Kim Matula Teases Ghosts of Christmas Always: It’s Not What Anyone is Expecting

Films with some supernatural factor are all the time a deal with, and Ghosts of Christmas At all times performs like a modern-day model of A Christmas Carol.

Kim Matula stars as Katherine, a Ghost of Christmas Current, and she or he and the ghosts of Christmas Previous (Lori Tan Chinn) and Christmas Future (Reginald VelJohnson) are tasked with serving to Peter (Ian Harding) rediscover his Christmas spirit.

However this case is not like all of the others, and Katherine has to work additional arduous making an attempt to determine why.

I had the prospect to leap on the telephone with Kim to speak in regards to the film, and yow will discover our dialog, which has been edited for content material, under.

I’ve already had the chance to observe Ghosts of Christmas At all times, and I beloved it.

Nicely, thanks. I am so glad. I am excited to observe it when it airs on Sunday.

It is simply lovable. It is humorous. And it is shifting. I used to be laughing out loud at one level, after which I used to be tearing up later.

Good. And that is what I did once I was studying the script. So then which means we did our job.

How did you get entangled with it?

The script sort of discovered me. My supervisor reached out and she or he mentioned, “Hey, you’ve got bought a suggestion to do that film. Would you like to check out the script?” And I mentioned, “Sure, please.” And I learn it.

And such as you simply mentioned, I felt all of the issues that you just simply mentioned. I used to be laughing. I used to be so pleasantly shocked to see that there was some actually good comedy. After which I used to be crying studying this script.

That is so shifting. And it was sort of a no brainer for me. I knew that I needed to be part of it.

Are you a fan of A Christmas Carol?

I’m a fan of Christmas Carols particularly. I just like the Invoice Murray Scrooge. I do know that one will not be beloved by everyone, however it’s 1000% beloved by me. And I additionally am an avid watcher of the Muppet Christmas Carol. That was a giant in my home rising up.

So what’s it prefer to get to be one of many three ghosts of Christmas Eve?

I by no means thought that this was a personality that I’d get to play. What an obscure alternative to play this. I simply by no means thought that I’d. And it was actually enjoyable. It was actually fascinating.

I believe in the event you had given me a alternative — previous, current, or future — I would not have picked current as a result of, in my head, I am like, “Oh, I get to try this on a regular basis. I am already within the current, however let’s do one thing extra fascinating, previous or future.” However I’m so happy with what I bought to play.

And I do know that this film was positively a unique journey than what my character was used to. So possibly her abilities weren’t used the best way that she usually would. Nevertheless it was actually enjoyable.

It was actually enjoyable, particularly attending to do all the lovable little transitions in several places. I am excited to see how these results end up within the closing product.

They appear fairly good. They’ve slightly whirring impact within the area the place they have been. After which, as they’re disappearing, there’s like slightly flutter of some kind. That is actually cute.

That sounds proper. That sounds proper. Cool. I am excited to see it.

I used to be going to ask you which ones one you’d have needed to play previous, current, or future. However is not it fascinating that this story would not simply tie you to your position?

It’s totally true. I get to play every kind of various methods; I get to go to the previous.

She will get to play together with the opposite ghosts, which is like, it simply would not occur.

Yeah. It is one of the best of each worlds. I get to be two ghosts, primarily.

Yeah, it was actually enjoyable.

It was actually enjoyable to do. My expectations have been met once I bought to set. I used to be actually, actually glad.

Nicely, I used to be excited as a result of I all the time suppose films which have ghosts in them or angels or one thing from the previous or someone from the longer term; they’re all the time simply actually enjoyable to me. So I all the time have excessive expectations. And this one, fortunately, met and exceeded my expectations, to be sincere.

I am so glad to listen to that. I can not wait to see it. I imply, we have been simply such foolish giggly whereas we have been taking pictures this. We simply had one of the best time that I knew that it was going to be a venture that I’d be excited to observe. And I’m so excited to get to see it lastly.

When the ghosts first go see Peter, he is so excited. He is like, “Oh, it is the ghosts!” Had been these scenes enjoyable to movie? As a result of that is how I believe I’d be. “Oh my gosh, it is simply my evening. What is going on to occur?”

I do know. As a result of clearly, this particular person doesn’t want any assist discovering his Christmas spirit. Enjoying that basically sort of childlike pleasure about can we now have this enjoyable journey,’ simply accepting that that is what’s occurring and going alongside for the trip. Yeah, it was actually, actually enjoyable.

And Ian and I bought alongside so effectively in actual life. We’ve got a number of mutual associates, however we had by no means really met. So getting to fulfill lastly was seeing an outdated buddy. We bought on so effectively, and I hope that that comes by way of as a result of, yeah, as I mentioned, we have been similar to giggly children.

It actually comes by way of. You each appear actually pure with one another on display.

Our director Wealthy [Newey], was actually implausible in letting us mess around with the dialogue slightly bit and letting us discover what got here naturally to us as actors and what we thought this character was considering and feeling. We did not have to stay solely to the script.

I imply, we positively caught to the script, however he allow us to play and discover slightly bit, which we by no means know in the event you’re going to have the ability to do this once you get to a set. And that was actually superior.

What sort of preparation do it’s a must to do to play a Ghost of Christmas Current?

Oh God. Nicely, I known as so many ghosts. [laughs] I did so many seances simply to get that ghostly perspective.

[laughs] Good for you!

Nicely, thanks. Thanks. I actually dabbled in the dead of night arts. [laughs] There wasn’t a complete lot of prep that I needed to do to be a ghost. I knew there was going to be some extra heartfelt scenes and a few humorous scenes. And I do know that I can do this.

And a lot of it’s assembly the opposite actors that you just’re attending to work with and seeing how they will play the half, after which assembly the director and seeing how he needs to shoot it. And all of it got here collectively. All of it got here collectively actually properly.

So how would you describe Katherine out of your perspective?

Oh, Katherine, she’s such a candy soul. She actually is. And I believe she would not have a complete lot of expectations for her. I imply, I say life, however she was lifeless. She had already achieved the residing a part of her life and accepted the position that she was enjoying now.

Now she is the Ghost of Christmas Current. And he or she loves her job. She has a very good time doing it. She has good associates and coworkers, and she or he has accepted this actuality. And so when this very fascinating man reveals up in her life, I simply do not suppose she was anticipating it.

So she actually accepts this nice shock in her life. And I believe that, generally, folks have a tough time accepting change or issues they weren’t anticipating. And he or she finally actually embraces it. And I really like that about her.

What do you want about this totally different spin on this basic story?

This isn’t what anybody is anticipating. I believe everybody expects a Christmas Carol to go as deliberate. We will present you your previous and your current and your future the place you are lifeless. After which you are going to really feel dangerous, and you may study to like once more. Your coronary heart will develop three sizes just like the Grinch, however this one would not take itself too critically.

It may deal with itself and what the story thinks the story is meant to be. It may sort of poke enjoyable at that, and it completely turns it on its head. The second that you just notice that this particular person doesn’t want his Christmas spirit restored and that the Ghost of Christmas Current is now capable of tag alongside, why would she be capable to tag alongside?

And I believe from the start that one thing goes to disclose itself. And I do know once I was studying the script, I used to be so curious to seek out out what that was.

So that you mentioned it was a very enjoyable shoot, and also you had a number of room to maneuver throughout the script. Did it really feel prefer it was going to be magical when you have been making it?

Yeah. I did suppose it was going to be magical. And I do not precisely know why, however I knew that. I do know the units have been so lovely. I knew that our costumes have been so lovely. And I believe once you’re having enjoyable with someone that you have by no means met earlier than, it is all the time a bet.

You go in to work on one thing new, and also you simply actually hope that you just perceive one another, that you just work in comparable methods, that your humorousness is analogous; you hope all this stuff, however you’ll be able to’t make certain that is all the time going to be the case.

And when it occurred, I imply, actually, that in and of itself feels magical. It actually does. And so having the ability to work alongside individuals who all needed the identical fantastic expertise, and we’re so giving as actors and as folks on the whole, they have been simply additionally beautiful to spend time with.

And that makes you need to watch the ultimate product, that makes you need to do it once more. We might joke, Ian and I, like we’re prepared for the sequel. We’ll signal on to do one other one simply because we have been having such a good time.

And sure, that’s magical once you get all the appropriate items collectively to create one thing, and it simply blooms. It is one thing nice.

Is that this your first Hallmark film?

Yeah, that is my first Hallmark film.

What an excellent film to begin with.

I agree. I give it some thought, and I am like, “Oh man, if I do one other one, how am I going to high it?” This one was simply so nice that you just hope the subsequent one can be as effectively.

Will you do extra, do you suppose?

I’d like to. I’ve no plans to do one in the intervening time, however I’d like to.

And what are your favourite Christmas films? We already established which Christmas Carol you watch. What do you do along with your family and friends for Christmas? What films do it’s a must to watch that make it Christmas for you?

It is a Fantastic Life. That was one rising up that we watched on a regular basis as a household. We all the time watched It is a Fantastic Life. In order that one lives in a really nostalgic pocket of my mind, so it positively would not really feel like the vacations till I’ve watched it.

And Elf can be simply such a feel-good basic. Oh, and yet another. And The Polar Categorical, that is a more moderen movie, clearly. It got here out within the final ten years or one thing. However I learn that ebook as a toddler on a regular basis. So when the film got here out, all I needed to do was watch the trailer, and I burst into tears like, “Oh my God, it is a film.”

And so something that basically makes me really feel nostalgic for childhood Christmas time. I am all in. I need it. I adore it. So that is what we’re doing.

I do know. I am the identical approach. And I am approach past my years, at this level, to be infantile when a Christmas factor occurs, however I can not cease myself.

That is what the vacations do. You need to return to that childhood time when, I imply, God, you simply bear in mind counting down the months till it will lastly be Christmas time. And now it feels, as an grownup, life strikes so rapidly, and also you blink, and it is the vacations once more.

And you are like, wow, they did not simply do that. However having the ability to return and participate in these traditions that you just had once you have been a child, it brings again so many good recollections. And that’s what makes the vacations so particular.

What have been a few of your favourite vacation traditions?

Oh gosh. Making cutout cookies with my mother and my sister. Listening to the John Denver and the Muppets Christmas album was one other actually good one which we all the time did. And we used to drive round and take a look at Christmas lights, after all, on a regular basis. We might all get within the automobile and take a look at Christmas lights.

We used to rely the angels the folks would put within the home windows. And in order that was all the time a factor. It was sort of like an I spy sport. “Ooh, we discovered one other angel.” And if it was shifting, if it was an digital angel, that was even higher. You bought extra factors for locating these angels. So each time I see an angel in a window, I all the time return to these recollections.

And that matches very well along with your love for It is a Fantastic Life.

I do know, each time a bell rings, an angel will get its wings, precisely.

You’ve got bought a complete factor going along with your Christmas. It is all interconnected. I prefer it. And a Fantastic Life can be similar to the Christmas Carol.

Yeah, it’s. I imply, there is a ghost displaying him what his life may very well be. Yeah, completely. Completely. And I am a giant decorator.

I really like the vacations. And that is one thing that I bought from my mother and father. My dad would all the time go all out on the skin of the home and my mother would go all out on the within of the home. And as me and my sister would all the time assist in any approach we may.

And I actually carried that with me as an grownup. I simply adore it. I really like adorning up the skin and yearly, arising with one thing new, me and my man, we made Christmas balls to hold from our tree within the entrance yard that we made out of rooster wire. And we wrapped it with Christmas lights, and we had a pulley system of a rock on a giant extension wire.

And we pully them up onto the branches of the tree, and all of our neighbors will cease us and be like, “Wow. How did you make these? We love them.” And I really feel like that is my approach of giving Christmas spirit to folks round me.

I am picturing you hovering over blueprints.

You are proper. [laughs] You aren’t flawed.

Plotting the place the subsequent decorations are going to go. And this 12 months, you may have spherical rooster wire balls. What are you able to do subsequent 12 months?

How will we high it?

That’s so good.

It is all the time about topping it for the subsequent 12 months, the subsequent season. We simply adore it.

How early do you get began?

I like to begin adorning the week earlier than Thanksgiving or possibly two weeks earlier than Thanksgiving. I do not activate any of the lights, however we all the time exit of city to New York for Thanksgiving.

So once we get again to our house in California, I like to simply be capable to activate the lights. And now Thanksgiving is over, and it is Christmas time. So I haven’t got to scramble to get all of it achieved earlier than December 1st. It is already put up, and I can simply flip the lights on.

Do you invite everyone over so you’ll be able to have a lighting?

No, I do not, really. I do not actually do a Christmas Trip-style lighting ceremony.

You would possibly take into consideration that. It will be a pleasant technique to spend a while with your pals.

It may very well be good. You are proper. It may very well be.

The thought you set into it.

It is true. I am so sort A that I considered having a basic tree trimming get together the place my associates come over, and we might all beautify the Christmas tree collectively. However I do know that the second all of them go away, I’d rearrange the ornaments. I’d put some the place I need them as a result of I am so particular about the place they go.

You would want a second tree.

Oh, completely.

Have your primary tree that may very well be yours, after which you may have one thing particular that everyone decorates. That approach, you may not really feel like it’s a must to change them.

Yeah. It is a good factor to do with all of the ornaments that do not make it onto the primary tree. I all the time find yourself with a number of ornaments that did not make the reduce and that will be good.

So what else is arising for you?

Oh my gosh. I am very open to something proper now. I haven’t got lots arising within the pipeline, however I am very excited for everybody to see this film.

Nicely, I can not wait so that you can do a second one. I am simply saying I like my Hallmark folks to go in and make magic for me on a regular basis. All of the seasons.

I do know they do not do Christmas sequels, however I’d adore it in the event that they did.

Have they ever achieved a Christmas sequel? I do not know.

I do not know that they’ve. I used to be speaking to one among our producers; he was like, “Yeah, we do not actually do Christmas sequels.” And I mentioned, “Perhaps it’s best to rethink that.”

After you see Ghosts of Christmas At all times, you will be anticipating a sequel, too. Welcome Kim to the Hallmark household once you tune in to Hallmark Channel on Sunday, October 30 at 8/7, to seek out one among your new Christmas favorites!

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