After moving to Miami from Venezuela, Rafael de la Fuente got his start on the widely popular Nickelodeon Latin American show Grachi and then played Jussie Smollett’s boyfriend on Empire. Now he is making himself right at home amongst the crazy Carringtons in the Dynasty reboot as Sammy Jo –the role first made famous by Heather Locklear. In its third season (Fridays on the CW), it’s also the actor’s first series regular role in English starring alongside Elizabeth Gillies, Grant Show, Alan Dale and newcomer Maddison Brown.

“Maddison is our baby girl,” he tells HOLA! USA of the 21-year-old Australian. “She joined last season, and it was refreshing to have that bubbly energy around.” (Something that may have caught Liam Hemsworth’s attention as the two were recently spotted together in NYC.) While their romance made headlines as quick as a Blake Carrington scandal, he did note that it’s very new. “I’m really excited for her,” he says. “It doesn’t get better looking than that.”

Watch the video above to see why this reboot is even more special than the original and learn how else the cast bonds while filming in Atlanta.