For the primary time ever, Hallmark has added scripted collection to its annual Countdown to Christmas lineup. Holidazed a Hallmark+ eight-episode collection, follows six households from completely different backgrounds, cultures and generations, all residing on the identical cul-de-sac, as they collect for the vacation season. Every household has their very own set of distinctive challenges this vacation season, however all of them study one factor unites all of them: love.

Forward of the collection premiere, Collider spoke with veteran actors Dennis Hayslett and John C. McGinley, in addition to Ser’Darius Brian, concerning the new collection. All of them agree on one factor: Holidazed isn’t your common Christmas storyline seen on Hallmark.

The ‘Holidazed’ Stars Say the Present Has a Lot of Substance to It

Hallmark movies are recognized to be gentle and filled with hope and love. HOLIDAZED has these parts, however the males of the collection say there’s a deeper tone to this collection than your typical Hallmark challenge.

COLLIDER: You guys are making historical past right here with the primary, nicely one of many first vacation collection on Hallmark. So inform me about how particular it was to be part of this inauguration of types.

JOHN C. MCGINLEY: It was my entry into the Hallmark of all of it, and it was so beautiful. I didn’t have any…of after all I did…I had some issues that I assumed about Hallmark and every thing was flawed as a result of after I obtained up there, it was a well-oiled machine. It was a bunch of professionals at each station – whether or not they’re the gaffers or hair or make-up – every thing ran like a well-oiled machine, and that appeals to me. I do not like to take a seat round for a very long time after which do 20 takes to attempt to discover one.

And Dennis and I’ve achieved sufficient movies across the planet that if you stroll onto a set and the solid and crew is on the identical frequency. It’s an invite to go and that is what I felt just like the minute I obtained as much as Vancouver Island.

SER’DARIUS BRIAN: Yeah, for me this was my first Hallmark Christmas challenge and I had achieved my first Hallmark film earlier that very same 12 months, and like he [John] mentioned, I had a variety of preconceived notions and I used to be fully flawed. They’ve given this challenge a bit extra edge. They’ve given voice to individuals from all walks of life now, which can also be, I believe a part of the type of new enterprise that Hallmark has dedicated themselves to in a extremely possible way, they usually gave the actors a chance to type of unfold our wings and provides our personal enter into the characters and into the storylines as nicely. They usually listened, they have been listening ears to us within the artistic course of as nicely.

MCGINLEY: There was nothing superfluous in every family. Every family had a little bit meat on the bone, if you’ll, no matter, regardless of the cultural family was. [There was] battle and there was one thing for the actors to play in each home…

DENNIS HAYSLETT: And trauma…This was my second challenge, however it was completely not like the primary challenge I had and it was nicely..

MCGINLEY: Why?

HAYSLETT: As a result of…it wasn’t a scarcity of depth or anything from the primary one. It was only a movie that all of us type of simply..it simply flowed. However on this explicit challenge, it was a collection. All of us have been in a single home collectively, whether or not it was the Latin home, the Asian home, the Irish, Italian home, or the African American home. And, and it was very paying homage to a few of the Christmases I had – the conflicts, despite the fact that the conflicts weren’t the identical. , you possibly can combine and match and you may also embody a few of the conflicts that you just had beforehand in your actual life and the way they translated to this one. After which it obtained actually then it simply obtained actually enjoyable yeah 100% and after which.

The finale was simply…it simply blew me away as a result of the finale we have been on this one large home with all of the actors and the largest downside we had was telling individuals to be quiet as a result of the women within the different room over there and oh my God, inform me about how a lot enjoyable it was. It was only a large, large household scenario, and that is how I grew up. I had 6 brothers, 2 sisters, my mom and father, after which as we grew and obtained married and had youngsters, then we had a home full of affection. After which you have got the youngsters’s tables….not desk however tables. After which the Chinese language checkers come out after which the cube come out.

And that was the fantastic thing about it and we actually had that camaraderie. We could not travel to our trailers as a result of it was like a 1.5, 2 miles away, and it is simply time-consuming. So we would all simply determined we’re simply gonna keep right here and have a little bit inexperienced room, and we might at all times simply speak.

And as we talked, I imply, the opposite actors coming in, the company of our homes, no matter, I might simply watch them, they might simply [be] that wide-eyed. These guys are like an actual household and I really like that. Oh, and by the best way, I’ve not mentioned this earlier than, however my daughter made her debut on this.

COLLIDER: How is that bringing your daughter into the fold after which on such a challenge that facilities on household, vacation, neighborhood?

HAYSLETT: I had little or nothing to do together with her getting this half. I had nothing to do with it.

COLLIDER: So no nepotism?

HAYSLETT: Nicely, anytime I may give her some nepotism – I’ve seen sufficient of it in different households [so if I can] 100% if I may also help give her a push…it is even cooler once they earn it although. She earned this. And Gina, she mentioned, ‘, Dennis, you had nothing to do with me giving her this half.’ I mentioned, ‘I do know.’ We had this large dinner and my daughter was visiting on the time, and she or he had simply learn for it. After which she was assembly Gina and all of the producers and every thing, and she or he by no means mentioned something. I mentioned, ‘ what, lady, go. I really like you. Benefit from the second and every thing else.’ And I simply liked having her there.

The ‘Holidazed’ Solid Grew to become One Large Household Throughout FIlming

The solid was made up of greater than two dozen leads, creating one of many largest within the community’s historical past. Fortunately, everybody obtained alongside, a lot in order that they’re all on board to return for a second season.

COLLIDER: Now there are a variety of seasoned Hallmark actors on this. There’s a variety of seasoned actors on this collection general. Clearly we’ve legends like your self, Dennis, such as you, John, after which my queen Loretta Devine is on this. In order somebody who’s on the youthful finish of issues and never as seasoned, how is it having such legends round you, Ser’Darius?

BRIAN: I imply, I take each alternative regardless of the age or expertise of anybody on the set. I take each alternative to attempt to study from the individuals which are round me. Out of the mouths of babes comes knowledge, so what I imagine is it is much more of a plus to have the ability to work with guys like this which have mixed the 100 years of expertise between the three of them. And so I used to be simply taking notes. It’s an honor to have the ability to share the display screen with individuals like them and it may be in the identical breath and so rely myself fortunate.

I mentioned sure instantly after I noticed their names on the provide. I used to be like, ‘Yeah, there’s nothing to even take into consideration.’ My agent was like, ‘Do not you wanna learn the script?’ I used to be like, ‘No, I am busy, however I am, I am doing it. Like there is no approach I am not doing it.’ So it was an absolute honor. I discovered loads. And to proceed to study from watching them for years to return.

COLLIDER: Now I hear that season 2 could also be within the works.

HAYSLETT: The primary I heard of this.

MCGINLEY: Oh yeah, I heard.

BRIAN: Oh he knew already. John is aware of every thing.

MCGINLEY: You bought gentle in a bottle, you attempt to recapture it. Are you kidding me? These things would not come alongside on daily basis.

COLLIDER: No, it would not, particularly for reveals. Issues have modified a lot with tv now. It is not simply linear, you recognize, and now we’ve the streaming platforms. So there’s so many extra potentialities now. So what’s your hope for a present like this to proceed and actually proceed to seize that vacation pleasure and storytelling?

MCGINLEY: Oh Italy. All of the households wind up in Tuscany.

COLLIDER: Each season they’ll go to a brand new nation to match the family.

HAYSLETT: Yeah, take all of the households to the islands.

BRIAN: For me, I might simply hope that we proceed on this nice path of truthful storytelling. That’s at all times the perfect and the best form of storytelling. Once more, I at all times say: it is a lot simpler be, than it’s to behave. We did not should act so it”s a giant celebration over right here. They simply should pay us for it, so we would like to do it.

Holidazed is offered to stream on Hallmark+

Stream on Hallmark+