Danica McKellar is certainly one of our favourite folks to speak with as a result of she’s so very alive when speaking about what she loves.
That features Hallmark, her son, and the vacations amongst different issues. She talked just a little bit about all of that and much more as she promoted Hallmark’s Christmas She Wrote, airing this Sunday on Hallmark. She stars with Dylan Neal, who we additionally had an opportunity to talk with relating to the movie.
Get your self a cup of scorching cocoa and snuggle up with a blanket and discover out extra from Danica with our interview, which has been edited for readability and content material.
I simply acquired off the telephone with Dylan Neal, so I am all in Christmas She Wrote mode.
How’s he doing? He says you had a very good time filming. We did. We did. I did not know what it was going to be like. It was the primary film that I would finished within the period of COVID, and it was superb. Clearly, there have been numerous cautions. Each morning you checked in, and we acquired examined each week.
And one fascinating factor was that earlier than… So clearly, I am not ruining it by telling you there is a massive kiss on the finish. We needed to gargle with hydrogen peroxide between each take, and it was like this complete factor.
And the primary time they gave it to me, it was so robust I assumed my mouth was going to be on hearth. I used to be like, I do not suppose I am going to have the ability to really feel my mouth anymore, I do not understand how this can go, but it surely was superb. I acquired used to it. It was plenty of masks, but it surely was superb. It actually did not trigger that many delays. I used to be very impressed.
So I determine, as a author your self, you would possibly’ve been capable of join along with your character of Kayleigh. What are you able to inform me about Kayleigh and her journey?
Yeah, so much more so than being a author, I do these motivational talks each Monday. I do make McKellar Motivational Monday, a stay broadcast on my Instagram, Fb Dwell, and Twitter, and I have been doing it for years, and I simply decide a subject, and it is actually about being your finest self.
It may very well be something. It may very well be that not holding on to anger. It may very well be about motivating to train, all types of subjects. And my character Kayleigh King writes an recommendation column. It is a self-help column known as Your Finest Self.
And once I first learn it, I used to be like, wait, did they write this for me? It was form of loopy. However no, as a result of they really had given me a few totally different scripts to take a look at, and this simply occurred to be certainly one of them.
In order that’s a very cool factor to have in frequent, however sure, I really wrote an recommendation column once I was 14. Once I was 14 till I used to be 18, and known as Teen Beat journal it was known as Pricey Danica.
You probably did?
I did; it was like Pricey Abby, Pricey Danica, yeah. And so I really tried to get ahold of… I haven’t got… I ponder if my mother has an outdated journal as a result of I did that for 4 years.
I’ve at all times had this want to attach with folks and kind of something that I’ve gone by in my life to share and philosophize about how we are able to actually be our greatest self, the perfect model of ourselves.
All of us have decisions in each second and day-after-day of our lives and the way we are able to try this and maximize that to have the perfect expertise on this planet that we are able to.
So she’s acquired an recommendation column known as Your Finest Self, and that is the way it begins. She’s acquired this recommendation column at a New York newspaper.
The paper enterprise is struggling as a result of all the things goes digital. However proper earlier than Christmas, she finds out her boss has been fired and changed by somebody new. This man, Tripp Wyndham, performed by Dylan Neal, he fires me. He is been tasked with making price range cuts and layoffs, and with out even studying my column, he fires me.
This one was of the “he stated, she stated” selection. I need to know what he stated. What did Dylan say? He did not even learn my column. I imply, how do you hearth someone not even understanding what you are firing?
So I discovered that extremely insulting. And in the course of the week he fires me, I am like, did you ever learn it? And he ignores the query. So he does not know what he is finished. My column was highly regarded.
His boss will get actually indignant that I used to be fired as a result of the readers are actually upset. It’s important to get her again. And now I’ve already left. I’ve already gone again residence to Pineberry for Christmas to spend it with my sister and niece feeling extremely insulted and disrespected.
The man did not even care what my column was about. He simply was wanting on the numbers and simply minimize me. And never even taking a look at my recognition, similar to, oh, nicely we do not want a self-help column, let’s simply cross that one off the record. So he comes again, Mr. Smiley, making an attempt to get me again.
I am like, he cannot simply snap his fingers, and I will come operating again. There isn’t any manner. And I really begin my very own column there within the native paper known as Your Finest Christmas Self and use it to encourage the neighborhood and assist folks discover a Christmas spirit once more.
And he sticks round, and I name him Scrooge at one level within the film early on, and he begins to turn into rather less Scroogey because the film goes on, and he is nonetheless making an attempt to win me again. And issues would possibly work out rather well. I am simply saying.
What a shock!
Yeah! It is actually enjoyable Christmasy stuff after they have been simply ice skating, snowman constructing. Truly, the ice skating, so I’m on social media, as I discussed, I am additionally on TikTok. And on TikTok, I did a TikTok describing, as a result of I am not an ice skater. I can not skate to avoid wasting my life.
I imply, if I am holding onto the rail, I can do superb. After which after an hour or so, I am warmed up, and I can form of get round. However my character’s purported to be a improbable ice skater.
Like he is saying, “Look, I need you to come back again to the column.” And I say, “Nicely, I will give it some thought for those who can catch me.” And I rise up, and I bolt throughout the ice; this was not going to occur. And once I learn the script, I advised the director, I stated, “I like the script. So excited, however there’s one thing it is best to know. This isn’t going to be me on the ice.”
So we acquired a skating double, which is ok. However there is a scene, and so whereas I am skating, they put me on this rig in order that it may very well be a detailed up whereas I am really skating. I made a TikTok about this, and it went completely viral.
Like I do not try this many TikToks. They get a few hundred thousand views. This one has like 8.6 million views, all about me not with the ability to ice skate, which form of humorous. Folks love seeing what I can not do, I suppose. I do not know.
@danicamckellar
Have been you on the rig in your TikTok?
Yeah. It exhibits the entire thing, and it is like 4 TikToks in the past. I solely do a pair a month as a result of they take me some time, but when I get impressed, then I will do one. And I used to be impressed to try this. And Ava Telek, the lady who performs my niece, she is the one who filmed me.
I used to be like, “Right here. You at all times go to younger folks if you wish to do a TikTok as a result of they know what is going on on. Are you able to movie me for TikTok?” “Completely.” I did not have to elucidate what it was. She was down, and by the best way, everybody else, everyone, and I imply, forged, crew, you identify it. They might completely skate as a result of they’re Canadians.
The director was even like, “Come on. I imply, it will probably’t be that dangerous.” So I stood up on the ice and I form of made my approach to him, and he is like, “I will take your palms, ” and he goes, “Yeah, no. We’re not going to have you ever skate on this film.”
I wager you possibly can run rings round them within the math division.
Positive, certain.
Yeah, everyone has their factor, Danica.
Everybody’s acquired their factor. You will be good at all the things. This isn’t certainly one of mine.
You may’t be good at all the things!
You are humorous. They edited it nice; you’d by no means know besides that I am telling everyone in my video that has 8.7 million views, so everybody’s going to know watching it, but it surely’s form of enjoyable. Folks like that behind the scenes stuff.
Sure. Sure, and the film magic and being in on it makes a film extra thrilling generally.
Sure, completely. I agree.
So is the Matchmaker Mysteries sequence nonetheless a go? Are you going to do extra of these?
Sure, sure. We really shoot the subsequent one in January.
Oh, good!
Yeah, and so this is a humorous factor.
Any hints you can provide us?
Nicely, one factor I’ll say, I am not going to offer any hints about this coming episode, however within the earlier episode, the man who performed my ex-boyfriend, Dan Payne, is on this film [Christmas She Wrote] and performs my ex-boyfriend.
Nicely, a part of the story I did not point out, so a part of the explanation why I do not often return residence for the vacations is that 5 years prior, my boyfriend, my fiance determined that he ought to, he is a physician, he determined that he wanted to go to Haiti to construct hospitals and wished to vary his life.
And I wasn’t transferring internationally to a overseas nation away from my household away from, at that time, my character was a therapist that simply wasn’t, it simply wasn’t going to work for me. And so I used to be form of hoping he’d keep, however he did take the chance, and he left.
However he comes residence for Christmas yearly, and so I often keep away from being residence for Christmas due to that. And certain sufficient, we run into one another, which turns into difficult as a result of he is determined to maneuver again to Pineberry. And it is a actually enjoyable love triangle on high of all the things else. It is actually enjoyable. I like these awkward scenes.
It is like, oh, you have been anticipating to see someone. And there is loads of that on this film. It is actually enjoyable. There’s additionally a very enjoyable scene the place I make dinner. I make a vacation dinner, and my sister invitations Tripp with out telling me after which tells me on the final minute. After which Dan, my ex-boyfriend, exhibits as much as return a shawl that I had left someplace.
And so it was like each guys find yourself at this household dinner. So awkward. And my character is a horrible prepare dinner however does not actually understand how dangerous she is as a result of everybody pretends to love the actually horrible meals. There’s plenty of comedy on this film. It is simply plenty of enjoyable. Persons are going to love it.
Does Dan really feel dangerous that he is at all times in second place?
He is like, “So we aren’t collectively in any of those?” However I will be live-tweeting for the film, and I will be performing some giveaways, too. So on set, actors have what are known as sides, and I write throughout mine. I write notes about what my character is considering when she says it and like references.
And so since this film is named Christmas She Wrote, and I wrote everywhere in the sides, and I saved them simply because I am a giant nerd. I assumed you realize what, it would be form of enjoyable to offer away. There will be a chance to win a few of these for people who find themselves watching stay, tweeting with me.
I feel they are going to must reply questions on what is going on on within the film. It should be plenty of enjoyable. I like Twitter events. I am really actually, actually good at writing again to nearly everyone.
I imply, I can not say everyone as a result of I do not need to break any guarantees right here, however I make it my purpose to reply each one who tweets me. So mainly, I am tweeting the entire time. I not often get to observe the film, so it is good that I’ve seen it as a result of I watch it beforehand.
You guys! That is the week! My model new film “Christmas She Wrote” premieres Sunday Dec sixth at 8pm/7pmC on @hallmarkchannel Be part of my Twitter watch social gathering – make a plan to observe and tweet with me, utilizing the hashtag #ChristmasSheWrote !!🎄🥰🎬@DylanNealStudio @actorDanPayne pic.twitter.com/1iXDQvozhl
— Danica McKellar (@danicamckellar) December 1, 2020
It is actually enjoyable. You spend all this time making ready to shoot a film after which capturing it after which watching it; it is so enjoyable to contain the neighborhood and the entire nation watching on the similar time and answering questions and giving behind the scenes tidbits as individuals are watching stuff. So it is simply plenty of enjoyable, live-tweeting.
Final time we talked, you had talked about that you just have been working with No Child Hungry, connecting with followers utilizing the cameo service. Are you continue to doing that, too?
I’m. Actually, I had 11 cameos ready for me to do, which I will be doing once I get off the telephone with you, really. Sure, they’re coming in. They arrive in much more while you get close to the vacations. I bear in mind final yr I used to be doing; I do not know, a few totally different nights, like proper earlier than Christmas, I used to be doing 30 an evening. That takes a very long time.
Wow.
Yeah, it is like three to 4 minutes for each the place I learn it, take into consideration what I will say, after which document it, after which I’ve to add it, but it surely’s so nice. I have been specializing in plenty of foster care charities and youngster trafficking charities now, along with No Child Hungry or Mission Angel Meals.
If we will be correct about it, nowadays, I have been focusing the cameo proceeds on locations like Youngster Well being, which is doing wonderful work for youths, any form of abuse in anyway.
My Stuff Baggage, an amazing group that is serving to youngsters who’re getting pulled out of their houses, abusive houses, and getting thrown into foster care. They don’t have anything of their very own, and also you give baggage of stuff, brings a lot consolation to those youngsters. Each bag has a blanket and an age-appropriate e-book and a toy and a stuffed animal to carry on to, and toiletries, issues like that.
My Stuff Baggage, I like them. I have been supporting that charity perpetually. For nearly 20 years, I first discovered about them again in; I feel it was 2002. So that they’re fantastic folks, and I have been donating to them, and I’ve a complete checking account merely devoted now to cameos cash are available in and sending out.
So I can really inform you what my previous couple of donations have been. Yeah, No Child Hungry, Assist Erase Youngster Trafficking, Mission Angel Meals, Love 146, and Dave Thomas Basis for Adoption.
My pleasure! 🥰 RT @DTFA: Actress and writer @danicamckellar not too long ago hosted a livestream to boost consciousness and help for the Basis’s mission. Thanks, Danica! Your generosity will assist discover perpetually households for extra kids ready in #FosterCare. pic.twitter.com/3BKhd3s1Og
— Danica McKellar (@danicamckellar) December 3, 2020
Wow.
It is youngsters for me. Child to Child is one other one.
And that actually makes doing the cameos far more particular, I feel.
Oh yeah. I imply, I’ve such a chance like someone needs their favourite to say glad birthday or Merry Christmas and provides just a little behind the scenes tidbit about certainly one of their favourite films, and similar to that.
So I cost $150, and Cameo takes 25%, and 75% goes to the checking account that I advised you I exploit for charity donations. 100% of that goes. Similar to that, $112 has gone to a charity, and I do 10 at a time.
Welcome to #TrainingTuesdays : https://t.co/hk2TbFLkpZ Study the indicators of human trafficking & ship me a screenshot of your certificates so I can thanks for becoming a member of the battle! Let’s create a world of watchdogs. 👊 #endchildtrafficking #EndHumanTrafficking @OURrescue @TimBallard pic.twitter.com/EKADCpR5tS
— Danica McKellar (@danicamckellar) November 24, 2020
It is stunning.
My grandmother, my late grandmother, used to say, “Danica, are you aware that you would be able to make folks glad simply by saying whats up to them. Have you learnt what a present that’s?” And I do, and now I can take it even additional than that.
Simply not making someone glad, placing a smile on their face throughout this bizarre yr, and bringing smiles to youngsters’ faces who haven’t got so much to smile about essentially.
We additionally had talked about you doing homeschooling movies with Penguin Random Home. How did that go?
Yeah, I simply made them alone after which tagged them. It wasn’t like a sponsored factor. It was simply me wanting to assist youngsters and oldsters who’re struggling at residence.
I imply, thank goodness plenty of the colleges have gone again, however plenty of dad and mom nonetheless want that further assist. And I knew that I may assist past simply my math books I have been doing for a very long time.
I am certain I’ve talked about this to you earlier than, I’ve acquired math books for ages zero to 16. They’re all at KellarMath.com, and over the summer time, my e-book The Occasions Machines got here out. I do not know for those who and I talked earlier than then. We would have talked earlier than that.
So The Times Machine is my 10th e-book. It got here out over the late summer time, and it lastly closes the hole. So now, regardless of how outdated your child is between zero and 16, I’ve a e-book for you.
Oh, good!
And The Occasions Machine is multiplication and division actually grades second by fifth. Anybody who’s studying their multiplication tables and studying lengthy division, that form of stuff. It is in there.
It is all in graphics, cartoons; it is like a graphic novel, form of actually enjoyable little tales and foolish stuff to assist youngsters bear in mind their multiplication tables, which I would by no means seen earlier than.
I’ve by no means seen a e-book that really helped youngsters memorize multiplication tables with foolish tales and foolish enjoyable poems and visuals. It was actually gratifying to have the ability to try this as a result of when dad and mom are nonetheless struggling at residence, they do not know how you can train the children their classes.
And sure, my books do have that stuff in it too, but in addition an effective way to spend your time at residence in case your child must be taught her multiplication tables is to have them memorize the multiplication tables as a result of that does not take plenty of… There isn’t any technique and large math ideas for fogeys to must attempt to perceive.
It is “this is a enjoyable story, so that you keep in mind that six instances seven is 42.” Nice. I am actually glad about that. So good distance of claiming the maths factor has clearly been how I have been capable of contribute to folks and assist their youngsters get educated.
However now, simply realizing what number of extra dad and mom are coping with college at residence, I had one thing to supply there. So yeah, I made these movies again in April and Could, perhaps.
They usually’re nonetheless on my Instagram profile web page. For those who go to these circles, I feel they’re known as highlights. One among them is named college at residence for fogeys to see that.
Was there the rest that you just dove into within the time that you just had away from filming and stuff? Realizing you, you in all probability have three extra tasks within the works.
I am engaged on a e-book that comes out in 2022, however I am not speaking about it but. It is one other enjoyable e-book, kind of extra considerably like 10 Magic Butterflies, but it surely’s extra of a narrative with just a little little bit of math snuck in. It isn’t a lot like educating like The Occasions Machine’s actually educating ideas. So it’ll be extra of a enjoyable e-book.
And searching ahead to Matchmaker Mysteries arising right here and extra homeschooling my little boy, simply making an attempt to get pleasure from each second of motherhood that I probably can. He is 10 years outdated now. I like each minute of it. Making an attempt simply to soak up him.
I will brag about my youngster now. He is so sensible, and he is so candy and such a giant coronary heart. And so he is 10, so he is acquired all that intelligence and life expertise now to actually have the ability to have actual conversations with, however he nonetheless simply needs to snuggle at evening.
And I do know you guys have plenty of particular Christmas traditions. You talked final yr about your chocolate xmas log that your mom handed down the recipe. What’s in your agenda to make this Christmas really feel extra particular?
Nicely, I imply, I will do the xmas log once more, for certain. Adorning the home. We have already began adorning. It’s going to in all probability be smaller once more like Thanksgiving was just a little smaller, however this is a humorous factor, really. So my son has graduated when it comes to Christmas.
I feel he is aware of what meaning, and I do not need to destroy Christmas or Santa for anyone, however so Elf on the Shelf is one thing that form of began when he was already like just a little bit older, however I simply began it final yr, and my son completely hates Elf on the Shelf.
I do not know what it’s, but it surely’s so hilarious that it is irresistible. So I can wait to start out Elf on the Shelf once more. He is like, “Mother, I do know you positioned them.” “No, I did not.” “Come on, that is actually silly; I hate it.”
[laughing]Is there one thing fallacious with me? I like torturing my youngster with Elf on the Shelf!
#HallmarkStar @danicamckellar offers us a particular glimpse at her upcoming #CountdownToChristmas film #ChristmasSheWrote! Tune in for the premiere SUNDAY at 8pm/7c on @hallmarkchannel. pic.twitter.com/el1fRvH2G7
— Residence & Household (@HomeandFamilyTV) December 4, 2020
what, you are torturing him with Elf on the Shelf, that is a very good torture.
I feel he likes how a lot he hates it. I do not know if that makes any sense.
Completely.
I feel he likes how a lot I like torturing. It is so humorous. I do not even know how you can describe it. He is similar to, “Mother, do not deliver out Elf on the Shelf.” I suppose you can say it is just a little bit creepy too, however in a humorous manner. Anyway, I can not wait. I can not wait to determine the primary hiding spot. He is together with his dad proper now; we share custody. So in a number of days, I will begin.
On all of the cabinets!
We simply have one proper now, however that is an fascinating concept. Possibly they will multiply. Hey, look; there’s extra! It is just like the 12 days of Christmas.
If you are going to have an evil streak, it is not so dangerous?
Yeah, that is not such a nasty “evil” streak. Put a cookie or a sweet in every certainly one of his palms.
I can not wait. I will be utilizing my creativity to determine some actually enjoyable, new issues. I’ll say I am very a lot wanting ahead to; I need to say I am not simply somebody in Hallmark Christmas films.
I like watching them. I’ve acquired my socks, and I’ve acquired my blanket that claims, “Shh, Hallmark Channel’s on,” and I’ve a complete bunch of my mates’ films DVRed, and I’m going to start out. I wrap presents to Hallmark films, and I brined my Turkey to Hallmark films for Thanksgiving.
I simply find it irresistible. It is simply such a good time of yr. It will get darkish sooner, so I have a tendency to show the TV on earlier, too, form of snuggle up sooner.
Do you could have a favourite one? Did you could have a favourite one that you have seen thus far this yr? I do know you do not actually need to single anyone out.
I do not need to single anyone out as a result of I’ve mates in nearly all of them, so I do not need to single anybody out, however they’re all nice. They’re all nice. They usually’re much more artistic ones this yr, too, I observed. Some totally different storylines. It is actually enjoyable to see extra selection, but it surely’s all nice.
It is at all times with that heat, glad glow of a Hallmark film. You at all times end watching a Hallmark film feeling higher than you felt while you turned it on. That is the magic of what I get to be part of, and I am so grateful to be part of that. Particularly this yr.
All of us want just a little extra Christmas this yr, and all of us want just a little extra Hallmark this yr. That is how I really feel about it.
Folks at all times complain about Christmas beginning too early till this yr.
Not this yr.
This yr, they’re like deliver on the Christmas.
Carry it on. Hallmark Channel exhibits Christmas films in March for 3 weekends after which once more, Christmas in July, after all, and beginning earlier than Halloween.
So yeah, you are proper. No person complained this yr.
Not a single criticism. All people’s like, deliver it on. We’re prepared. We’re prepared to flee.
Yeah, we’re able to really feel good and bear in mind the glad household connection and all these good issues that Hallmark makes you are feeling.
You should definitely tune into Hallmark Channel on Sunday, December 6 at 8/7 to see Danica on Christmas She Wrote.
Carissa Pavlica is the managing editor and a workers author and critic for TV Fanatic. She’s a member of the Critic’s Choice Association, enjoys mentoring writers, cats, and passionately discussing the nuances of tv and movie. Observe her on Twitter and e-mail her right here at TV Fanatic.