*Halle Bailey and producer Will Packer recently stopped by the “Sway in the Morning” LA Studio Session on SiriusXM to chat with hosts Sway Calloway and Heather B about their new romantic comedy, “You, Me & Tuscany.” The interview, which airs on SiriusXM’s Jill Scott’s Flow (ch. 48), finds the duo diving deep into the importance of representation, the joys of filming with family, and the undeniable chemistry between Bailey and co-star Regé-Jean Page.
The Necessity of Diversity in Romance
During the conversation, Sway Calloway touched on the power of rom coms as a form of escapism, noting that while he grew up loving classics like You’ve Got Mail and Sleepless in Seattle, it was Love Jones that resonated differently because he saw people who looked like him on screen.
For Packer, the decision to cast Bailey and Page in a picturesque Tuscan setting was essential. “This is not a movie for one particular audience,” Packer explained. “It’s a movie for every audience.” He emphasized the importance of imagery, noting that placing “two beautiful brown people” in a romantic European backdrop challenges preconceived notion. “Imagery is so important,” he said. “It tells people how you should feel when you meet people, how you should judge people, how you should not judge people.”
Bailey echoed that sentiment, explaining that choosing roles like this heals something in her. “It’s so important for us to see ourselves, especially as beautiful Black people,” she said. Reflecting on her career, from The Little Mermaid to this new project, she noted that representation is about joy. “It’s fun to watch us experience love and joy and be happy and not suffering,” she added. “It’s definitely a big part of what I choose to do now, especially because I realize the impact that it has on us, especially children.”
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Halo Takes Over Italy
Bailey also opened up about how You, Me & Tuscany marked a significant milestone for her personally. Not only is it her first role where she plays a “grown woman”—she noted she is 25 and a mother now—but she also got to bring her son, Halo, along for the adventure.
“He was there. We had a blast,” Bailey shared. Packer laughed as he recalled the 18-month-old’s antics on set. While the production used a green screen setup for a driving scene involving a Maserati, the toddler was allowed to sit in the car between takes.
“All of a sudden the camera pans over and there is Halo, her one-year-old, 18 months at the time,” Packer recalled with a laugh. “He’s like hanging out the window. I’m like, ‘Halo, you’re going to die. Get back in. We’re going 90 miles an hour. You can’t just hang out the window, Halo!’” Packer concluded that the little boy “ran Italy,” treating the entire country as his personal playground.
Keeping Composure with Regé-Jean Page
Of course, the conversation eventually turned to Bailey’s co-star, Regé-Jean Page, best known for his heartthrob role in Bridgerton. When Heather B asked how Bailey kept her composure during their romantic scenes—specifically a steamy, rain-soaked moment in a vineyard—the actress admitted she was a fan.
“I was a fan of Regé. I watched him on Bridgerton,” Bailey confessed. “He is handsome. That’s not even a question.”
Packer gave credit to Bailey’s professionalism, revealing that the vineyard scene, complete with real sprinklers, required multiple takes. “After about that third take, it was not about the abs,” Packer joked. “Halle was like, ‘Okay, how many more?’ Because she’s drenched.”
Bailey agreed, laughing about the practical realities of filming. “My lashes are coming off now ’cause the rain, the sprinklers. I’m like, my eyes are burning,” she said. “I can’t even see abs at this point anymore. It’s just blurry.”
Despite the soggy conditions, Packer assured listeners that the chemistry between the two leads is undeniable and authentic. “You can’t fake that on screen,” he said.
“You, Me & Tuscany“ is in theaters now. For the full interview, stream it anytime on the SiriusXM app.
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