EXCLUSIVE 'The Christmas Yule Blog': Sara Canning spills the beans on her favorite holiday film and new project
In an exclusive interview with MEAWW, Sara Canning speaks about her latest Christmas film titled, 'The Christmas Jule Vlog' which will release on Lifetime Movies, and also reveals the name of her favorite Christmas film.
Canning plays the character of a travel writer, Caroline Williams in the film. Caroline who doesn't find Christmas 'special' falls in love with it after visiting Carta De Amor in New Mexico, where she engages in several Christmas traditions and falls in love with Oscar (Zak Santiago).
MEAWW spoke to Canning, and here's what she said. Excerpts:
It is a delight to see you in The Christmas Yule Blog. How did you land the role?
The Christmas Yule Blog came my way in the summer and was my first film job since the pandemic hit. I felt very fortunate to get back to work.
Did you get the 'Christmas feels' while shooting the film? Tell us one thing that fans should look forward to in this movie.
It's interesting shooting a Christmas film in the middle of a very hot, summery place like the Okanagan. I wouldn't say I was necessarily tricked into feeling like Christmas had come early. We had a lot of fun though. It's a beautiful place to shoot, and hopefully, the bright textures and locations and traditions in the film (which is set in New Mexico) will brighten the day for those watching at the end of a very charged and anxious week in the US.
Tell us something about your character, Caroline Williams in the film. Apart from acting, what are your other interests?
Caroline is a good blogger in the sense that she's all in with the stories she covers. She likes to truly experience everything she's reporting on, which is similar to how I approach research for an acting role. I have many interests - I'm always happy outdoors or with any kind of art project.
How was your experience working with Zak Santiago?
Working with Zak Santiago was the heart of making this film, for me. He's an amazing actor and human and scene partner and I can't say enough about his goodness.
Was it difficult to shoot the film amid the pandemic?
There was certainly a lot of protocol to keep everyone safe on set, but I didn't feel it infringed on my job. I was proud of how hard everyone worked to keep the set safe and it gave me hope for moving forward to other projects during the pandemic.
How will this Covid Christmas be like for you? What are your plans?
This Christmas will be very quiet, spent with my family. I went to NYC to see theatre and eat a lot of food with some close friends two years ago so I will spend a little time daydreaming about when we can do that again.
What is your favorite Christmas movie and tell us about a dream role you would like to land?
My favorite Christmas film is It's a 'Wonderful Life'. These days, my dreams lie with making my own films, which I've been busy developing.
Would you like to talk about any other upcoming projects or films that may be lined up for release?
I just shot an indie horror thriller... to keep a healthy balance with the Christmas feel-good vibes, you know... with some great friends! It's called 'Superhost' and though I don't know the release date yet, because we just wrapped the film, I'm excited for everyone to see it.
'The Christmas Yule Blog' releases on November 6 at 8 pm on Lifetime Movies.