There are extraordinary people in this world with whom it is easy to form a bond due to an assortment of factors, and as the years go by, they become more precious to you no matter the miles that separate you or how many times you chat or don’t chat. Nicole Oliver is one of those sparks of light, positivity, energy, and joy that I am honored to have as a part of my life. She has been so kind to let me interview her five times now (what???), and every time I get the opportunity to chat with her, it is more luscious than the last. In honor of her most recent Hallmark Christmas film, A Family Christmas Gift, (which premiered on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries and the W Network on December 22nd), it is my distinct privilege to share our most recent conversation!
RH: Nicole, it’s so great to chat with you again! Thank you for making the time. I know it’s a busy time of year.
NO: Ruth, it is such a pleasure to chat with you. How’s your lovely daughter?
Oh, she’s doing well. She is a junior–eleventh grade–and she’s taking honors classes and very involved with art. And she’s just taken and passed her driving test, so in February, she’ll be able to get her license.
That’s like my son. I think he and your daughter are about the same age. But please say “hello” to her for me.
I certainly will. {And I did!} She knows who you are, and she was very excited when I told her I would be talking with you. It’s almost Christmas now, and we have seen you in two movies on the Hallmark network this season. I was so thrilled when I saw you pop up in Picture A Perfect Christmas this year. But then finding out that you were going to be in A Family Christmas Gift…I was even more excited!
Yeah, I really like this one that just aired. It is such a great part. I got to work with Holly Robinson Peete and Patti LaBelle. And I was just like, “Pinch me now.”
A Family Christmas Gift
I know! This is a movie I’ve been looking forward to for some time, and I couldn’t be more thrilled for you, Nicole.
It’s just great. It’s got Christmas, family, and gift…what more could you want from a movie?
I couldn’t think of anything better, Nicole. So this movie just premiered three days before Christmas.
A Family Christmas Gift
What a great spot, right? It is directed by my friend, Kevin Fair. I adore Kevin. He’s so much fun on set. He’s just like, “Okay, let’s play.” And the executive producer, Orly Anderson, is the executive producer of Good Witch. It was a full three weeks of filming, and we got to film up north of Whistler. It really felt Christmasy. We shot it in October, so it wasn’t that long ago. Our Canadian Thanksgiving is the second week of October, so after Thanksgiving in Canada, it is all-out Christmas. I know your Thanksgiving is in November, but for us…you could start to see the little town covered and dressed up for the Christmas market October 24th. It was a little weird near Halloween when you have a ghost and a Christmas tree up, but that could be its own Hallmark movie right there.
With Holly and Patti
Well, yeah, all the Hallmark Christmas movies start showing here before Halloween, so it’s not much of a stretch.
It was my first time working with Holly Robinson Peete. Of course, I knew of her. She is just a wonderful woman. I felt so welcome, and she is so gracious. So much fun to play with. The whole cast was like that. Dion Johnstone, who plays her love interest, is just an incredible actor. Wonderful to look at, which doesn’t hurt, right? So much depth. And their chemistry was out of this world. There’s also an actor named Kurt Evans, who plays my husband. He’s a favorite with Hallmark. We had just so much fun. And then you add Patti LaBelle into the mix, and it’s like the perfect cookie recipe for Christmas. It was just amazing. And then hearing her sing…I was crying like a baby. Those tears aren’t fake; they’re real.
with Kurt
I can imagine. I’ve had my eye on this particular movie because the cast is diverse. I do pay attention to that, and I’m very happy to see Hallmark becoming much more diverse in their casting. I love seeing two African-Americans in the leading roles. I don’t make a huge deal about it, but I do notice and am very supportive of this.
It is representative of life, right? It’s nice to have real life represented on all our screens. I agree with you. But beyond all that, it’s a wonderful story for Hallmark. It’s a story of hope and of love and of joy and of passion. And it’s all about trying to save the school music program.
A Family Christmas Gift
Oh, wow, now that’s even better. I’m completely sold on it because I was a music teacher.
Patti LaBelle’s character, Dora, was the big star back in the day. She’s retired back to her hometown and she runs the inn. And Amber, played by Holly, is her niece. Amber is a big-time music editor for a magazine that’s similar to Rolling Stone. She comes back home for Christmas and finds out that the music program is in danger of losing its funding. I wrangle her with the high school music teacher, played by Dion, to do the fundraiser. And Dora comes out of retirement to help raise money to keep music in the schools where it belongs. It’s Christmas, but music is important to me too. My husband’s a composer, and my kids play music and I did too. The ability to sing is so great and important. So having that little storyline on top of it being Christmas–the importance of music education–is so good.
It has been a very musical year for Hallmark, and I’m just loving it. The fans have been asking, and Hallmark has responded.
I always have the Hallmark movies playing in our home. My husband writes music for a lot of the Hallmark movies, so it’s always fun to go, “Hey, honey, your movie’s on!” I just saw Candace Cameron Bure’s Christmas new movie not too long ago. Christmas Town. That movie sucked me right in. And, Ruth, oh my gosh, I love her, and I’ve had the chance to work with her. She’s another really lovely human. But I thought her and her co-star’s {Tim Rozon} chemistry was wonderful. And the angel thing…I was blubbering like a baby. And ours will definitely make you blubber too.
That’s all right. It’s Christmas, and it’s good to have those kinds of moments. It’s the good kind of cry.
Right, it’s not an ugly cry. It’s a pretty Christmas cry.
The Man In the High Castle
There you go, I like that. You’re not crying because the world is crashing down around you. You’re crying because you’re touched. You have those memories and you’re connecting with people. I find the older I get, the more I cry over these movies. I’m sure my daughter, Martha, is probably thinking, “Oh, Mom, get over it. It’s just a movie!”
I love Christmas. It’s my favorite time of year. But I will say I started decorating my house really early this year. I think it had to do with the fact that I needed Christmas now and I had just finished filming that movie. And I was like, “I’m ready to bring the joy and the glitter into my life.”
The Man In the High Castle
So in addition to this movie, is there anything else upcoming that you can mention? I do know that you’re in a couple of episodes of The Man In the High Castle.
Yes, they are available now. I am in season four. I also have an animation show I directed called StarBeam that is premiering on Netflix in February of 2020. I voice directed that. I also have a couple of other big projects coming out that I cannot talk about yet, so stay tuned. When I can talk about them, I will.
Well, that sounds exciting, Nicole. It looks like 2020 will be great for you. So, we’ll stay tuned. Thank you so much for your time. I loved both of your Christmas movies, and we’ll look forward to what’s coming up in the new year.
As always, Ruth, it is such a pleasure. Thank you so much for your support. I hope everyone enjoys A Family Christmas Gift and has a wonderful holiday season.
Words cannot describe just how phenomenal Nicole is. In the years that I have known her, she has become such a beloved friend to me (and to my daughter, Martha too), and I am honored to be able to highlight her yet again on my site. I have only met her once briefly, but it is a moment that I shall always cherish, and I sincerely hope that the new year will provide a moment for us to connect in person yet again. I am elated that Hallmark recognized her brilliance this season with a movie and a character that resonated with me on multiple levels, and I tend to think that the best is yet to be for this benevolent, gifted woman in the weeks, months, and years to come.
If you did not have the opportunity to watch A Family Christmas Gift or Picture A Perfect Christmas, be sure to check the schedule below for the next showings this season:
Picture A Perfect Christmas: Hallmark Channel–December 25, 38, 31–check local times
A Family Christmas Gift: Hallmark Movies & Mysteries–December 24, 26, 30; January 1,2, 5–check local times; W Network: December 25, 26–check local times
Additionally, while you are checking out Nicole’s movies, make sure you visit her links below and follow her on social media. She does an exceptional job of alerting her fans to her upcoming movies and shows, and after all, you don’t want to miss her soon-to-be-announced projects, right? I cannot think of a single reason why anyone would not want to connect with Nicole (unless maybe they prefer to be negative and grumpy), but as far as I’m concerned, she is one of the most brilliant lights out there who has labored intensively for excellence in the film and TV world, and she is a champion especially of women pursuing their passions and true callings, no matter the potential obstacles. She is living proof that a woman is capable of practically anything and the possibilities are limitless! I am grateful for her influence within my life and my daughter’s life, and I can hardly wait to see what’s next on the horizon for this dynamic woman!
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CHECK OUT MY OTHER INTERVIEWS WITH NICOLE
Interview With Actress Nicole Oliver, “My Little Pony: The Movie” & “Wonder”
