I’m an individual who, as I’d think about most of you studying this are, has liked Mae Whitman in every part she’s ever accomplished — from little Bernice Pruitt in Hope Floats and Ann Veal in Arrested Growth to Amber Holt in Parenthood and Annie Marks in Good Women. She’s constructed a profession on characters who really feel deeply human, and her latest role is a (very merry) welcome addition to that lineup.
Hallmark’s Twelve Dates ‘Til Christmas sees Whitman as Kate, a textile designer whose associates nudge her right into a festive relationship experiment. Within the six-episode collection tailored from Jenni Bayliss’ beloved novel, Whitman’s Kate comes to comprehend that the true journey is much less about discovering “the one” and extra about unraveling the issues tangling her development.
For Whitman, the function arrived throughout a profound private transition: She filmed in Eire mere months after giving birth to her son, Miles, surrounded by a group that helped her navigate the inherent weirdness and vulnerability of latest motherhood. The result’s a vacation collection that delivers all the comfortable romance you possibly can hope for — snow-dusted cottages, twinkling lights, basic meet-cutes — coupled with actual love that you could really feel in each scene.
We caught up with Whitman to talk in regards to the emotional coronary heart of Kate’s journey, filming overseas with a new child, and the chosen household that continues to form her life and work.
Scary Mommy: This collection has such a comfortable, basic holiday-romcom really feel, however with a deeper self-discovery arc. What felt new or completely different about navigating Kate’s journey?
Mae Whitman: That was an enormous a part of it for me that I liked a lot is it isn’t your basic like, “Oh, I am lonely on the holidays, and issues would simply be so full if any person would come rescue me.” Once more, there’s a time and a spot for that, love that.
However to me, it is a lot extra attention-grabbing to have this second of being like, “Kate is ok.” She’s not sad in her life. However I feel actually she’s at that time, a type of factors that’s occurred to all of us, the place it is an opportunity to reevaluate and an opportunity to develop. You make the selection: Do I need to cease and switch and face myself and go, “Is there something right here that I am holding onto that is holding me again that I do not want?”
It is scary to do this as a result of you must unravel some stuff … It is very easy to simply proceed enjoying it protected and never need to get damage and not likely need to open your self as much as that vulnerability. I used to be pleased with her as a personality. I used to be pleased with this story and the storytelling, which actually finally ends up changing into rather more about her dealing with her protection mechanisms and the protections she constructed up as a baby, and letting herself launch the issues that are not really serving her anymore.
So it is like, “Sure, there’s romance. Sure, it is cozy. Sure, that is nice.” Nevertheless it’s actually a lot extra about her rising as an individual and coping with her household drama and changing into a extra trustworthy and genuine model of herself. I like a narrative like that.
SM: What do you assume makes a vacation love story hit in another way than an everyday rom-com?
MW: That is an excellent query. I really feel like there’s simply one thing about being cozy. You then combine in the truth that you are in Eire or England. And you have these unbelievable vistas and gardens and the comfortable cottages and all of the outdated stone and also you’re consuming pastries. I imply, come on. There actually is one thing about it.
Even I’ve to confess it, as somebody who was not an enormous Christmas individual, it’s clearly extremely beautiful within the snow and also you’re sporting huge jackets. I imply, what might presumably be higher? However I feel once you combine in any type of the countryside and a fire, that is it. You are toast.
SM: You’ve gotten such robust chemistry with this ensemble. Was there a second on set when it struck you, like, “OK, this forged is magic”?
MW: I’ve recognized Mary McDonnell, who performs my mother, since I used to be 5 years outdated. She performed my mother in Independence Day. In order that was this actually enjoyable connection as a result of we have been like, “Oh, my God, we get to play mother and daughter once more in any case these tens of millions of years,” which felt actually particular. And I am keen on her as an individual. She brings such depth and complexity to that character of Delilah.
And I like Jane [Seymour, “Evelyn”]. Jane’s just like the queen of Eire. She is aware of everybody there, and she or he would have dinner events and lunches and all of that.
Julian [Morris, “Callum”] is such a pricey, expensive man. He is so type. I’ve really nearly by no means met anybody so constructive. It is like you possibly can be having the worst day, and Julian would simply brighten you up in 5 seconds.
There was not a single one who needed something apart from the very best for you. On prime of that, the crew was so gifted at their jobs. They labored effectively sufficient that we had room and house and time in our day for play and silliness. We’d play pranks on one another, and we had themed Fridays the place we would all gown up and have dance events.
And Irish folks care a lot about your high quality of life, about household, about you as an individual.
It was like my dream come true as a result of, to me, what actually pushes a venture over the sting of being actually good, even simply on display screen, is when the crew loves one another and it is a actually good working setting. I really feel like you may actually really feel that. And we had that tenfold in Eire.
SM: Being a brand new mother is such a bizarre time. Superb, however so bizarre —
MW: So bizarre.
SM: It looks like that setting and the folks you have been round actually made the expertise so singular for you, which is gorgeous.
MW: Being a brand new mother after which going again to work, it is so troublesome. Since you’re simply on this cocoon of strolling round topless, not sleeping, along with your child, and there is barf on you. And you have not seen folks, and you are like, “I do not know find out how to communicate English anymore.”
You are simply so susceptible and fragile … your mind is so foggy. And it was horrifying for me. I imply, I used to be genuinely afraid as a result of it was solely a pair months after I might had my son, and I used to be like, On a great day, it is laborious to do that. I do not understand how I will do it with none of my common schools right here.
It was particularly laborious as a result of my companion was working within the States on the similar time, so he could not come. So it was simply me and my child at 4 months outdated, and I might by no means had a child earlier than, shifting to a brand new nation to do that factor.
SM: That sounds actually intimidating!
MW: I used to be so terrified. It is actually a testomony to the folks of Eire and the folks of this venture that I got here from a spot of such susceptible, stripped-down rawness, and I really feel like I emerged so entire and so held and supported and liked and seen and brought care of. I felt stronger than ever.
And it simply gave me, after all, much more such respect and amazement for mothers and all that is anticipated of us. All of the issues we’ve to wrangle, simply even mentally and emotionally, and issues that individuals simply anticipate us to do and be capable to do. I are typically form of laborious on myself and be like, “Ah, you are not doing sufficient.”
I really feel like this was one of many few instances in my life when … I’d get residence after working all day, after which it could be bedtime, so I might make his meals, feed him, give him a shower, do the entire nighttime routine, get the jammies, get him all the way down to mattress. And afterwards, I’d be like, Wow, I’m fairly wonderful. That is laborious, and I am pleased with myself that I am doing this. That is one thing that I will take a minute and let myself have just a little win right here as a result of that is powerful, and I am doing it.
SM: You’ve been on this trade for almost 4 a long time — which is wild to say once you’re not even 40. When you concentrate on younger Mae on units like Associates and One High-quality Day… did you ever in your wildest desires think about you’d nonetheless be right here and doing these unbelievable, cool issues?
MW: No, I imply, I’m nonetheless to today, each time I get a job, I am like, “Whoa, what? Me? Actually? That is insane. How cool.” I’ve all the time, since day one, felt just a little like, all proper, when’s any person going to come back alongside and say, “OK, you may’t simply have a great time daily the remainder of your life whereas working. That is sufficient. You bought time to truly do an actual job now.”
However I feel when you’ve folks round you who perceive and are so grounded and grounding, it makes a world of distinction. So I am simply so grateful daily that I have been in a position to proceed doing this with people who find themselves so wonderful.
SM: Talking of unbelievable connections, followers love that your Parenthood household remains to be so shut. What are some qualities from Lauren Graham and Miles Heizer that you just hope child Miles picks up from having their presence in his life?
MW: Oh, man … no record might ever be lengthy sufficient to explain. It is humorous, we’re so shut that we overlook that we have been even on a TV present collectively. We’re like, “Oh, yeah, keep in mind? That is how we met. That is so loopy.” As a result of it is simply we have lived a lot life.
I haven’t got very many associates. I’ve a small, small group, so the folks I am near, I am actually near … However I feel the 2 of them, it is nearly embarrassing how deeply I really feel for them.
Lauren is somebody who looks like having the crimson telephone within the president’s workplace, however for good recommendation. I really feel so responsible nearly that I’ve this direct line to golden recommendation and the uppermost echelon of existence in her. That I can simply textual content her. In the course of the pandemic, she would carry me groceries, and we would be like, “Movie star Postmates, haha.” As a result of this lady — who’s this unbelievable, gifted, stunning celebrity — is bringing me candy potatoes. And I am calling her from the dentist, being like, “I do not know what to do as a result of my tooth hurts.” Issues which can be simply so absurd, nevertheless it’s, like, she’s actual household to me.
And I imply, Miles, it is a joke: Miles is really the third father or mother to my youngster. We mainly spend daily collectively. He is type of the true existential cause why I consider in something. Why I am not totally an atheist. I am like, “If I like somebody as a lot as I like you, there must be one thing type of religious occurring right here.” It is simply a lot larger than every part else. He is the rationale I do not really feel deeply, existentially alone in my life.
It makes me really feel so fortunate as a result of I’ve this group of individuals round me who come and spend time with my youngster. I really feel like, and naturally I’m biased, it already reveals. My child, he is so glad, and he is humorous, and he is inquisitive, and he is delicate, and he is a great listener, and he is type. He is already all of the issues that I worth in all of the folks I like.
The concept that he’ll have all these qualities be nurtured by who I take into account to be the highest human beings on the planet is, like, I mainly could not have requested for anything in my life. I really feel like that is actually what issues to me most on the earth. And the truth that I’ve it … I can not even consider it. I do not know who I gave a great impression to someplace in my previous lives, however I am deeply appreciative.
SM: Final query, and it’s type of a private favor: Can we please get extra Good Women? Do we have to file a petition? How can we make this occur?
MW: In case you determine it out, let me know … To me, that present might have gone on endlessly. We have been so glad. That was one other dream job. We’d go searching with one another and be like, “I can not consider we get to do that daily collectively.”
Me and the ladies are on a textual content thread — we textual content daily. I really simply took my child to see Christina in New York, and we had the time of our lives. We’re nonetheless tremendous shut, so no less than there’s that. However they did us soiled, and I want we might have had extra time to inform these tales as a result of I promise you we’d’ve accomplished that endlessly.
It means loads to me that individuals actually prefer it. It is one factor so that you can love making one thing, nevertheless it’s one other factor for folks to be like, “We want there was extra of that.” It is barely vindicating. So yeah, if you happen to discover an deal with or one thing I can write a letter to, I am going to make up a faux identify and fake it isn’t from me.
Twelve Dates ‘Til Christmas premieres Friday, Dec. 5, at 8 p.m. ET on Hallmark, with new episodes airing weekly by the Dec. 19 collection finale.
This interview has been edited frivolously for size and readability.
Trending Merchandise
