James Kot Talks Hallmark+ Series ‘The Chicken Sisters,’ Says More Will Be Revealed About Frank Jr. Soon [Interview]

If you’ve been watching The Chicken Sisters on Hallmark+, you’re probably wondering what’s going on with Frank Jr. beneath the surface. Well, according to actor James Kot, that answer is coming soon with a reveal that will both be “satisfying” and “unexpected for Hallmark.”

I recently spoke with Kot, who plays Frank Jr. on the Hallmark+ original series, about his character’s development, the relationship between Frank Jr. and Amanda, and what we can look forward to from the rest of the season.

The Chicken Sisters, which also stars Schuyler Fisk, Genevieve Angelson, Lea Thompson, and Wendie Malick, is based on the book of the same name by KJ Dell’Antonia. The series is set in the fictional town small town of Merinac, where a generations-old rift between two fried chicken restaurants – Mimi’s and Frannie’s – has left the founders’ families feuding and the locals taking sides. 

That feud became even more complicated when the children of the two feuding families, Amanda and Frank Jr., fell in love and got married. Now, in the present time, Amanda and Frank Jr.’s relationship is also strained.

“We see the way the relationship begins, with hopes and dreams and aspirations and kids jumping into life together. And then we jump ahead in time and see where they’ve ended up,” Kot said, adding that this leaves the audience with questions like, “How has staying in the town shaped Amanda’s life? How has continuing in the family business affected Frank’s life? How has the feud affected these families marrying together?”

“It’s a complicated relationship that we’re left to fill in the blanks as to why things are the way they are,” Kot continued. “But more is definitely revealed in the coming episodes about some of the different viewpoints and the needs of the relationship that maybe are or are not being met.”

Kot was interested in the character of Frank Jr. right away, and his audition scenes focused a lot on the humor we see in the show. 

“There’s definitely some drama and some behavior in Frank Jr. that you’re kind of wondering what the heck’s going on with him, but some of the scenes for the audition and for the callback were quite funny. So you could see this vantage point of this character who’s struggling on some level and in pain on another level,” Kot said.

“The writing was really unique to hold both that dramatic element but also some of the comedic scenes as the show progresses.”

It really does seem as though Frank Jr. is hiding something, with his mood changing often and the way he’s been shutting out Amanda. Kot confirmed that The Chicken Sisters Season 1 Episode 4 will reveal something about Frank Jr. that will explain the way he’s been acting. 

“He’s definitely struggling,” Kot said. “As the series progresses, his relationship with his father will be a focal point. You know, it’s mentioned in the first few episodes as well. ‘What would your daddy say?’ comes up quite a bit in the series. That’s going to be thematic with his development.” 

Episode 4 will also include one of Kot’s audition scenes that brings some additional humor to the show. 

“A character named Mr. Chicken shows up. Some of the scenes with Mr. Chicken and Frank are quite funny because we see Frank predominantly around women all the time,” Kot said. “I think some of the comedy that comes out of Mr. Chicken who is — he’s almost like someone from Shark Tank — he’s a business guy who owns franchises of different chicken restaurants.”

“Seeing Frank, someone who’s ambitious in his own right but very much in this small town and running this restaurant, we start to see some of his hopes and dreams. And when there’s hope there’s also the opportunity for a fall and some comedy as well.”

Kot believes having that balance of humor is necessary for a drama like this one. The Chicken Sisters is also unique for a Hallmark series, and being on a streaming service adds to that.

“The DNA of what makes a Hallmark show is definitely in this show, but I think it definitely expands on the possibility of what a Hallmark show is,” Kot said.

“There’s certainly more conflict, especially in the pilot, and also, I think, some more nuanced behavior about what makes human beings tick and do the things they do in this show. Things are not resolved as quickly, and I think holding that tension in the show is pretty unique, which is why I think we need the sense of humor that the show also provides.” 

Of course, our conversation also had to include some talk about fried chicken. While the characters have big feelings about the best fried chicken, Kot loves it all. 

“I love fried chicken! I like all different kinds,” he said. “Probably my best experience with fried chicken was when I went to Nashville for a bachelor party, and I got to sample some of the hot chicken down there. So I like hot chicken, I like your traditional fried chicken, I like Korean fried chicken. I’m just a fan of it generally.”

It sounds like Kot would be a happy customer at either Mimi’s or Frannie’s, which is probably a good thing!

New episodes of The Chicken Sisters stream Thursdays on Hallmark+.

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