Tom Rice: From Hollywood to Fondren

Landon and Kate are in Madison, Mississippi, sitting down with producer, creative mentor, and all-around Southern gentleman Tom Rice — who greeted them with a lemon tart before he even said hello. Tom shares how he moved back to Mississippi from LA after nearly 28 years and ended up opening Louise's, Fondren's stunning jazz-age cocktail bar and restaurant, one decision at a time — starting with wallpaper he fell in love with. They talk about his obsession with perfecting a Roman-style pizza dough, his philosophy on producing (be the host of the party, not the celebrity chef), and how collaborating with the right people — like award-winning bartender Ryan Foster and music director Tyler Kemp — made the whole vision come together. From there, the conversation opens up into Tom's career producing films like The Way Way Back, his Broadway heartbreaks with Kristin Chenoweth in Queen of Versailles, directing high school kids in a one-act version of Grey Gardens, and show choir drama that might just become a movie one day. Plus: karaoke suites above Louise's, future film projects with Landon and Kate, a Steel Magnolias dream, the importance of knowing your strengths, and one very good sheepadoodle named Dexter.

Visit Louise's Piano Bar in Fondren, Jackson, MS: @louisespianobar

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