It has been mentioned many occasions this vacation season: Hallmark is knocking it out of the park with considerate tales filled with coronary heart. One such story brings Good Witch’s Catherine Bell again into the fold.
Christmas on Cherry Lane includes a sprawling forged of actors we regularly welcome into our houses, and we get to see within characters’ houses on Cherry Lane.
Bell can be reunited with the Good Witch costar, James Denton, which provides the brand new story a well-recognized really feel, like wrapping us in a heat, welcoming hug.
Bell took a while to share her ideas on returning to Hallmark together with her costar at her facet, and the importance of pals, household, and our better group in our lives.
I’ve to let you know, I nonetheless miss Good Witch, so to welcome you again with James Denton at your facet is such a beautiful Christmas present.
Thanks. We’re excited as a result of Good Witch ended earlier than we have been all able to say goodbye, so it is a little nod to that.
Was it good working collectively once more?
Oh my gosh, so good. We love one another. We truly keep in contact and ship one another humorous memes and foolish issues and tease one another on a regular basis. That was excellent.
Properly, that is good as a result of I at all times think about that when previous costars get collectively, you may think the place your characters is likely to be presently. Have you ever guys accomplished that?
Think about what our characters is likely to be like future had they continued?
Sure! What do you suppose they is likely to be doing?
That is so cute. I hadn’t thought of that. Properly, let’s examine there. We have been going off to Europe. They’re in all probability nonetheless there. The children are grown. They’re simply exploring the world, having fun with one another. That is type of what I think about.
That’s in all probability proper. They left, and so they have been able to discover a totally completely different chapter.
Proper, precisely.
Christmas on Cherry Lane is such a wonderful story. What have been your ideas whenever you first learn the script?
Similar, precisely that. I used to be immediately hooked. It is simply so candy and touching. You have seen the film?
Sure, I did. I watched it this morning. Wow.
Oh, cute. Properly, as you already know, we will not give away an excessive amount of, but it surely’s so candy.
Oh, completely.
It is such a candy, touching story, and the way in which every thing comes collectively and the way all of those individuals have a connection and simply households and friendships and all of it. The vacations. It is so touching. I beloved it.
And the way would you describe your character, how she matches within the story?
She’s completely different than different characters I’ve performed. She’s type of at a retirement age, after all, retiring slightly bit early, not precise retirement age.
However she’s obtained grown children and is beginning a brand new chapter in her life, which is thrilling for her, but it surely takes her children a minute to get used to, after all. And so she’s type of navigating all of that.
How do you navigate this new man you are in love with, after which the children ensuring that they are okay and vacation time and traditions? You have obtained new traditions and outdated traditions and tying these collectively.
I actually perceive all of that as the children become older and relationships change, and nonetheless someway determining make all of it as magical as Christmas ought to be.
It type of jogs my memory of Good Witch with the interconnectedness of households and the way being part of a group can actually change their lives.
Completely.
Why do you suppose that message is one thing that we have to hear so usually?
God, sure. I imply, it’s. It is simply pertains to each one in every of us. Wherever you’re on the planet, no matter age or no matter you are doing along with your life, all of us want family and friends and people connections, even the individuals who suppose they do not. I imply, actually, we do. It is human nature.
It’s.
And discovering that it is such a wonderful idea. I discover the older I get, the extra I understand how a lot I want that: my pals, my household.
It is humorous too, the idea, and now we have that on this movie, is like now we have our household that you just’re born with. You will have the blood household, and that is so necessary to remain linked to and maintain these relationships going. And typically that may be difficult, as one in every of our storylines within the film exhibits.
However how do you continue to love these individuals although they could drive you loopy and maintain that alive?
After which additionally you will have these new pals that we make that turn out to be household. All of us hopefully have that in our lives. You will have a greatest buddy that you’ve got identified perpetually or perhaps a neighbor who you turn out to be so shut, after which they turn out to be household as properly.
I feel all of these ideas are simply so lovely and necessary.
It is so humorous, I used to be truly speaking to any individual about that immediately and the way I’ve not identified this individual for very lengthy in any respect. And I mentioned, “From the second we first began speaking and, at first, we solely met on-line,” I mentioned, “I simply felt linked. I simply knew you have been going to be one in every of my pals.”
I really like that.
After which I watched this film, and I used to be like, “Oh my gosh, you are going to have to observe this, and you will know why.”
It is so cute. Yeah, precisely. Precisely.
It matches completely.
I’ve a buddy like that. She’s like my sister. We met, we have been going to the identical trip spot. It was truly the Millennium New Yr’s, so it was simply earlier than 2000.
We met in an airport, and he or she and her husband have been there and me and my husband. And we have been similar to, “I really feel like I’ve identified you.”
We simply began chatting and we’re like, “Wait a minute. We’ll the identical place.” And subsequent factor you already know, we ended up having pals in frequent and we have been greatest pals ever since, like a sister.
And that is it. That discovered household that you just create is simply so necessary. And I really like when tales deal with that.
Completely.
Type of the mixture, too, and Christmas on Cherry Lane has all of it proper.
Precisely. I am so glad you preferred it. We have been actually having enjoyable taking pictures it and studying it and simply listening to all of the completely different storylines and the way they arrive collectively. I adore it.
And it additionally type of ties along with the Christmas custom of giving Hallmark ornaments.
Completely.
Did you will have a favourite Christmas custom or perhaps a favourite Hallmark decoration everytime you have been rising up?
I did. Truly, in my household, we at all times went to the Hallmark shops within the malls. I nonetheless have some from after I was slightly woman. I at all times beloved the little cute ones, the lovable little animals and issues, very a lot into miniature little issues like that.
And so I nonetheless have a few these left. After which, simply being part of the Hallmark household for therefore a few years, when my children have been youthful, Hallmark would at all times ship me the ornaments.
However I even have this one large snow globe. It is like an enormous Hallmark decoration, principally. And we deliver it out each Christmas, and the children will adore it. We nonetheless must deliver that. They’re all grown. They’re 20, they’re 13, however “The place’s the large snow globe?”
I am like, “Man’s, our home flooded. We’re in storage; we’re renting a spot. Do we actually have to get it?” They usually’re like, “Sure, go get it proper now.” [laughs]
I do. I’ve slightly Snoopy.
You do? Oh yeah, the Snoopy.
Satirically, I even nonetheless have the little wee Hallmark field that it got here in. I do not even know the way I stored that each one these years.
No approach. That is superb.
However that is one thing that is simply by no means left.
Oh my God, that is so cute. They usually have the 12 months on them, and what an important little reminiscence, and also you get simply to deliver them out yearly and put them again on the tree. It is so cute.
Hallmark can be very intelligent in introducing new concepts for Christmas traditions. And also you guys had a enjoyable scene that included wrapping a present blindfold. And I’ve obtained to know, how a lot of that scene did you actually do with a blindfold on?
We did. [laughs] We truly did it, and it was humorous. We did not know what we have been doing and attempting to avoid wasting the traces and fumble round and fumble accurately the way in which it is scripted. It is at all times a problem and at all times enjoyable. We positively had a very good chuckle on that one.
I believed that will be such a pleasant addition. So many Christmas traditions are extra of the sentimental kind, and that is simply one thing the place you type of get free and simply have a very good time with the individuals round you.
In fact, then there are additionally the people who find themselves going to get indignant as a result of they do not win, however nonetheless. [laughs]
Precisely.
And the way would you describe Christmas on Cherry Lane for individuals who are so keen to observe it?
I feel you are going to have to observe, simply get the complete story and the complete magic of all of it, after all, as a result of, as we talked about, we will not give an excessive amount of away.
However I feel it is nearly friendships, households, the buddies that turn out to be households, the households we’re born with, how they have an effect on us and the way all of us interrelate, and simply the magic of Christmas and what all of meaning for these households.
And if we will imagine anyone in terms of magic, it will be the Good Witch!
Positively, you are proper there.
I need to thanks a lot for chatting with me immediately, Catherine, and I am unable to anticipate individuals to see this film.
I maintain saying that to all people I speak with, however Hallmark has simply knocked it out of the park this 12 months with so many totally completely different storylines to maintain followers engaged. And I simply really feel such as you’re all so fortunate to be part of this season.
Completely. I actually really feel that approach at all times. It is simply so touching and heartwarming, and so many individuals I run into in every single place are so excited simply to proceed watching. They’re such good household, feel-good, pretty exhibits.
Christmas on Cherry Lane premieres tonight at 8/7c, solely on Hallmark Channel!
Carissa Pavlica is the managing editor and a employees author and critic for TV Fanatic. She’s a member of the Critic’s Alternative Affiliation, enjoys mentoring writers, conversing with cats, and passionately discussing the nuances of tv and movie with anybody who will pay attention. Follow her on X and e-mail her right here at TV Fanatic.
