Today I am most excited to share with all of you - my latest interview! She's lovely and vivacious and she has a laughter that is most infectious... it's actress Lacey Chabert!
*See the
Weekend Highlights post - for what's new this Saturday and Sunday night. Includes Christmas Preview Show hosted by Lacey Chabert!
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Lacey Chabert in "Love on Safari"
Credit: Copyright 2017 Crown Media United States LLC/Photographer: Maritz Verwey |
We've watched Lacey's career develop and blossom- from the television drama series, "Party of Five," to teen films, and now Hallmark movies! She is consistently a true joy to watch!
Whatever role Lacey is given... whether it is Melanie, the baker in "Matchmaker Santa," Emily Taylor, the hopeful fashion designer - who, by the way, is dating a prince in "A Royal Christmas," or Jenny Fintley, the half owner of a B&B with her fiancé Brian in "All of My Heart," or even now Kira Slater, adventure seeker in "Love on Safari"... we can easily see Lacey gives her whole heart to these characters and their stories! What a delight she is on our TV screens!
It was my pleasure to chat with Lacey on her latest Hallmark film, "Love on Safari." Plus, we talk about her upcoming projects, "All of My Heart 3" and "The Crossword Mystery" with her good friend, Brennan Elliott... AND, there's even mention of her upcoming Christmas movie where she plays Darcy Fitzwilliam in "Pride, Prejudice and Mistletoe!"
I hope you enjoy our interview *chat* below...
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Interview
Actress Lacey Chabert
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| - Love on Safari - Hallmark Crown Media - |
Net, It’s a Wonderful Movie- Hello Lacey! Welcome to “It’s a Wonderful Movie” where we chat about family-friendly TV movies!
Lacey Chabert- Hi! Thanks for having me.
Net, It’s a Wonderful Movie- As a young girl, how did you first become involved in acting?
Lacey Chabert- I’m from Purvis, Mississippi. At the age of 7 my family temporarily moved to NYC and it was there that I began acting professionally. I began by doing commercials and was eventually cast as Young Cosette/Eponine in Les Miserables on Broadway. To have been a part of a show as incredible as Les Miserable is an experience I’ll always treasure. There is nothing like live theater-so exhilarating! From there I was blessed to continue working on various projects and was fortunate to have been cast in Party of Five. My family relocated to Los Angeles while we filmed the show. I have a very supportive family to say the least! All these years later, I can honestly say I love my job more than ever. I’m thankful that I continue to learn and expand my creative muscles. I feel like a student every time I’m on set. I most enjoy the collaborative aspect of my job. I’m excited to see what the future holds.
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| image: Lacey Chabert for Hallmark's Spring Movies Promotion - via Twitter |
Net, It’s a Wonderful Movie- We have been following and admiring your Hallmark movies here at “It’s a Wonderful Movie” over the years… from Christmas, Countdown to Valentine’s Day, Spring Fling/Fever, and Fall Harvest!
How fun it is now to see you will be starring in your first Hallmark “Summer Nights” movie, “
Love on Safari.” Please share the incredible location where this movie was filmed and a little of the storyline with us!
Lacey Chabert- Thank you so much for all of your support! I often see your posts on twitter and the support is greatly appreciated.
Filming Love on Safari in South Africa was such an incredible opportunity. I’m so grateful to have had the chance to experience the beauty of that country. The people there are genuinely kind be full of love. I made friends I know I will have for a lifetime. The land is stunning and the wildlife was awe-inspiring. We stayed at the reserve where we filmed the bulk of the movie and it was just incredible to see giraffe and zebra roaming around! It was surreal. The monkeys would wake me up almost every morning running around on the roof of my room!
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Lacey Chabert in "Love on Safari"
Credit: Copyright 2017 Crown Media United States LLC/Photographer: Maritz Verwey |
Net, It’s a Wonderful Movie- Viewers are always sharing with me- how much they enjoy watching your movies, Lacey, because you have such an endearing, bubbly personality – that truly shines through all your roles, and I wholeheartedly agree! You light up the screen with your beaming, sweet smile and precious giggle!
In fact, you won the
“It’s a Wonderful Movie” poll for Favorite Actress from a TV Movie - for “
Moonlight in Vermont,” “
All of My Heart: Inn Love,” and “
The Sweetest Christmas!”
Lacey Chabert- Thank you so much! Wow, that’s so kind. It means the world to me that the viewers enjoy and appreciate the work we do. These movies aren’t just another job to me. We make these movies but with the hopes that the audience is not only entertained, but will hopefully laugh and be moved by the journey of the story . I always try to make the characters as relatable as possible. I want to say thank you so much to the fans because they truly are the reason we continue to have the opportunity to bring these stories to life!
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Lacey Chabert in "All of My Heart: Inn Love"
Credit: Copyright 2017 Crown Media United States LLC/Photographer: Kailey Schwerman |
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Lacey Chabert in "Love on Safari"
Credit: Copyright 2017 Crown Media United States LLC/Photographer: Maritz Verwey |
Net, It’s a Wonderful Movie- Please tell us about your new character, Kira Slater, in “
Love on Safari”. Is she anything like you? Does she adapt well to safari life?
Lacey Chabert- I definitely related to Kira. In the beginning she’s very nervous about stepping so far outside of her comfort zone by even entertaining the idea of owning this wildlife reserve in South Africa. For me personally, taking on producing and acting in a project I was so passionate about was thrilling, but it challenged me because it was also the first time I’d traveled so far across the world and without my young daughter. My husband and I decided it was in her best interest to stay home with him and the rest of our families. In the same way my character is nervous about entering this new world, so was I. I was incredibly excited but it also pushed me outside of my own personal comfort zone. The experience reminded me though of the joy found in accomplishing something that requires you to face your fears and push yourself when you know deep down it’s the right thing to do. As Kira spends more time on the reserve she begins to realize that some of life’s best moments are when things look different than you might have planned. She remembers the adventurous spirit she possessed as a child and how she’s still that same person. One of my favorite lines is, “This place didn’t change me, it reminded me of who I really am.” It’s a simple concept but a powerful one. I think it’s easy in life to get distracted and sometimes lose track of who we really are deep down. I love that she discovers this. This growth causes her to re-evaluate many things, including her relationships.
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Jon Cor, Lacey Chabert and Brittany Bristow in "Love on Safari"
Credit: Copyright 2017 Crown Media United States LLC/Photographer: Maritz Verwey |
Net, It’s a Wonderful Movie- What was it like filming, on location, with your co-stars Jon Cor and Brittany Bristow?
Lacey Chabert- One of my favorite parts of my job is meeting new friends. Some of those people are behind the camera and some you see on screen. Jon and Brittany and I had the best time together! I felt like we were at camp together. Brittany and I became particularly close because I was seriously missing my daughter and she offered such wonderful support. She’s fantastic and we’ve kept in close touch since. Leif Bristow directed the film and his wife Agnes produced. They are a very special family who I’m fortunate to now call dear friends.
Net, It’s a Wonderful Movie- Of all the animals you worked with while filming "
Love on Safari," which one was your favorite? Did you wish you could take one of them home with you?
Lacey Chabert- The baby elephants were my favorite for sure! All of the animals are so beautiful and interesting in their own ways, but the baby elephants has a special place in my heart.
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Jon Cor and Lacey Chabert in "Love on Safari"
Credit: Copyright 2017 Crown Media United States LLC/Photographer: Maritz Verwey |
Net, It’s a Wonderful Movie- As I mentioned above, this is your first “Summer Nights” themed Hallmark movie.
For devoted Hallmark viewers, however, you are well known as one of the stars of Christmas! I must ask, do you have a favorite among all of your Hallmark Christmas movies? (We love them all!)
Lacey Chabert- It’s hard to pick a favorite because I’ve enjoyed them all for different reasons.
A Royal Christmas stands out as a favorite because it was such an adventure filming at different palaces and locations in Romania. I also particularly love
Family for Christmas because I love the “what if” concept of that script.
A Wish for Christmas is one I’ll always remember fondly because I was pregnant with Julia! Trying to hide my belly was a hilarious challenge! At one point they just started placing Christmas trees in front of me haha!
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| Lacey Chabert's Hallmark Christmas Movies - Hallmark Crown Media |
Net, It’s a Wonderful Movie- Do you enjoy filming Christmas movies - even in the hot summer?
Lacey Chabert- Yes, we typically film them in the heat of summer which is always a challenge because you’re trying to get the shot before the snow melts and the makeup department is working over time because you’re melting ha! I’m such a huge fan of Christmas though that it makes me so happy to see sets covered in Christmas decorations. I’d like it to be Christmas all year long in real life!
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| Lacey Chabert - Hallmark Crown Media |
Also, how much fun was it to recently host Hallmark's FIRST Christmas in July
"Countdown to Christmas" preview show? (It must really put you into the spirit!)
Lacey Chabert- It was really fun! Happy the dog joined me and I enjoyed his company. He’s so sweet and adorable.
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Jon Cor and Lacey Chabert in "Love on Safari"
Credit: Copyright 2017 Crown Media United States LLC/Photographer: Maritz Verwey |
Net, It’s a Wonderful Movie- Your wardrobe in these Hallmark movies is always so pretty! I love the white floral dress you wear in “
Love on Safari,” plus I love that you wore your own wedding dress in “
A Royal Christmas.”
Do you enjoy dressing up for each new movie role? How much are you involved in your character’s style?
Lacey Chabert- Thanks! I was so happy to put on my wedding dress again for
A Royal Christmas.
It’s always nice to collaborate with the talented costume designers for each film. I love to bring certain pieces of my own clothing if it works for the character to help personalize her look. We try to give each character details that are specific to her personality. It’s a really fun part of the job!
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| Lacey Chabert in A Royal Christmas - Hallmark Crown Media |
Net, It’s a Wonderful Movie- It has been such a joy to watch you grow up on screen, Lacey... first as a little girl in the heartwarming family Christmas movie
A Little Piece of Heaven with actor Kirk Cameron (
Growing Pains, Fireproof), and then on
Party of Five, where you were such a standout in that series as young Claudia Salinger, the sweet little sister and a spitfire, too! She was always passionately devoted to her siblings, powerful, dramatic, and tenderhearted. You certainly held your own with your older co-stars: Matthew Fox, Scott Wolf, Neve Campbell, and Jennifer Love Hewitt. What was that experience like for you?
Lacey Chabert- Thank you so much.
Party of Five was a special one to say the least. Being on a show, especially such a well-written one, for six years is a unique experience. Growing up on screen had a plethora of awkward moments of course, but it was also a tremendous amount of fun. I love that cast and crew so much! We are forever connected. I have nothing but fond memories about those six years together.
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| Party of Five - Cast |
Net, It’s a Wonderful Movie- Do you have any future projects you can share with us?
Many Hallmark Channel movie fans are quite excited about “All of My Heart” #3 and your new Hallmark Movies & Mysteries movie project “The Crossword Mystery” with Brennan Elliott! What can you tell us about working with Brennan (he looks like so much fun!) and these upcoming Hallmark movies? And, it’s exciting to hear you will be filming a new Hallmark Christmas movie too!
Lacey Chabert- We are about to begin filming
All of My Heart 3 and I couldn’t be more excited. The script made me tear up the first time I read it-in the best way. I’m excited to continue that story with my friend Brennan. I also enjoy working with him. He’s an incredibly talented actor and a fun scene partner who’s become a good friend. We are also thrilled to soon begin filming our mystery series together! Yes, I will be doing a Christmas movie for Countdown to Christmas called
Pride, Prejudice and Mistletoe! I can’t wait to share it all with the viewers.
Net, It’s a Wonderful Movie- What does it mean to you, especially now as a Mother, to create these special movies that families can sit down and watch together?
Lacey Chabert- More than ever I appreciate the positive message of the movies. I love a happy ending as much as anyone else and appreciate that Hallmark tells stories my whole family can enjoy. I hope Julia will one day enjoy watching them! Hopefully I’ve been a part of creating projects that make her proud.
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| Lacey Chabert in "A Family for Christmas" |
Net, It’s a Wonderful Movie- What do you hope viewers will take away from watching your Hallmark movie “
Love on Safari”?
Lacey Chabert- Regarding
Love on Safari, I wish for viewers to enjoy the beauty of South Africa in this movie. I hope that we’ve photographed and told the story in such a way as to make you feel you were there with us! I’m so proud of the movie.
Again, thank you so much for your support!
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images via: Credit: Copyright 2017 Crown Media United States LLC/Photographer: Maritz Verwey
edit by: itsawonderfulmovie.com |
Thank you so much, Lacey, for this lovely interview!
I hope all of my followers here enjoyed reading our chat together, and will look forward to your new Hallmark movie!
Blessings in all you do, Net
See the Premiere of Love on Safari
Saturday July 28, 2018
at 9pm/8c. on the Hallmark Channel
*See the
Weekend Highlights post - for what's new this Saturday and Sunday night. Includes Christmas Preview Show hosted by Lacey Chabert!
