‘Christmas at the Drive-In’: Danica McKellar Teases ‘Snarky’ Banter in Enemies-to-Lovers Holiday Tale (VIDEO)
For her first movie on the Great American Family channel, Danica McKellar is throwing it back to the golden days of drive-in movie theaters. In Christmas at the Drive-In, premiering Friday, November 25 at 8/7c, The Wonder Years alum plays Sadie Walker, a lawyer fighting to save her hometown’s last surviving drive-in. In a You’ve Got Mail–style twist, the person trying to sell the property is a developer in favor of a more profitable tenant. He also happens to be Sadie’s high school ex, played by Neal Bledsoe.
McKellar’s Sadie hasn’t seen Holden in 20 years when they become rivals. This being McKellar and Bledsoe’s third flick together, the star says their work history makes their characters’ personal history feel natural and “crispy.” In the video interview above, McKellar teases their “snarky” banter. “We would ad-lib a little bit and throw things in there, and a lot of it ended up in the movie. I’m just thrilled with it,” she tells us.
Christmas at the Drive-In is the first of McKellar’s four-movie deal with Great American Family. She tells us having more creative control of her work as part of her role as executive producer was part of the appeal of switching from Hallmark to this new network.
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Hallmark “was great,” she says. “Loved my time there, but at Great American Family, I’ve got a much more active role in my movies. So I’m looking at loglines, working with writers … helping to cast it. I cast this entire movie. It’s just such a wonderful synergy.”
“I’ve been in this business for over 30 years, and finally getting a chance to have more input has been so creatively satisfying,” she shares. “I can’t say there are any surprises except for how satisfying it has been.”
Another aspect of this new creative journey is how her home life reflects the stories she’s been telling in holiday movies for years. In past films, McKellar has played women who move from big cities to small towns and goes through a bevy of unexpected experiences as a result. Having recently moved from California to rural Tennessee with her husband, McKellar says her life is now reflecting art.
Learn more about McKellar’s new role and Christmas at the Drive-In in the full video interview above.
Christmas at the Drive-In, Original Movie Premiere, Friday, November 25, 8/7c, Great American Family
