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Lacey Chabert is a regular fixture on the Hallmark Channel, appearing in films such as “The Christmas Waltz” and in the movie series “Crossword Mysteries.” But her latest Hallmark film, “Sweet Carolina“, is a bit different than the traditional Hallmark Channel fare.
“Sweet Carolina” tells the story of Josie (Chabert), who suddenly becomes the legal guardian of her niece and nephew after the tragic death of her sister. Tyler Hynes plays Josie’s high school boyfriend Cooper, whom Josie reconnects with after returning to her hometown.
In an interview with Hollywood Life, Chabert revealed the challenges and rewards of telling this story of family and loss. Chabert shared that although her character faces an “incredibly difficult balancing act” raising her niece and nephew while still mourning her sister’s death, she wanted to make sure the film wasn’t solely focused on grief.
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Chabert Wanted the Movie to Have a Message of Hope
The Hallmark actress told Hollywood Life that she wanted to tell a more dramatic story with this film, while still leaving the audience feeling hopeful and inspired.
“In keeping with what Hallmark does so well, it was most important to me that, through tragedy, these characters find hope and learn how to put one foot in front of the other and move forward,” Chabert told the outlet.
Chabert hopes the audience feels how she feels about her scenes with Hynes. She believes there’s a special feeling you get when reconnecting with someone from your past, how it brings back a rush of memories.
“It’s not just a sad movie. There’s a lot of joy in the movie, a lot of happy moments, a lot of levity in being a parent unexpectedly, and revisiting your high school days and friends,” says Chabert.
Chabert Co-Created the Film’s Concept
In an Instagram post, the “Crossword Mysteries” star explained just how involved she was with the creative process of “Sweet Carolina.”
“My incredibly talented friend Jonathan Prince and I had coffee back in 2018 and dreamed up this story together and then he and Michael Reisz wrote such a beautiful script. It’s the first time I’ve ever seen a project come to fruition from start to finish and I’m so grateful for all that I learned along the way,” Chabert wrote.
Chabert was also an executive producer on the film. She told Hollywood Life, “I’m just so thankful to Hallmark for the opportunity to have such a strong voice in the projects that I do with them and to be allowed to be a creator on something and walk this road.”
The Role of Cooper Was Created With Hynes in Mind
Chabert says that when she and Prince were developing the story for “Sweet Carolina,” she always had Hynes in mind for the role of Cooper.
In her interview with Hollywood Life, Chabert said of Hynes, “He’s such a good actor, and he has such depth in his work. I knew he would be grounded and bring the emotional depth that I hoped his character would bring. He did such a wonderful job and was such an awesome collaborator.”
You Can Watch the Movie on June 26
Although the film first premiered on the Hallmark Channel on May 15, you can watch it again on June 26 at 7 pm ET.
Plus, don’t miss a brand new Hallmark movie starring Chad Michael Murray and Aly Michalka, “Sand Dollar Cove” on June 26 at 9 pm ET.
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