How is it even possible that I have interviewed Cindy Busby five times already? I guess it just demonstrates the fact that I absolutely adore this woman, and I will invariably go out of my way to support her in all of her endeavors! In anticipation of her first official Hallmark Christmas movie (LOOK IT UP–all the others have been acquired by Hallmark and/or aired on other networks), I was privileged to speak with the enchanting Cindy in what will be our sixth official interview. Before watching her two new Christmas movies today, enjoy our most whimsical and effervescent (not to mention, informative) interview to date!

Photo Credit: Mandisa Photo

RH: So great to get to chat with you again, Cindy!

CB: Always great to talk with you, Ruth.

The last time we chatted was right before Wedding March 5. 

Cindy Busby, Tyler Hynes Credit: ©2019 Crown Media United States LLC/Photographer: Alan Zenuk

Yeah, that was back in June. It’s been a real roller coaster ride. But life is always a consistently surprising experience, and if you just kind of surrender to the ride, it’s pretty darn fun.

I so agree with you on that. And actually, you had two interesting Lifetime films this past summer.

Yes, that’s right. The Wrong Stepmother aired.

Yes, that’s right. It actually premiered right around the time that Web Of Dreams came out. 

That’s right! Those movies aired in August like a week or so apart.

Web Of Dreams

I watched both of those films. And as I mentioned to you, I watched the entire series of films that were based on the V.C. Andrews books because you told me you were in Web Of Dreams. I knew I needed to watch all of them so I would understand yours since it was the final one. I had never read the books, but I really enjoyed the movies. So when it got to your role, and I realized what character you were playing, I was like, “Oh, she’s playing that character!” And you played her so well! In fact, I have talked to others involved with the series. Jason Cermak said you did a great job. He was really impressed with it.

Aw, that’s so sweet.

I didn’t feel that any of them went too dark. In fact, I was expecting them to be much darker. I know people complained that the movies didn’t follow the books, but that’s a common complaint.

The Wrong Stepmother

But what TV show or movie ever really does follow the books? {laughs} I was surprised that people are still shocked by that. First of all, if you were to take Lord of the Rings, for example, you would have a twenty-four-hour movie if you tried to put in all that detail! And of course, you have to try to transfer a book to a cinematic experience. They are two completely different art forms. You’re going to have a completely different experience because everyone puts in their own perception and their own thoughts when they’re reading a book. You’re going to have an idea of what you think the house looks like, and my idea of the house is probably going to look completely different to yours. So I always think it’s funny when people complain about the movie being so different. I’m just like, “Why can’t you just enjoy the experience and decide that they are two completely different things?”

Well, I was hooked. I mean, the situations are a bit crazy, but the characters involved were not aware of things that we as the viewers knew. 

Yeah, it’s an interesting world, and I think they did a really great job at trying to make it as personable as possible.

Then seeing you in The Wrong Stepmother. You were terrifying! {laughs} You did really well. 

The Wrong Stepmother

{laughs} Thank you! You know, any time I play these roles, I always go into it not judging these character’s experiences. I have to go into it highlighting the character. Like, if the role is Jillian in Web of Dreams or Maddie in The Wrong Stepmother, I have to go into it emphasizing what that character is going through. There’s a reason–I’m not saying it’s right or wrong–but there’s a reason why people do certain things. I love to explore that and to show the audience…I don’t know if you ever saw the show Dexter, but it’s kind of like that too. He’s a serial killer who kills serial killers. It’s totally wrong and not okay to kill anyone, but as you watch the show, you’re like, “Wait a minute. What he’s doing kind of makes sense.” Then you go down this rabbit hole of “Wait a minute, I don’t agree with this.” But then part of you does agree with it. There’s reasons why people go off their rocker and go into depression and display manic behavior and suffer from anxiety. I really love to explore that. Everyone will walk away with their own opinion. But I think it’s important to be able to show why a character does what they do without saying it’s right or wrong.

It makes me think of the show on right now called The Prodigal. The son’s father is a serial killer who is in jail, and the son seeks to understand serial killers while studying his father. And this young man becomes an expert so he can help the authorities to understand the motivation and mindset behind serial killers. And hopefully, as we understand why people do these kinds of things, maybe we can help stop it before others go down that same path. 

Exactly. So that’s my job as an actor is to find the humanity within the character in spite of whatever the obstacle is in the story. Which is the part I love the most.

And, Cindy, I’m just gonna say it. You always do such a great job. It seems like whatever they throw at you, you’re able to do.

Cindy Busby Credit: ©2019 Crown Media United States LLC/Photographer: Bettina Strauss

{laughs} Thanks, Ruth. You know, when I’m doing it, I’m sometimes terrified myself. With the material, I sometimes feel overwhelmed whether it’s a Hallmark movie or something else. And that’s kind of how I felt about A Godwink Christmas, the story of Alice and Jack. Knowing that this was a real story and wanting to do it justice really added a lot of pressure for me when it came to making this movie.  Although this was our own interpretation of that story, you still want to do a good job. And you want to show the roller coaster ride of those characters. I really hope that the real-life Alice and Jack will watch the movie…I mean, of course, they will. But I hope that they’ll be proud of it and know that even though it’s not exactly what they went through, I hope they’ll be reminded of those moments. That’s something exciting for me is to bring the truth of humanity to the screen. I’ve lived through a lot of experiences in my life, and I have to bring what I know to these roles that I’m so fortunate to get to play.

Kathie Lee Gifford, Cindy Busby Credit: ©2019 Crown Media United States LLC/Photographer: Bettina Strauss

When I found out that you were doing this second Godwink Christmas movie…I loved last year’s movie. I don’t know if you got to see last year’s movie.

I was away for the holidays, and so no, I didn’t get the chance to see it. But first of all, I love Paul Campbell so much. He’s an incredible actor and human being. We’ve worked together before on this big movie called The Big Year years ago. And we always see each other at the Hallmark TCA’s. He’s such a hilarious guy. I’m happy to be a part of a legacy of movies that he is a part of as well. He’s been super supportive of this new one.

It’s funny. Last year, he was talking about how he loved working with Kimberley Sustad in that movie and he was hoping that this year they could come back and be the leads again but play different roles. I mean, it was a cute idea, but we were pretty sure it wasn’t gonna happen. But when I heard you were in it, Cindy, I was just so happy! And then you got to work with Kathie Lee Gifford. 

Cindy Busby, Kathie Lee Gifford Credit: ©2019 Crown Media United States LLC/Photographer: Kailey Schwerman

Oh my gosh, yes! Which I was a little nervous and excited about all rolled in one. You never know what to expect when you meet someone with the incredible career she’s had, the persona that she brings along, and the kind of notoriety that she has. Honestly, that all went out the window the moment I met her. She is the most down-to-earth person and so kind and so fun. She talks to everyone on set. She’s always laughing. And I would say that we have a very similar work ethic, and I really loved that we connected and had so many great scenes, just her and I together. I loved working with her. She’s such a giving actress. And to be honest, I didn’t know how talented of an actress she is, but she’s so amazing. Every time she’s on-screen, her energy is a force to be reckoned with. I’m just so grateful I got to work with her. We really hit it off, and I love her so much. She’s such a great person.

That’s so great to hear. Both Paul and Kimberley expressed the same sentiment last year, but I’m glad to hear you say it as well. And the fact that this movie is based on a true story…I love that.

Benjamin Hollingsworth, Cindy Busby Credit: ©2019 Crown Media United States LLC/Photographer: Kailey Schwerman

I know! Ben and I actually talked to the real Alice and Jack on our last week of filming. We had a Zoom meeting with them and our producers and SQuire {Rushnell} and Louise {DuArt}, the creators of the “Godwink” books. We had a nice chat about how they met and their whole love story and life together. My only regret is that I wish we could have done that before we started shooting or within the first week because they were so amazing. What an incredible couple, still together, so in love…you can just tell that they adore one another. They’ve been together for thirty years, and I just love that. I got super emotional when we were talking to them ’cause me and Ben are in this movie based on their lives. We’re attached to the story and getting to play Alice and Jack and getting to hear their stories firsthand…I was just so enthralled. It was just as beautiful if not more beautiful than I would have hoped.

Did you know Ben before you started working on this movie?

Benjamin Hollingsworth, Cindy Busby Credit: ©2019 Crown Media United States LLC/Photographer: Kailey Schwerman

I had never worked with him directly. He did an episode of Heartland in the first season of the series, but I don’t think we ever had any scenes together from what we could recall. We definitely knew each other and saw each other around set, but we never got to work together. We also have the same agent up in Vancouver, so we’ve run into each other because of the business. He was also in that movie Lucky In Love, my first-ever Hallmark movie, where I had brown hair. He was the leading guy in that movie. So again, we crossed paths in that movie, but we never actually had scenes together. So it was really cool to finally put all the pieces together, and we were like, “Oh my gosh, how have we never worked together?” He’s really great. We had a lot of fun. I think the chemistry is really great between us. I hope the audience feels the same way.

Benjamin Holliingsworth, Cindy Busby Credit: ©2019 Crown Media United States LLC/Photographer: Bettina Strauss

You know, usually Hallmark seems to get the chemistry right. I know some people would probably disagree with me, but from what I can tell, almost without exception, I will walk away with the conviction that the leads were perfectly matched. In fact, there are times that Hallmark has announced that two leads are working together, and I’ve been concerned that the pairing wasn’t going to work. But then I watch it, and it does. So I always say that Hallmark is smarter than me when it comes to matching people up on screen. 

Oh, for sure.

Kathie Lee Gifford, Cindy Busby Credit: ©2019 Crown Media United States LLC/Photographer: Bettina Strauss

I’m excited to see this one. I loved last year’s, and I love the fact this is based on a true story. Hallmark has been doing more of those. 

It just makes sense for Hallmark because they really have based their market on people who have happy endings. You know, dramatic stories and happy endings. And now we’re seeing that it’s not only a Hallmark movie, but it’s real life. These things actually happen, so it kind of validates what they do, which I find so interesting. It’s just a perfect fit. They’ve been telling these kinds of stories for years, and now, guess what, these things actually happened!

I can’t imagine this movie not doing well. Last year’s was well-received, and this is the next one in the series. Of course, we want people to tune in, and I’m sure the tradition will continue. When I talked with SQuire last year and again this year, he said there are more in the works. So I’m glad to see them releasing more in this series.

Cindy Busby Credit: ©2019 Crown Media United States LLC/Photographer: Kailey Schwerman

Absolutely, yes! That’s what I heard through the grapevine. That would be amazing. And also in this movie as well, we have amazing supporting characters.  Sometimes with supporting characters, they are great, but they’re not given a chance to really show their chops. But in this movie, the supporting characters are so wonderful. We have Hilary Jardine and Toby Levins, who are just the most charismatic people on camera. I love my scenes with them. I’ve known Hilary for years. We did another movie together a long time ago, so for us to get to work together again was the best. We’ve been friends for years. Toby and I actually knew each other through the industry as well, but we’ve never actually worked together one-on-one. It’s amazing how Hallmark always brings people together in more ways than one.

Christmas Cupcakes

I certainly am looking forward to seeing everyone, those two included. And I have no doubt it’s going to be amazing. Now, the other thing is that we’re finally going to see Christmas Cupcakes. 

I know! I’m so glad! And it is premiering on the same day as A Godwink Christmas. November 17th is Cindy Busby Day! {laughs}

That’s just the best! Now, we have talked about Christmas Cupcakes in the past. 

Christmas Cupcakes

Yes, it was an independent movie when I initially did it. We didn’t know exactly where it was gonna go. But we found a home for it on UPtv at the right time, and everyone will get to see me and Erin Karpluk work together. She’s a really good friend of mine now. Honestly, we bonded so much because of that movie. We have maintained an incredible friendship. In fact, after this interview, I will be seeing her later today. I am so excited for everyone to finally see us play sisters on the screen together. It’s a completely fun, dynamic movie with baking. It’s all about these two sisters are trying to save their late father’s bakery, so they enter this baking competition, and we see the ebbs and flows of that. I had such an amazing time. I feel like I’m being so repetitive because I keep saying that I had the best time! {laughs} But I truly did. It’s very rare for me to go on set and just not enjoy my time because I love what I do and I end up working with so many talented, passionate, fun people, and that makes my job easy. I mean nothing is perfect, but gosh! We get to be working actors. I mean, how many people would love to say that? We are in a fortunate situation, and I just feel so grateful for that.

Christmas Cupcakes

I fully understand because I would hope that you’re mainly having positive experiences on set. I know there might be the occasional one that might not be quite as great, but for the most part, I would hope you have a great time. And you are one of those people–and I understand this because I do a lot of this too–you can get along with just about anybody. 

Yes, that is true.

Cedar Cove with Cindy Busby, Andie MacDowell, Sarah Smyth, Brennan Elliott

In fact, I just met Brennan Elliott last month, and we talked about you. He mentioned the first time you and he worked together on Cedar Cove. Evidently, you guys hadn’t talked before your first scene together, and he remembered that you were the one who broke the ice and started talking to him. He said that you were this bubbly person, and you two got along really well.

Oh, that’s sweet. He’s awesome. Every time I see him at the TCA’s, we’ll be across the room and we’ll make eye contact and we’ll get super-pumped to see each other. We’ll shimmy our way to each other and give each other a big ol’ hug. He’s awesome, I love him. He’s such a character. He’s so funny, and yes, I truly love him.

Cedar Cove with Cindy Busby, Sarah Smyth, and Brennan Elliott

He’s also extremely knowledgeable. I mean, probably the last half hour of our lunch, he got to talking, and I just let him talk. I was captivated by what he was talking about, and I was thinking, “Yeah, you’re talking. Sure, I’ll listen.” 

And he certainly loves to talk. That I do remember. {laughs}

{laughs} Yes, he does like to talk, but thankfully he’s not boring to listen to. 

No, he’s interesting. It’s not like he’s talking about mundane things.

So, we can see you in two holiday films Sunday, November 17th. And they will replay them throughout the season as well. And some of your older Christmas movies might start popping up too.

Yes, A Puppy For Christmas is a huge movie that people just seem to adore. Which, by the way, I adore that movie too. It is so sweet. It’s become a movie that people mention regularly on social media to me, which I love. It’s nice to know that a movie that was shot maybe four or five years ago is still popular today.

I think what’s helped with that one too is that Hallmark Movies Now is also playing that movie. It’s on that streaming platform. Autumn Stables and Betting On the Bride are often on there as well. So even if they weren’t originally Hallmark movies, some of yours have been picked up by the app. So it seems like there’s lots of opportunities to see you, Cindy, like everywhere!

{laughs} That’s cool!

A lot of people I’ve talked with say that 2020 is going to be an exciting year for them. I hope it will be for you too.

I think so. First of all, how is it already 2020? That’s just so crazy! I think it’s gonna be a great year. But I also think that 2019, for me anyway, was a pretty magical year. I think it’s just onward and upwards if you want it to be. I think life is a constant choice of how you want it to be and how you will choose to see it. I’m just gonna keep riding the wave of being grateful and taking life in stride, which is all you can do.

I think you do a pretty good job of that. And I think it’s great that you interact with the fans like you do.

Thank you.

I know that not all actors interact with their fans for various reasons, but I really think the fact that you do interact really makes a difference.

Mandisa Photo

Absolutely. It’s the day and age we live in now. This is the world we live in, and I think it’s what people are hopeful for. And I think that’s also something that Hallmark is really known for is that their actors really embrace the fandom. They encourage you to spread the news, and I think that’s awesome. I also think that’s why they are so successful. People at home feel a sense of belonging with these actors and these stories. And I think that’s what we’re all looking for…a place to belong. I myself can attest to that being important too. I guess that’s why I like to be a part of it and spread all that around. This is just the world we live in now. I’m not going to engage in anything negative or spread any negativity, so if that’s what people want to do, I just block them and I move on with my day. If someone wants to change, they can only do that through themselves, and I can just continue to spread the positivity. But if someone doesn’t want to change, they’re just not going to. It doesn’t matter how many different ways you tell them.

Filming?

I’m in full agreement with you there. So based on a couple of things you’ve mentioned on social media, I assume that you’re going to be heading somewhere soon to film something.

I am, and more details will come about that later. I am very much looking forward to it. It’s going to be a month of good work, and then I’ll also get to vacation for a couple of weeks. And that seems to have become the routine I find myself in. Yes, I work hard in this industry. But I think everyone in life works hard. But I think it’s also important to treat yourself to relaxing and doing things that make you happy, whatever that may be. You should have some compensation for all the work you’ve done throughout the year.

Greece

I know you were in Greece this past summer. 

Yes, I started the year off in London for the holidays. And this year, I’ll be across the ocean as well. I won’t give anything away yet, but I’m pretty excited about it. {laughs}

Cindy, thank you again for taking some time to chat. I know I’ll be watching both of your movies this weekend, and I can hardly wait to hear more from you in the future!

Thank you, Ruth, I always love chatting with you. And I really hope everyone loves A Godwink Christmas: Meant For Love and Christmas Cupcakes! Everyone, be sure to come on and let me know what you think.

To be quite forthright, I believe it’s safe to say that of the leading ladies I’ve met, Cindy is pretty much at the top of my “PHENOMENAL” list! While I could identify a whole host of incredible actresses that consistently bring their best to any role they are privileged to play, Cindy herself is such a dominant force in every project on which she works, and her co-workers can count on her to authentically immerse herself within her given character when on set. Furthermore, I have never heard of her NOT getting along with anyone she meets, and she sincerely connects with every single person she can. When I met Cindy this past summer, she listened to me ramble on about my life, my animals, and my interactions with the other industry professionals in Hallmark and beyond. (Don’t ever think I don’t like to talk because once I begin pontificating about a topic near and dear to my heart, it can be quite a chore to quiet me!) Cindy proceeds to unceasingly hone her craft in every area, and each time I see her, she appears more radiant and more beautiful than the last time I saw her. Her range is extensive and diverse, and thus far, I have not witnessed a role she cannot tackle. Her humility, her joie de vivre, and her inner beauty never fail to illuminate the screen, and I could not be more thrilled for her unflagging success in this business!

If at all possible, I hope that my readers will tune in to Hallmark Movies & Mysteries tonight (November 17th) for the premiere of A Godwink Christmas: Meant For Love. (My Canadian friends can see this on Citytv on December 23rd.) But because this is “Cindy Busby Day,” be sure that you check out her other movie–Christmas Cupcakes–premiereing on UPtv today as well. (I don’t see a premiere date for Canada as of yet.) While you’re making it a point to support Cindy on her extraordinary day, I would invite all of my readers to visit her links below and consider following her on your preferred social media platform. Cindy is one of the most proficient of experts when it comes to informing her fans about her upcoming movies and shows, so I cannot emphasize this enough: CINDY BUSBY IS THE ONE TO FOLLOW! I am honored to be able to call Cindy my friend, and I believe that she holds the record now on female actress interviews on my site, so she must be doing something right!! As we approach 2020 and even push beyond that significant decade, I can only hope and pray that Cindy will proceed to become one of the most celebrated actresses I know. Moreover, I hope that all of us Hallmarkies will multiply our support of this dynamic, humble, benevolent, gifted, charming woman with every ounce of our being so that we can be assured of seeing her on-screen prowess for decades to come!

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Behind-the-scenes
A Godwink Christmas: Meant For Love

CHECK OUT MY OTHER INTERVIEWS WITH CINDY

Interview With Actress Cindy Busby, “My Boyfriend’s Back: Wedding March 5”

Interview With Actress Cindy Busby, “Royal Hearts”

Interview With Actress Cindy Busby, “Date My Dad”

Interview With Actress Cindy Busby, “A Hailey Dean Mystery: Murder With Love”

https://starrymag.com/cindy-busby-unleashing-mr-darcy/

Cindy Busby Credit: ©2019 Crown Media United States LLC/Photographer: Kailey Schwerman

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