Interview With Actress Nikki DeLoach, “Cranberry Christmas”

By Ruth on October 31, 2020 in Christmas, Holidays, Interview, movie, television

If there is one actress who is the very epitome of everything lovely, uplifting, kind, dedicated, and essentially the embodiment of all that the Hallmark network represents, it would have to be Nikki DeLoach. From the moment she exploded onto her first Hallmark set, there is no doubt that she has become a force with which to be reckoned in the most positive way imaginable. Nikki’s Christmas movies always resonate with audiences, and her upcoming Hallmark Movies & Mysteries premiere (October 31st) is in line to directly continue this phenomenon. Just a few days ago, Nikki and I had an amazing chat about everything Hallmark and more, and it is my honor and privilege to share it in anticipation of tonight’s premiere.

RH: Nikki, hey there!

ND: Hi, Ruth, how are you?

Busy, but very good. How about you?

It’s so nice to hear your voice. I am busy as well, but also very, very good.

I’m so glad. It was so great getting to see you and Andrew {Walker} in the last Fall Harvest movie of the season. I got to talk with him right before the premiere, and he had such wonderful things to say about you as always.

Thank you. It was such a nice surprise to be able to do that movie with him. We’ve been trying to work together again for a really long time, but it just hadn’t happened again. And then, all of a sudden, I got the call asking if I could be in Winnipeg in a week. I was like, “Yeah, have you found the guy yet?” They were like, “No.” And I’m like, “What about Andrew Walker?” And they were like, “Yes!” And so it all happened that fast!

That’s great! I know he mentioned that you guys might be getting to work together in the future as well. He hinted at a potential mystery wheel in the works.

Yeah, I’m developing that. I wanted to do this potential series with Andrew, so both of us are attached to do it. We’re in the process of developing it with Hallmark, which is really cool. I’m hopeful that it’s something they will push forward soon. I think they have all their mystery stuff for 2020, but we’re hoping for 2021.

Well, I know the fans would love to see more of you two together. It’s always fun to watch you two. Sweet Autumn was just so great. He told me about how you guys rewrote the script. And what’s really funny about that is…I’ll tell you what I told him. When I started seeing the promos for Sweet Autumn, I said, “I don’t care what the movie’s about. I don’t care about anything with the movie except that these two are in it. I know I’m going to love it because of them.” I then went on to say, “You know, those two could improvise a movie. They’re that good.” Then Andrew told me, “Yeah, that’s kind of what we did.” And I was like, “Oh my goodness, I didn’t know that! I was just saying I knew you could do that because you’re that good!”

{laughs} Yes, that is what we did!

It was so much fun to watch. The interaction between you two is amazing. You can tell that your friendship shines through on-screen. There’s just that connection you guys have had all these years.

Thank you, Ruth. You know, when I do find people that I love working with, I like to keep them. Michael Rady being one of them. Andrew being another. I do that with directors and with crews. I really feel like with each person, especially like Michael and Andrew, they’re both so different, and I know I have a different type of chemistry with both of them, but something just clicks. It’s this balance of showing up to do the work as an actor and then also allowing a sense of play. Like not being in your head and not trying to plan a moment, but just being really super present and allowing everything to unfold. And that is not something that you often find, believe it or not. And when it happens, it’s just magic. I love working with both of those actors because of that reason. I knew I didn’t have a lot of time to prepare for Sweet Autumn. But I knew I had Andrew and Gary Yates, and that’s all we needed. I knew we were going to figure it out and make a good movie. You know, like when you have the right team, you go into it with the confidence that you’re going to be carried the entire way, and that’s how I feel about Andrew. And that’s how I feel about working with Gary Yates too.

Well, it definitely came off very well, and that was a great way to end the Fall Harvest season. And now you’ve got a Christmas movie coming out.

Yeah, I do. Cranberry Christmas. And by the way, I’m going to put Ben Ayres on that list now of actors I’d like to work with again. I didn’t know Ben before this movie. I wasn’t familiar with him or his work, but I think he was on the network even before I was. And now he’s doing Chronicle Mysteries with Ali Sweeney. But boy, he was a delight. Also very serious about his work.

But he’s also kind of nerdy thespian like I am. Before every movie, I like to have a read-through of the script with my co-star and my director. I like to mark things in the script where I feel like there’s holes, or I feel like it’s incomplete, or maybe the arc isn’t quite there, or maybe there’s a moment for levity or humor or this or that or just something. I like to go through the entire script. I mark it up. I spend about ten hours on it, and then I like to sit down with my co-star and the director, and I like to go through all the themes as a team and figure things out ahead of time. So when we get to set, we know what we’re doing, and we don’t have to figure it out in the moment. We already know where we’re going. I mean, we don’t have the time. You’ve got fifteen days to make a movie, and you need to know what you’re doing by the time you get on set and be open to just play and be in the moment. And Ben was so down for that.

And when I say that guy has a sense of humor, his comedic timing is off the chart! There is no quicker way to my heart than making me laugh. So the second I learned that he was really good with comedy, I was like, “This is gonna be great.” Because the one thing this script doesn’t have on the page are moments of levity, I thought we needed to bring that because it is a serious subject. It’s a married couple who is in the middle of this secret separation, and they don’t know how they’re going to put the pieces of their marriage together or if they even want to put the pieces of their marriage back together. And that’s a really heavy subject. So how do we add levity and moments of humor inside of this? Ben and I worked really hard to get it there, and I really can’t wait for people to see it! Again, it is something different, but I just feel like people are going to love this specific tone and the balance of the heart and the humor. I think they’re also going to really relate to the story.

When I saw you were going to be working with Ben, I was so excited. I got to interview him last year after asking for a while, and once we broke the ice, we truly bonded over the interview. I had been admiring his Hallmark work from the beginning. I am looking forward to seeing you two, and I think it’s going to be something different, which really excites me.

You know, Nikki, I love the fact that you are always doing these Hallmark movies that are not the typical, run-of-the-mill Hallmark films. Not that there’s anything wrong with those because you need those as well. But you always seem to be able to do projects with more to them than just the entertainment factor. There’s always a purpose behind what you do, and I really appreciate that.

Thank you, Ruth, I appreciate you saying that. It’s something I always try to do. Like if I’m producing, developing, or writing something for them, I always think about, “How do we keep it within the brand and at the same time tell a little bit of a different story, a deeper story? How do we make it more nuanced?” You know, there’s only so many stories you can tell, even from a writing perspective. With rom-coms, there’s like twenty different stories you can tell, but how you tell them differentiates the stories. It’s all about the characters–the nuanced characters that you create inside of those stories.

And I also think, Ruth, that talking to people in our audience, it’s really important for me actually to connect and not just be on Twitter saying, “Thanks so much for watching,” or “What was your favorite part?” I want to connect with people through direct messages and through doing interviews with you and other people who really know what they’re talking about with the stories and the movies. When you say that a movie is good, I respect your opinion because you watch these movies and you know them inside and out. There’s no better person than someone like you to say, “This is working for me,” because you are the audience, and you are an expert on this type of movie. I feel like we need to play towards the intelligence of our audience. I believe they can handle more, and we should be treating them like adults. I believe they want stories with more emotional depth while keeping the humor and levity and everything else that makes Hallmark Hallmark, the heart of it all. But I think we can go bigger and deeper. In fact, not only do I think that our audience can receive that, but I think they’re hungry for it.

I know exactly what you mean. I still love your Christmas movie from last year, Two Turtle Doves. I can’t even tell you how much that movie still means to me. When it gets replayed, I find myself sitting there, watching it again. That movie had such a profound impact on me. I know some people might find it funny that I would say that about a Hallmark movie, but it actually did. The story was relatable. Maybe I hadn’t experienced exactly what your character had experienced, but the subject matter of loss and making the most of the time you’re given really resonated with me. My daughter is in her final year of high school, and I want to make those memories that last because Christmas will change after this year. And as we know–even more so this year–nothing is guaranteed.

Thank you for telling me all that. Two Turtle Doves will always go down as one of the most meaningful movies I’ve ever made. Not just for Hallmark, but ever made. Especially knowing that so many of those scenes were pulled straight from the writer, Sarah Montana’s life, and how she had to grieve her mother and brother’s tragic loss, we really wanted to honor that in that movie. Everybody knows what it feels like to lose something or someone. It’s not often that you get to tell stories of grief and trauma, and I thought it was a really beautiful and brave risk that Hallmark took. And one that really paid off.

I agree totally. But I am looking forward to Cranberry Christmas this weekend! I saw the previews for it, and again, you’re dealing with something that is not always discussed. Not just on Hallmark, but we don’t even see this kind of story on regular networks very often. You see couples who are divorced and separated, but it’s not very often that you see them even think about trying to work things out.

Exactly. I love the script, by the way. The writer did a beautiful job with Cranberry Christmas, and it made it so fun for Ben and myself and the director to be able to get in there and build even more nuance. Like when your foundation is really strong, then it’s exciting to get in there and carve out those moments of specificity and nuance and levity, which we were able to do since we were delivered a really good story and script. I am just so fortunate that Hallmark trusts me with telling stories like this. I feel really privileged to be able to do that. I take it very seriously, and they know I’m going to give one hundred percent of myself to this story, making sure that it’s brought to life most authentically and entertainingly possible. At least, that’s what I try to do.

I just love the idea that this couple was in one of the valleys of their marriage, and that’s where we meet them. I don’t know of anybody who has been married for a long time who has not been in a valley and who has not been questioning, “Is this too hard? Have we outgrown each other? Is the love still there? What is there left to fight for, or do we even want to fight for our marriage?” I don’t know of anybody who hasn’t asked themselves those questions at some point in time in their marriage. I think that exploring those themes will be so relatable to anyone watching out there who is married or who has gone through that valley or who is currently in that valley.

Because one thing we know about 2020 is that we’re spending a lot of time with our family. More time than we ever have before. It’s actually bringing people together, and it’s also bringing up lots of things for married couples that they haven’t dealt with. Things that have been left unsaid or because their lives were so busy, you know they just ignored them and said, “Oh, we’ll deal with that when there’s time.” And time just escaped them. But now we’re trapped in our houses with each other, and we have no choice but to either figure it out or let it go. What I think this story offers is this truly beautiful blueprint for dealing with such a situation. If their love is still there and the respect is still there…this couple in the movie still love each other, and they have deep admiration and respect for each other. They just lost sight of that along the way. So this movie is a beautiful blueprint for how to move forward in a marriage with a lot of respect and kindness and a lot of love when you’re trying to make these really big decisions about your future. I’m really proud of the story we told.

I’m so glad to hear that, and I have no doubt it’s going to be wonderful. I’ve been looking forward to it. It’s been such a wild year. I don’t know how Hallmark’s making these Christmas movies happen.

They’re amazing. I have no idea either. I have to say that I’ve been locked down like nobody’s business. I am serious about this work. I wear a mask when I come home from set, and I’m around my children. I have a son whose immune system is compromised, so I have to be extremely careful. I was pleasantly surprised by how this is being handled by Hallmark and its production companies, at least via my two experiences.

Granted, I’m also a person who is a leader on set. I hold very strong boundaries, and I believe that it doesn’t matter if there’s an actor who isn’t really concerned about the pandemic. In fact, if he/she is not concerned about it, that’s not the issue. The issue is that it exists and it is real, and we all have to abide by these rules. If we all can abide by these rules and do what we’re supposed to do, we can safely work inside this environment. We can bring people Hallmark movies, and we can keep everyone safe. I tend to be the person who comes in, and I’m like, “These are the rules. There are the boundaries. People are wearing their masks, and we’re going to do the protocols. And if for some reason that doesn’t work for you, then you might need to go find a different set to work on.”

I was fortunate to work with two teams of people who were just as committed to safety and protocols as I was. I was also very lucky that I got to do both of these movies in Canada, where there’s virtually no community spread. It made it a lot easier for us to do this. Right now, I’m working on a show here in LA, and I’ve got to say they’re going to great lengths also to keep their people safe. I’m not saying things can’t happen. Sure, they can happen. But it does make me very hopeful because this virus isn’t going away. We’re going to be dealing with this for a lot longer than I think a lot of people think. And we have to figure out a way to get people back to work and get people back to work in a safe environment. And these productions are figuring it out. And by the way, the leader was Hallmark. They were up and running before most any other productions were. I’m just so proud of their effort and what they did and what they continue to do. Forty Christmas movies!

I know! Forty Christmas movies! It’s hard to imagine! But it’s good to know you’re currently working on something, and once you can announce that, we will be very excited! I’m so glad you’re still working, Nikki, during this time. We look forward to seeing it.

I appreciate that so much, Ruth.

Now before we go, I think I remember reading that you are doing something with Alzheimer’s.

That’s right. I’m doing the Walk to End Alzheimer’s on November 7th. I’ve been doing this series of Instagram lives because, especially this year, I always seek to ask myself, “If somebody is going to donate their money or their time to this cause…” it means a lot to me, and it’s an incredible cause. Millions of people in our country face Alzheimer’s, not to mention all the family members who are caretakers and have to go through this disease. I want to give back. I want to do something to say “thank you” to these people for giving their time, money, and energy towards this.

with Ashley Williams

So I came up with this series of Instagram lives where I talked to various people. Like my brother and also Andrew Walker, whose mother has Alzheimer’s. I talked to Dr. Heather Snyder of the Alzheimer’s Association to answer a bunch of questions that had come through about Alzheimer’s and dementia. I talked to Laurie Hernandez the other day. I figured my followers and fans might have questions because they’re dealing with their loved ones who are sick, and every Alzheimer’s and dementia patient is different. But if they have questions that need to be answered and they’re wondering how to get through this themselves, I thought this series might be beneficial to these people. So that’s been really fun to be able to deliver that to my followers. And we have a new member of the team, Ashley Williams’ sister, Kimberly Williams-Paisley. So we’re walking on November 7th. Kimberley is walking in Nashville. Ashley’s walking in Canada. And I’m walking in LA. You can go to my Instagram page and go to the link in my bio, and you can sign up to join our team. You can register to join. If you can’t walk, you can donate. Or if you just want more information, just go to alz.org. There’s so much information about this disease and what you can do. Whether it’s finding a doctor or finding help or trying to figure out what frontal temporal dementia is. The website has everything, no matter what it is.

That’s cool that you’re doing that, Nikki. I already donated. I do every year. I’m glad to see you all doing this. My dad has Alzheimer’s and has for a few years. So it’s an important cause to me as well.

I’m so sorry to hear that, Ruth. But thanks also for your donation. I really appreciate that.

It’s hard to see my dad decline, but we are staying as positive as possible. And I appreciate the fact that you’re one who has been such a champion of getting information out there and making people aware of Alzheimer’s. I think it touches a lot more people than we realize.

It really does. The more I have worked with this organization, the more I have learned that this disease touches many more people than we think it is. And it’s only going to worsen as the boomer generation gets older if we don’t hunker down and dedicate everything that we’ve got to prevention and finding a cure. We are learning more and more every single day about this disease. And we are learning more about how to prevent it and what the triggers are, especially when it comes to vascular dementia, which is triggered by heart problems. I believe the more money we put into research and dedicating ourselves to finding a cure and learning preventative measures, I really do believe that we will be able to beat this disease finally.

Me too. Well, thank you so much, Nikki, for your time. I just love talking to you.

Ruth, it is a pleasure. With you, it’s always like I’m talking to an old friend. I think it’s been that way from the very beginning. Like the first time we got on the phone, it just felt like we’d known each other our whole lives. And we are just talking as friends.

Yes, Nikki, I feel the same way. It’s easy to talk to you, and I’m glad you find it easy to talk to me.

It’s a delight, Ruth, so thank you so much.

My pleasure, Nikki.

I hope everyone enjoys Cranberry Christmas this weekend, and thank you for the support. Stay safe, and take care.

What an honor to have Nikki regard me as a friend! We’ve never met, but as she stated, it’s as though we’ve known each other all our lives. I don’t exactly comprehend everything about these kinds of connections, but regardless, I never take them for granted. Nikki proceeds to be an inspirational, energetic, empathetic, sincere voice in an environment that sometimes does not value those characteristics as highly as expected. Nikki is not the typical actress; she is one robust woman who can accomplish anything she sets her mind to, and she does it all by the grace of God and through the help of her family and friends. However, Nikki is also a go-getter, and she is motivational energy in this world. What a brilliant role model for women, both young and old, and I am honored to feature her here.

Please be sure that you tune in tonight (October 31st) to the Hallmark Movies & Mysteries Network for her new Christmas movie, Cranberry Christmas. {My Canadian friends will need to tune into the W Network on November 8th for this movie’s premiere.} In addition to watching this movie and tweeting up a storm, be sure that you visit Nikki’s links below and follow her where applicable. A more extraordinary, humble, perceptive woman than Nikki, you probably won’t find in this universe. You can always rest assured that Nikki will be upbeat, sweet, and always have a good sense of humor while delivering relevant messages that train, encourage, and revitalize!

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Nikki DeLoach

CHECK OUT MY PAST INTERVIEWS WITH NIKKI

Interview With Actress Nikki DeLoach, “Two Turtle Doves”

Interview With Actress/Executive Producer Nikki DeLoach, “Reunited At Christmas”

Interview With Actress Nikki DeLoach, “Truly, Madly, Sweetly”

Interview With Actress Nikki DeLoach, “A Dream of Christmas”

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RuthView all posts by Ruth

“Don’t bend; don’t water it down; don’t try to make it logical; don’t edit your own soul according to the fashion. Rather, follow your most intense obsessions mercilessly.” — Franz Kafka Ruth is an inspirational entertainment journalist who instinctively sees the best in all and seeks to share universal beauty, love and positivity. She is an artist who leads with her heart and gives readers a glimpse of the best of this world through the masterful use of the written word. Ruth was born in Tacoma, Washington but now calls Yelm, Washington her home. She lives on five acres with her parents, a dog, two miniature goats, cats and a teenage daughter who is a dynamic visual artist herself. Ruth interviews fellow artists both inside and outside of the film/television industry. At the core of all she does is the strength of her faith.

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2 Comments

denise November 1, 2020 Reply

I enjoyed this interview with Nikki so much!

I so appreciate her work to end Alzheimer’s. One of my relatives was recently diagnosed, so it’s close to my heart as well.
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  Ruth November 2, 2020 Reply
  
  I’m so sorry Denise! So hard to have it affect our families. Thank you for reading!

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