Interview With Actress/Executive Producer Brooke Nevin, “Jingle Around the Clock”

By Ruth on December 22, 2018 in Christmas, Holidays, Interview, movie, television

If I remember correctly, about a year and a half ago, Paul Greene and Brooke Nevin were on Home & Family and participated in a joint Facebook live. At the time, Paul posted a comment saying that not only would he like to work with Brooke one day, but he thought that I should interview her. From that moment on, it has been difficult to schedule an interview with the incredibly busy Brooke, but thanks to my persistence and Brooke’s willingness, we finally made it happen recently. In anticipation of her upcoming Hallmark Channel film premiere Jingle Around the Clock, please enjoy our recent chat in which we talked about all things Hallmark and more!

Photo Credit: PAUL ARCHULETA/GETTY IMAGES

RH: Brooke, I am so glad to finally be able to chat with you!

BN: Ruth, it is a true pleasure. Thank you for your flexibility. I just had a conflux of things coming together all at once, which is kind of funny. I am starting to feel like my character Elle from Jingle Around the Clock right now. I’ve been trying to be in two places at once. I’ve got a couple things going on at the same time, and scheduling has been a bit crazy.

Brooke, I fully understand. No problem. We all have busy lives, and I know very well about how busy things get for actors. Lots of things come up at the last minute. Now, I know you have a Christmas movie with Hallmark coming up.

Yes, we only finished shooting it somewhat recently. You know, it’s a whirlwind, but they have their system down about how to get a movie done in three short weeks and then on into post-production and onto the screen to sparkle.

Oh, Hallmark does that so well. I am constantly amazed at not only the amount of content, but the amount of quality content they put out. So, I’d like to start by asking how you got started in acting, if you don’t mind giving us a little of your backstory.

Oh, sure. Well, I was always a creative kid. I’ve always been into the arts, whether in visual arts or in dancing and singing. My mom put me in all of those regular lessons that many little girls love. I sang, and I did ballet, tap, jazz, trio. I took singing lessons.

Animorphs

When I was seven, we toyed with the idea of getting involved with the industry professionally, and it didn’t quite pan out. Which was totally fine. By the time I hit age twelve or thirteen, I was like, “Mom, it’s time. We have to get me into the business or else I’m gonna be too old.” {laughs}

So I started taking acting classes, and I think I did my first professional job when I was thirteen. So I was in high school full-time, but then I started acting as a teen in professional productions and did a lot of shows that kids who grew up in the ’90s would know. Like Goosebumps and Are You Afraid Of the Dark? I was in a series on Nickelodeon called Animorphs. And it was really fun. I loved being a really busy teenager and getting to experience all the regular milestones that teens experience, like going to prom and running for student president with my best friend. And those experiences grounded me. And then I had this whole other world where I got to pretend that I was a young teen gifted with special powers to save the world from an alien invasion.

I continued that into throughout my teen years all the way through my older teens. I seriously considered a post-secondary education because I was a very scholastic kid. Very much a part of my identity was getting straight A’s. And then I was having a really great run of working professionally. I rode that into moving to Hollywood and have been fortuitous enough for that to be my only job al these years, which has been such a gift.

I hadn’t even realized you’d been in the business since you were a teen.

Yeah, you know you reach that point where you realize, “Gosh, I’ve been doing this longer than I haven’t been doing it.” Which amazes me. Because it’s the type of profession and the form of creativity where you’re always learning something new, so it never really feels like old hat. Or it never really feels like, “Oh, I got this. I know how to do this.” There’s always an interesting new challenge or part to play or psychology or mindset to get into. So it keeps me very curious and interested, which I love.

I noticed with your adult career, you have done some series television. So what are some of the shows that you are most known for?

Well, it’s interesting. A lot of people have recognized me from the holiday movies I’ve done with Hallmark. And sometimes in some of the strangest places where you wouldn’t even think of it. Like I was at a salsa congress in Los Angeles, and one of the amazing dancers came off the stage, and I needed to tell her how amazing she was. And she stopped and looked at me and said, “Wait a minute. Are you in Christmas movies?” And it was just such a fun collisional world of this dance world and all of a sudden, Hallmark popped into it. I was like, “Yeah!” And she was like, “My mom and I watch you at Christmastime.” And that was such a fun fan moment of me interacting with someone who I was already admiring their work on stage, and they had seen me on Hallmark.

Breakout Kings

But other shows that people have seen me in would be Breakout Kings. It was a great fan favorite, and I had a lot of fun with that show. Also, I pop up on TV in various arcs like CBS Scorpion. And I played Ted Danson’s daughter on CSI. There have been some fun Canadian shows as well. I did a fun role in a darker, edgier comedy called Call Me Fitz with Jason Priestly. And that was a hoot. I got some fun comedic recognition for that, which was really neat. I had so much fun playing that particular role.

Behind-the-scenes
Scorpion

I know I’ve seen you in some of your more recent roles. Like Lethal Weapon. I remember when you popped up there because I was familiar with your Hallmark stuff, and I’d already been watching Lethal Weapon. And I was like, “Oh, I know who she is!” And I know you recently popped up in S.W.A.T. Another show I really enjoy watching.

Behind-the-scenes
Lethal Weapon

That was a really neat role for me because I hadn’t gotten to play a motorcycle chick before, and I’d never gotten fake tattoos. It was neat to step into a less feminine role. I mean, she was a very strong woman, but it was a neat departure for me.

I know I was introduced to you because of Hallmark. That’s when you got on my radar, so to speak. What was your first Hallmark movie?

Behind-the-scenes
S.W.A.T.

The very first Hallmark I did was a movie called Come Dance At My Wedding.

That’s right! You’ve been a part of the Hallmark universe for several years then. That movie was made back in 2009.

Yes, and Roma Downey was in that one too.

So with that being your first Hallmark movie, were you a fan of Hallmark movies before you got cast in that film?

I surely was aware of Hallmark and had tuned in. But definitely in the last five years or so, the content and production quality that Hallmark has been able to create has been really impressive. So I had tuned in before for sure, but I think also because I wanted to create content…this is the first time with Jingle Around the Clock that I’ve created content for Hallmark. So I’ve been watching as a way to enjoy but also to be aware of all the themes and the wonderful stories that are on the network.

And that’s really cool that you were in one of the Signed, Sealed, Delivered movies as well.

Yes, From Paris, With Love. A very special one. I was happy to be a part of it, and I loved Poppy Montgomery in the role of Oliver’s wife too. There was some chemistry there for sure.

The movie where I finally learned your name, however, was On the Twelfth Day of Christmas.

Aww, I’m so glad.

I loved that movie, and I loved the whole concept. And I loved your character. It was so much fun.

That makes me so happy to hear that. You know, when I got the script, and I started reading through and getting introduced to the character of Maggie, I just started laughing out loud and smiling to my boyfriend because she’s doing all these artsy cards with little poems inside. And it’s exactly the kind of craftiness that I would get into myself. I knew that this was just obviously me. So I had no trouble at all stepping into her wanting to express a form of Christmas whimsy and then appreciation for another person by making things. That’s sort of how I do things for my friends and family in real life. So I really connected with that character trait.

I believe it’s a Hallmark fan favorite.

I think it’s a different journey to go through all these Secret Santas. And then the idea of having a hidden admirer. And following Maggie’s journey of wanting to try to protect her journalistic integrity but also wanting so much to reawaken the spirit of Christmas for this guy that she’s falling for. It’s such a fun journey, card by card with Secret Santa poems for each one.

And then we have Journey Back To Christmas. And The Christmas Cure. We always watch all the Hallmark Christmas movies. Both of those are very memorable.

I was so impressed with Journey Back To Christmas. It was so beautiful. They were able to take us back to 1943.

My dad was just watching that movie again, and since that’s around the time he was born, he was really getting into that film all over again.

Isn’t that neat? That experience of being able to watch something on TV and having that sense of nostalgia and being able to share that with somebody.

And The Christmas Cure. What an amazing cast. Working with Patrick Duffy. It was so special getting to play his daughter and getting to spend some time with him. He is just a wonderful human being. He brings all of himself to set and to the character he plays with such warmth and generosity. It was really fun. Shortly after The Christmas Cure aired, I got to go to a Hallmark TCA event, and Patrick Duffy was there. But also Treat Williams and Gregory Harrison. And they’ve all played my dads on TV! {laughs} So I have this photo that I cherish which is all these dads posing for a photo with me in the middle. It was such a fun occurrence of seeing them all together and how they’ve all played my dad at different points in my career.

Brooke and her three “dads”

That’s really amazing. I also got to interview Steve Byers as a result of that movie.

Isn’t he hilarious? He was a delight to work with. He had me in stitches. I would have to tell him, “Steve, stop it! I can’t be laughing!”

I can imagine! So let’s talk about Jingle Around the Clock since that is coming up next for you. I recently chatted with Andrea Brooks, and she was saying wonderful things about you. She was really watching you in your first executive producer role because she would like to do that one day too. She said you did a really great job.

Well, it was really fun, but also a huge learning curve for me. Which was amazing. It also led me to trust my instincts, which is something I’ve been working on for over twenty years, you know, telling stories on camera. It was both kind of exhilarating and scary to be in a position to give more feedback.

But it was also really affirming in a way ’cause the feedback I was getting was that we created an experience on set that was really enjoyable for everybody. And that’s always my priority because we spend these long hours on set together. So to have everyone feel welcomed and appreciated is really important to me. And also to have a hand in shaping the story just beyond what I’m doing on camera…it just feels like a real natural progression of how I’ve grown in this business. And then what was really special was that I created the story with my boyfriend. We’ve been creating a life together for over fourteen years. But this was the first time that we got to create the story and work together to bring it to screen. So that was really special for me too.

That’s cool. And I understand it was Michael Cassidy’s first Hallmark movie as well.

Yes, we welcomed into the Hallmark family with this movie.

What can we expect from this movie and your character?

Basically, when we’re introduced to the character, Elle Bennet, which I play, it’s leading up to Christmas break. Obviously, she gets an opportunity at work that she just can’t pass up because it could lead to a promotion. And even though it means burning the candle at both ends because she’s wanting to continue planning and prepping for this party for all of her closest friends at Christmas, she’s determined to somehow make this work. And then we introduce a work-life-love balance, of course, with Michael Cassidy’s character. I think it’s a really fun journey. It’s kind of like “when it rains, it pours.” But maybe since it’s Christmas, I should say, “When it snows, it blizzards.” I don’t know. {laughs}

I think the theme for Jingle Around the Clock is that we can’t always control the timing or the pace at which our aspirations come to fruition. And my character, Elle, finds herself in this crazy whirlwind of “to-dos” and juggling work-life balance ’cause all of her aspirations now in career, family, and love are intersecting at Christmastime. So she feels a little overwhelmed with everything, trying to get it done. Christmas traditions are very important, so she wants to try to fulfill them. And it’s also important that she doesn’t disappoint anyone. I think a lot of people will be able to relate to this theme during the holidays.

Well, it sounds like a great cast and story, Brooke. There’s you and Michael as well as Andrea, and I am so glad that Jeremy Guilbaut is in this too.

There’s a fun “B” story with their characters–Andrea’s and Jeremy’s–so I think the viewers will enjoy getting to watch the progression of their characters as well.

And I’m just so glad that you got to be an executive producer on this one too. I was so excited when I heard about that. After all, your experience in the business is pretty extensive, and to see an actress like you getting to move into a position of authority like that is just so great. I love getting to see women move into positions like this because they are still somewhat underrepresented in the industry in those kinds of positions.

It’s great to be in a position where I can be part of the process of telling stories like this, and I hope to do it even more. I would love to expand my opportunities to tell stories about women by women. That is absolutely a goal of mine.

And that is something that is so great about Hallmark. We look at all this female empowerment emphasis going on now and the big push of telling stories about women. And I’m like, “Hello, Hallmark’s been doing this for a while now. Where have you been?”

I am with you there. I feel like the rest of the world’s just catching up now. And the viability of those stories is exactly what is needed right now.

I love that Hallmark showcases women both in front of and behind the camera. And their casts are becoming more diverse, which is also amazing. And Hallmark is definitely raising the bar in terms of telling stories. I’ve been blown away this year. And I’m sure your movie will continue that trend.

I hope so. It was a really fun piece of kismet that I found out too. They’re airing the film on my birthday!

Oh, that’s awesome!

It was so special and lovely because I totally consider myself a Christmas baby anyway, since I was born three days before Christmas. It’s like the icing on top of the Christmas cake. Or maybe I should say the Christmas fruitcake.

Well, I’m sure this film is going to be a hit now. But before we end this, I want to make sure. Is there anything else coming up that you would like to mention?

I’ve been working behind-the-scenes on some story ideas. Things are very early in consumption development, so I won’t have anything to talk about just yet. But I’ll be excited when things gain some steam and I can talk more specifically. I certainly want to continue to work with Hallmark as much as I can. I’m very happy working with them.

Thank you so much for your time, Brooke. And I hope everyone will tune in and that they will also wish you a Happy Birthday on the 22nd of December.

Thank you, Ruth. It was lovely chatting with you, and I hope everyone watches Jingle Around the Clock and really loves it.

Photo by Jason Ensler

There is no doubt in my mind that Brooke is an indomitable force in the entertainment business, and her comprehensive experience is practically legendary. It makes perfect sense why she prevails at appearing so naturally skilled on screen, and attaching the executive producer hat to this upcoming production of hers thrills me to the core. Brooke is one of those extraordinary individuals who does not wait for things to happen; she goes out and MAKES things happen, all while remaining grounded, pragmatic, and compassionate. She takes advantage of every opportunity afforded her, and she proceeds to prove her brilliance time and again. Whenever I think of Brooke, I am always reminded of the fact that Paul perceived something special in her, and they only met briefly. And when another exemplary industry professional is able to discern such manifest prowess upon a quick, simple meeting with an individual, there is no doubt that Brooke is exactly as authentic, as kind, and as capable as could be imagined. The aura that Brooke projects on-screen is exactly who she is off-screen, and Hallmark was very wise to partner with her on this highly-anticipated film.

If you are in the U.S., I hope that you will tune to the Hallmark Channel tonight (12/22) for Brooke’s inaugural executive production Jingle Around the Clock, which features her illustrious ability while highlighting the talents of so many beloved Hallmark regulars and introducing us to the incredible Michael Cassidy. And I just learned that this movie ALSO premieres tonight for my Canadian friends, so maybe we will be enjoying this film in tangent if you tune to the W Network! (Be sure to check local listings for the correct airing time.) I would also invite my readers to visit Brooke’s links below and consider following her on social media in order to be kept abreast of all her upcoming projects, films, and shows. As one who essentially grew up in the entertainment industry, Brooke is one who understands the need for quality content told in an entertaining but effective manner, and I have no doubt that Jingle Around the Clock and all of her upcoming works are going to proceed to provide us viewers with tales that will captivate, inspire, and touch us to our very essence. Indeed, it is an honor to have the opportunity to spotlight such a lovely, accomplished woman as Brooke here on my site, and I am looking forward to seeing her works for many more years to come!

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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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Interview With Actress/Executive Producer Brooke Nevin, “Jingle Around the Clock”

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