Reba McEntire gave her Happy’s Place costar Belissa Escobedo the ultimate birthday present.
Escobedo celebrated her 27th birthday on the set of the NBC sitcom earlier this month. “It’s Belissa’s birthday today, and this is your second time doing a live show on your birthday,” Melissa Peterman said in a behind-the-scenes clip shared on NBC’s TikTok page on Thursday, September 18.
Noting that she was surprised with a Minion from the Despicable Me franchise last year, Escobedo went on to joke, “Today, I heard they’re bringing out the entire One Direction band.”
Little did Escobedo know that McEntire would surprise her with a special video message from her favorite member of the legendary boy band. “There is somebody that couldn’t be here tonight, but we do have a little special presentation for you right there,” McEntire told her Escobedo on the show’s set after filming had wrapped.
@nbc A birthday gift Belissa will forever remember 🎁 #HappysPlace | NBC and Peacock #NiallHoran ♬ original sound – NBC
Being directed to look at a screen, Escobedo screamed upon seeing that McEntire had gotten Niall Horan to create a video birthday message for her. “I just wanted to wish you a very, very happy birthday,” Horan said in the clip alongside McEntire and their fellow The Voice coaches Michael Bublé and Snoop Dogg. “I know you’ve had a cardboard cutout of me since you were 15 years old.”
Though Escobedo’s screams cut out some of Horan’s message, he ended the clip by stating he hopes she had a “great day.” The Happy’s Place crew also surprised the actress with a new cardboard cutout of the singer.
“Sorry, Reba. I’m Team Niall!” Escobedo exclaimed before walking off the set with her cardboard cutout.
Escobedo reposted the clip via her Instagram Story on Thursday, alongside a throwback pic of herself and her OG cutout of Horan from his One Direction days. “Next year they’re surprising me with a wedding! Niall and I are so excited 💍,” she captioned the post. “Also peep me stumbling over saying ‘all of 1D’ but remembering Liam 😔💔.” (Liam Payne died in October 2024 at the age of 31.)
The video message from Horan wasn’t the only surprise the Happy’s Place cast and crew gave Escobedo for her birthday, as they decorated her dressing room with dozens of stickers and posters of the characters from the Twilight films.
Courtesy of Belissa Escobedo/Instagram
“Thank you to everybody at Happys place who made my birthday so so special (AGAIN!!),” Escobedo wrote alongside footage of the Twilight decorations. “Looking at u @danielryancrisp @kaylanicolehartman @francobario & of course my big sister @reba ❤️& so many other lovely ppl!!”
The Voice, Season 28 Premiere, Monday, September 22, 8/7c, NBC
Happy’s Place, Season 2 Premiere, Friday, November 7, 8/7c, NBC