When I was a teenager, I found myself blissfully amongst the throngs of viewers who tuned into Full House every Friday night. It was “the show” to watch, and I treasured every one of the characters in their own right. I never dreamed that years later, I would be interviewing one of the stars of that sitcom, Candace Cameron Bure. For the past several years, I have meticulously followed her Hallmark career. In fact, whenever I interviewed one of her co-stars, I consistently jumped at the chance to get “the scoop” on what it was like to work with her (and I was never disappointed by what I heard). I have been encouraged and impressed by her testimony of God’s grace in her life and how she chooses to live her life. At times, I must admit that I wavered in my belief that interviewing her would ever come to pass. Still, an unforeseen opportunity came about due to an extraordinary connection I have in the Hallmark world. As a result,  just last week, my dream of chatting with her came to fruition. In anticipation of Sunday’s (November 29th) premiere on the Hallmark Channel–If I Only Had Christmas–it is my supreme honor and delight to share our recent conversation with all of my readers today.

Candace Cameron Bure Credit: ©2020 Crown Media United States LLC/Photographer: David Dolsen

RH: Candace, thank you so much for making the time to chat with me today.

CCB: You’re welcome. It’s very lovely to talk with you today, Ruth.

Are you filming right now?

No, I wrapped a week ago Friday. I’m actually back home.

Did you film one or two Aurora Teagardens?

Well, during COVID this year, I filmed two.

Right. But this last time, you just filmed one?

Yes, that is correct.

Okay, good. That’s what I thought. Well, let me tell you that it has been one of my dreams to get to talk with you. I’ve been a massive fan of yours since I was a teenager. So this is great, and I want to tell you that I’ve loved watching your career all this time. I appreciate your faith also, and that’s a huge reason why I adore you.

Well, thank you. That means a lot.

behind-the-scenes
Aurora Teagarden

I know you’ve been very busy since things opened back up in Canada, and I’ve been following your story about how you got shut down when you were filming Aurora Teagarden. And then you went back up and finished it. My family and I adore your Aurora Teagarden series. We never miss them. My mother and I always watch those together. And we’ve seen all your Christmas movies on Hallmark. They’re still huge for us. So this week, you have been hosting the Thanksgiving Movie Week on Hallmark. Do you happen to know how many years you’ve been doing that?

I don’t know exactly, but I would say at least six years.

Yep, that sounds about right. That was probably the year I really got into Hallmark Christmas movies. It’s always exciting to have you introduce those films. And then the whole event leads up to your Sunday night movie, which is usually the best film of the entire season. So with these promos, I doubt you’ve had a chance to watch all of the movies, so how do you go about preparing to introduce them?

Right, I obviously haven’t seen the movies because when I tape those promos, a lot of the movies are still in production. They haven’t been completed. Hallmark chooses their line-up of what they want for the Seven Nights of Thanksgiving Movie Event. It’s all scripted as far as the intros and the synopsis and everything I’m saying. I basically get a preview of the movies well in advance, but it’s not the actual movie itself. I just have a good idea of the forty original holiday movies and what they’re doing, but I’m simply there as the host, and I get to do these intros and outros. The only movie I’ve been able to see ahead of time was Marilu’s {Henner}. It’s not a part of the Seven Night Thanksgiving Movie Event. It’s gonna be on in December, and it’s one of the two Hanukkah movies.

I’m so glad I asked you about that because you filled in so much for me just now. You always do a great job, and you look amazing. I like that you have proven that even as a woman gets older, you don’t have to stop taking care of yourself suddenly.  I’m glad to see Hallmark show us that, and they don’t shy away from that. They’re not committed to all their actors having to be age twenty or thirty or the fashion model type. They don’t have that stereotype, and I’m grateful for that.

Candace Cameron Bure Credit: ©2020 Crown Media United States LLC/Photographer: Bettina Strauss

We all love that. It’s kind of like with the Hallmark Channel, we’re all a little bit ageless. We could be in our thirties, forties, fifties, and you never really know. So we like that too.

Your movie comes up this Sunday. I always say I’m looking forward to all the Hallmark movies anyway. But when I heard you on Home & Family this past fall when you talked about your Christmas film, I got so excited. I mean, The Wizard of Oz was one of my favorite movies when I was growing up. And seeing that this movie was loosely based on that movie made me ecstatic.

Candace Cameron Bure, Warren Christie Credit: ©2020 Crown Media United States LLC/Photographer: Bettina Strauss

Yeah, I was super excited because we developed the script. My producer and I came up with the idea and then developed everything. It was merely because The Wizard of Oz is my favorite movie, and it was always my favorite childhood movie. It still stands the test of time today, so we thought it would be really fun to pay tribute to the movie. We have lots of little fun Easter eggs in this movie. If you really pay attention and know the original movie well, you will catch all the themes between the characters. Like the Scarecrow and the Tin Man and the Lion and the Wicked Witch of the West. And even the Wizard. All the names that we’ve chosen are both within the movie and stick to the real-life actors’ names. We also put notable lines from the movie within the script too. While they’re not necessarily said the same way, they’re there if you catch them. It was kind of cute. Hallmark posted a Bingo board game of all the Wizard Of Oz stuff so you can play along when you watch my movie. I think it’s really cute. You can make note of all the references.

Candace Cameron Bure, Robert Markus Credit: ©2020 Crown Media United States LLC/Photographer: David Dolsen

That’s good to know. I will definitely look that up. With The Wizard of Oz, I practically have that movie memorized, so I will be playing along and watching very carefully. With this movie, are there any actors who were involved that you had worked with previously?

I had worked with a few people that are in the movie. Actually, some of the Aurora Teagarden Mysteries actors are in this movie too. You might notice a few of their faces. But I hadn’t worked with Warren Christie before, and he was absolutely wonderful. As well as Robert Marcus, who plays Riley Lyons in the movie. And he’s just phenomenal. He’s a Broadway actor, and he’s so talented. He has such a beautiful voice and can dance really well, so that was a real treat to work with him.

So does that mean that there’s music involved in this movie as well?

Yeah, there’s a little. It’s certainly not about that, but there is a little dance that I get to do, and that’s one of the scenarios. It’s just about him trying to have courage and getting him out of his comfort zone. So there’s a little dance.

Candace Cameron Bure Credit: ©2020 Crown Media United States LLC/Photographer: David Dolsen

Cool, well, that’s exciting. So what would you say is the overall theme or message of this film?

Well, the theme would be, “There’s no place like home.” And that’s what my character, Darcy Gales, learns. She has the opportunity to do some pro bono work at a company that she ultimately would love to work for, but it’s in a different location, and she has to travel away from home to be able to work there. And within the movie, she realizes that she’s never been stuck at home. She actually loves being home, and there’s no place like home. So it changes her outlook on why she thought she needed to succeed elsewhere in a bigger environment. But the reality is she doesn’t need to leave home to be successful. So I think that’s not only an excellent theme for the movie, but I think it’s a good reflection for our year of 2020 because we’ve all been home. And I know I’ve certainly found the same thing for me personally that I absolutely have cherished every moment I’ve been able to be home with my family.

Candace Cameron Bure, Robert Markus Credit: ©2020 Crown Media United States LLC/Photographer: David Dolsen

Exactly. I was thinking the same thing that is a perfect message for 2020 because I know some people are…I know it’s been a challenging year for many people, but it’s also been a year with a ton of blessings; I think it all has to do with your perspective. I’ve talked with so many people about this, and it’s a reminder to live in gratitude, which I know you do as well. You’re one that I’m so grateful to see post on social media because you are always so positive. Unfortunately, not everyone is. I love the fact that if I see you’ve posted something, I know it’s going to be positive and uplifting. And I’m grateful that you do that.

Thank you. Yes, it is definitely a choice, and I always want to be positive because we all need encouragement throughout the day.

with Marilu

Exactly. So we’ve been seeing you all week on Hallmark, and we look forward to If I Only Had Christmas on Sunday. And we’ll all be watching. And then you’ve filmed another Aurora Teagarden that has not aired yet. I’m assuming that will come out sometime next year.

Yes, we actually filmed a total of three Aurora Teagardens this year. We got shut down right in the middle of the one called Reunited, and It Feels So Deadly. And we had the other one air called Heist and Seek. The one that we just finished filming that will air sometime next year is called How To Con a Con.

I’m so grateful to see this series continue. You guys have such a phenomenal group of actors that all work well together. And the stories keep getting better and better. And we love you and Niall {Matter} together. So we will definitely be looking forward to seeing the next one sometime in 2021. I know you also have a children’s book that’s available for preorder right now. 

Yes, that’s right. Candace’s Playful Puppy is available for pre-order now and comes out on January 26th. That’s the third book in the Candace children’s series.

That’s amazing. I happen to have one of those books, and they are lovely. As are all of your books that I have had the opportunity to take a look at. So is there anything else that you want to make sure to promote? I know you’re consistently involved with so many things, and I don’t want to miss anything.

With the Christmas season coming up, so many of the things that I adore are in my product line with Dayspring, which includes devotionals and Bibles and a lot of home decor for Christmas. These are ongoing all year long and available at Dayspring.com, or sometimes you can catch a really good deal on QVC with these products as well. But I think that’s it. You’ve listed all the things I do and am passionate about and love. I’m just wishing blessings on everyone this Christmas season. I’m also partnering with the Salvation Army again this year, which I have done for the last several years. I think this is important, especially during Christmas time with the red kettle campaign because it’s a lot more challenging this year with a lot of stores that aren’t open and people not shopping door-to-door as much anymore. So I’m encouraging people to donate to rescuechristmas.org and help out families that are having a tough time, especially through the Christmas season.

I’m so glad you mentioned that because I was going to ask you about any kind of charitable organizations you wanted to mention. And you did! So the last thing I’ll ask is this. I am asking because I’m a Christian, and you are too. I notice how open you are about your faith. How are you able to keep yourself so grounded in your faith while still being so open and authentic about it in the entertainment industry?

Well, it’s at the very foundation of who I am, and it is the compass that I have walked beside my whole life in every decision that I make, whether it’s personal or in the business. It’s just so important to me. I have to stay in the Word of God. I have to read the Bible. I have to spend time with God because it’s so easy to get off track. It’s easy to stray, and it’s always in the tiniest little increments that you don’t realize until you look up one day and you go, “Oh, wow, I’m a lot farther away from God than I realized.” So that’s why it’s so important that I read the Bible, and I’m in it, and I have an ongoing relationship with God. That’s the most important relationship of my life, so it doesn’t feel as challenging within work.

I know my guide I follow, and that’s a Biblical guide. It’s a Biblical worldview. Knowing and having those priorities and boundaries and knowing my moral compass makes it much easier to make those decisions in the industry. I don’t hesitate even if other people disagree with that because I know that ultimately I make decisions between me and God and not to please other people.  I’ve been walking this walk. I’ve been trying to do it diligently every day of my life. Some things are better than others. Some days are not so great, but I’m always going back to the truth–His truth. The truth of His Word, and that’s just how I do it. I only accept every step day by day and try and stay as closely aligned hand-in-hand with God as I can.

Well, thank you because what you shared was fantastic, and it was an excellent reminder for me.

I’m so glad.

Thank you so much, Candace; it has been a delight talking with you. I hope you have a great rest of your week.

My pleasure. Happy Thanksgiving. I hope everyone has a fantastic and happy holiday season.

Regarding the film and television industry of the twenty-first century, it can be remarkably uncommon to locate those within who are genuine, humble, compassionate, gifted, and committed to their faith. In Candace Cameron Bure, you will find all of those characteristics and more. There is no other actress, executive producer, writer, director, wife, mother, Christian…who lives the very essence of the gospel of Jesus Christ in this world. She never judges another human being, and she embodies the truth instead of merely articulating “Christianese.” While no human being is perfect, her heart is steadfast in her pursuit to live her life in a way that pleases her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Indeed, she never shies away from the heart of the matter. She stands for truth, but at the same time, she embraces all people right where they are. Despite any criticism she receives, she has consistently remained faithful to her convictions and values. Furthermore, who you see in public is EXACTLY who she is in private. To quote the words of a song penned by one of Candace’s most notable co-stars, she continues to “walk by faith, not by sight nor by feeling.” Though none goes with her, she will trust in God and never yield to what those around her expect if it goes contrary to what she knows is right. And she will live in an attitude of gratitude sprinkled with a generous dose of positivity and hope.

I hope that everyone can tune into the premiere of Candace’s movie premiere Sunday night (November 29th), If I Only Had Christmas. If you are in the U.S., it will be on the Hallmark Channel 8 PM Eastern/7 PM Central (check local listings), but if you are in Canada, it appears that you may have to wait since I do not see a premiere as of yet. While you await the most anticipated premiere of the season, I hope that every one of my readers considers following Candace at all her links below because there is honestly no one better and more stimulating to follow on social media than Candace Cameron Bure. I am appreciative to the Hallmark Channel for continuing to partner with her to bring such marvelous entertainment to us that is family-friendly as well as energizing and reassuring, especially in a time when life as we know it has been drastically interrupted. I am immensely grateful to God for bringing Candace and her informational message to my readers. My sincerest prayer is that God will continue to use Candace to share the love of Christ and the true spirit of Christmas for countless more decades to come. In truth, the fact that I am merely a vessel through which her message can reach thousands and thousands all over the world fills me with joy, hope, and wonderment. Moreover, the fact that my followers continue to come and read what I have composed so meekly engenders a sense of overwhelming joy within that cannot be expressed in words. May God bless us all this holiday season, and I hope that many of you will be watching Candace’s movie right along with me!

Candace Cameron Bure Credit: ©2020 Crown Media United States LLC/Photographer: Bettina Strauss

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Warren Christie, Candace Cameron Bure Credit: ©2020 Crown Media United States LLC/Photographer: David Dolsen

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