
“So grateful for all the love for LEANNE on @netflix!! All the support, kind words and reviews coming in continue to overwhelm me in the best way,” Morgan told her fans on Instagram. “Y’all have made this dreamer from Tennessee feel like a star!! 🥰 Keep watching, keep sharing, and keep laughing!! 💕”
There’s no word yet if her show will get a Season 2, but if it does well for Netflix, it’s likely.
Read Next: ‘PINCH ME!!!’: Clean Comedian Leanne Morgan Celebrates Netflix Sitcom Premiere Date
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