“I feel like we’re just the same people in a new play almost,” Peterman said of playing McEntire’s friend on ‘Happy’s Place’

Melissa Peterman (left) and Reba McEntire on ‘Happy’s Place’. Photo: Casey Durkin/NBC via Getty

Melissa Peterman and Reba McEntire are thrilled to be back on screen together!

The two reunite on the new NBC sitcom Happy’s Place, where Peterman, 53, tells PEOPLE they play different characters than they did on Reba.

Joking that “Barbra Jean was foisted on” McEntire, 69, in Reba, Peterman said it is nice that in Happy’s Place, the pair are already set up as friends because they can tap into reality.

“I think what we did is we brought the chemistry that we have as real people and as real-life friends into these new characters,” she shared. “You can’t erase that. So I feel like we’re just the same people in a new play almost.”

Melissa Peterman and Reba McEntire Say It ‘Feels Right’ to Reunite on New Sitcom Happy’s Place

The Baby Daddy alum even joked that “maybe Happy knew I had to” play McEntire’s friend from the start this time around, referring to the storyline that they all work together at Happy’s Tavern.

Reba McEntire and Melissa Peterman.Gilbert Flores/Variety via Getty

Peterman also complimented Belissa Escobedo, who plays Bobbie’s (McEntire) recently-discovered half-sister, for fitting so perfectly in with her and the Reba star.

“What’s great is there’s now this trifecta of these three women in different places in their life and they all have something to learn from each other and maybe something to teach each other too,” she said. “But you can’t erase the chemistry.”

Beyond Peterman and McEntire’s history with one another, the entire cast said the country singer makes everyone feel like family on and off set. And even with having McEntire’s longtime boyfriend, Rex Linn, also on the show, no one ever felt unwelcome into the pre-existing dynamics.

“What I learned the first time around from Reba was every cast, crew member, every guest star, you walk up and say, ‘We’re so glad you’re here,’” Peterman explained. “And by the way, that doesn’t happen all the time. And to make sure of that, and write a thank you note. Give a note to every guest cast, you make sure you thank them and that we’re so lucky to have you here. And so I learned welcoming from her from day one. I’m so grateful that my first job as a series regular was watching that woman be the leader on a set.”

There was a natural connection among the cast, Peterman went on to say, which made her job much easier.

“What was so wonderful is that all of our new editions felt like we already [knew each other],” Peterman gushed. “I felt instant chemistry with each, which we worry about. You worry about, ‘Let’s show everyone we’re friends and we like each other,’ but we didn’t have to do that.”

(l-r) Tokala Black Elk, Belissa Escobedo, Melissa Peterman, Reba McEntire, Rex Linn, Pablo Castelblanco.JSquared Photography/NBCUniversal via Getty

Pablo Castelblanco, who plays Steve, agreed: “I think it’s just like you have the person, I mean everyone says it, but the number one sets up the tone. And I think Reba just sets a tone that it’s welcoming — and it’s not welcoming to be welcoming. She’s actually interested in you. One day I wanted to do a pitch for a joke and she was like, ‘That’s funny. Go pitch it.’ And that was the thing that I was like, you just feel like, oh my God, people are listening to you.”

“You feel heard, you feel encouraged,” he continued. “You feel like you have your space and that just makes you loose and be funnier. So I think she just set that environment for all of us to succeed.”

Peterman added that she knew from the day they filmed the first episode the cast got along in a special way that reminded her of Reba, and she hoped it would continue.

“I remember after a pilot just thinking, I’ll be so mad if this doesn’t get picked up,” she said.