Antonia Gentry Gushes Over Working With 'Wonderful' 'Ginny & Georgia' Costar Brianne Howey: 'Someone I Will Always Love'

Antonia Gentry is grateful for her Ginny & Georgia costar Brianne Howey, who plays her mother, Georgia Miller, on the hit Netflix series.

"It’s been wonderful. She’s definitely someone who I look up to and admire. There are so many qualities that she has that I’ve learned from. Getting to share the responsibility of the show with her, I wouldn’t choose anyone else. I can’t imagine anybody else to do this with," the actress, 28, exclusively tells OK! while talking about the launch of Aussie's new Ultra Smooth Collection. "Right out of the gate, we were basically having to cry in each other’s arms for 10 hours a day. So you get really close to someone really fast when that’s how you’re introduced. It’s been wonderful."

"She’s someone I will always love. I wish she didn’t live across the country. Obviously, we work together on set, we see each other every day on set, but sometimes I’m like, 'I just want to see Brianne right now.' But she’s just a phone call away, and she’s always there for me when I need her, and vice versa. She’s just the best," Gentry, who plays Virginia "Ginny" Miller on the show, continues.

Gentry also loves seeing Howey, who just gave birth to her second child, growing her family in real life.

"I’m just so excited for her and watching her become a mother, which is something she’s always wanted, and witnessing in real time that big transition in her life, big transitions in mine — not necessarily the same — but being able to support each other through all of that and watch each other grow in different ways has been such a priceless experience for me," she says.

Gentry couldn't tell too much about the upcoming season of Ginny & Georgia, however, she's "excited for people to see the continuation of every one of these characters."

"The highs and lows, the triumphs and setbacks — I think that’s something that each season throws at our audience. I really can’t wait. I feel like I say it every season, but this season is even more gut-wrenching than the last," she teases. "In a sense where you just care so much about all of these characters and all of the things that they’re going through, and you want to root for everyone even more than you thought was possible. I’m very, very excited for everyone to continue the journey of Ginny and Georgia and all of these characters on the show. I really can’t wait."

When the show premiered in 2021, the cast had no idea it would blow up.

"You can’t predict how any of these things are going to go. For this to be my very first real — it’s my first lead. It’s my first real experience being at the helm of a major production. I’m just so grateful. I couldn’t have predicted it. And I’m just so grateful for my cast. I’m obsessed with Brianne. I’m obsessed with everyone that I work with. We all kind of are a family in a sense where we are in it together, because it can get overwhelming for sure," the rising star says. "It’s changed my life, and I’m forever grateful for it."

Though Gentry quips it would be "fun" to do a comedy and not "cry every five seconds" on Ginny & Georgia, she's taking it one day at a time and enjoying this time.

"I’m just riding the waves as they come, and I’m looking forward to the next step. I don’t know yet when this journey of Ginny will be complete, but as of right now, I’m very much happy to be a part of it," she notes.

In the meantime, Gentry, who says it's great that people can relate to her hair journey on the show, partnered up with Aussie to promote their new Ultra Smooth Collection.

"I was super excited when Aussie mentioned their upcoming Ultra Smooth Collection because frizz is something I think affects all of us at any given point in time, especially for me, as someone who has very curly hair, very fine hair and likes to switch it up. Not all the time do I want my hair to be curly. Sometimes I want to heat style and have smooth, straight hair, but I needed something that I could definitely rely on," she shares.

Aussie's six-product — Ultra Smooth Collection: Shampoo, Conditioner, Detangling Glaze, Glossing Shield, Defining Jelly and Style Shield — anti-frizz regimen is powered by silk proteins and a nourishing blend of oils. Ultra Smooth formulas deliver up to four days of frizz and humidity protection.

"When we started with this collaboration, I was a very happy test subject. They sent me the products, and I was able to try them all out in different iterations, whether it was raining outside and super humid, if I was going dancing and knew I was going to be sweating a lot, or even if I wanted to have my hair straight but was still going to be more active. Testing every one of the products in different humidity and with different styles was really fun for me. I wrote everything down and sent it over to Aussie: 'This is what’s working for me. This isn’t. This is what I was hoping for more of.' They were very engaging, and they listened to my experiences with the products. I also got to choose the scents, which was really fun for me because I love good-smelling hair," she shares.

"I’m just so excited and happy that I have a collection now that I can rely on for any sort of feeling or mood that I’m in with my hair and not have to worry so much about it. I ended up falling super in love with the Defining Jelly because it’s something that can really hold and define my curls for up to — I think it’s four days of moisture and anti-frizz — which is super awesome for me because I don’t like to restart from scratch and do my hair every morning. It’s something that I’m really, really excited for and proud of, and I think Aussie really killed it with this one," she continues.

Gentry knows that when her hair looks good, she feels her best.

"I have my days where I’m like, 'This is not working. I am so upset,' and my whole day and mentality [are affected], but I feel like now everything has gotten so much easier, especially with Aussie and the fact that they were able to take me through the process and the science behind it, how it’s actually tested, and me being a part of that test itself. It gave me a lot more confidence when selecting these products for my hair. That way, I know it’s going to work. I know it works for me. So I can leave the house and spend my week not really worrying too much about what my hair is doing," she says.

The products are "something that I use in my day-to-day, even on set between setups. If it’s just a little refresher, I know that I have a Glossing Shield. I have basically an arsenal of products that I can use to keep the health of my hair, even if my character is going through something insane that day. Outside of that, I’m just excited to be working with a team that cares very much about the lived experiences of curly girls and people who have hair like me or are still on their curly hair journey. I hope people love it. I know I do. It smells amazing," she says. "I just can’t wait for people to get their hands on this, and I can’t wait for people to see Ginny’s new hair in Season 4. We all are on her hair journey together, and it’s just super exciting for me," she concludes.