Filling such an order is Lifetime’s Christmas With a Crown, part of the network’s It’s a Wonderful Lifetime series, in which Lisa Durupt plays Cassie, a woman who meets a dashing stranger named Nicholas (Marcus Rosner)… but little does she know that Nicholas is a prince in disguise who came to her charming hometown to find the true spirit of the holidays. The lovely movie also stars another Hallmark favorite Teryl Rothery in a rather royal role of The Queen. A frequent Hallmark and Lifetime star, the Vancouver-based Durupt is also known for her roles as Jen in the CBC series Heartland, as Topher Grace’s wife in the Chrissy Metz movie Breakthrough and as Denise in the Netflix movie, Love Guaranteed. Durupt’s most recent Hallmark movie was Time for Them to Come Home for Christmas, executive produced by Blake Shelton and starring her good friends, Jessy Schram and Brendan Penny. Having a deep affection for the holidays and the movies that come with them, Durupt admits that she has her own special way of watching Christmas films on the Lifetime and Hallmark channels. “I love to curl up and snuggle on the couch with cute lounge pants, a cozy oversized sweater, and my slippers,” Durupt exclusively tells Parade.com. “I curl up on the couch, as much as my young kids will let me, with a hot toddy, and watch my good friends in these movies. I just hunker down and stay glued to my TV.” Read on to see what Durupt has to tell us about Christmas With a Crown, her favorite family traditions and how much hot chocolate she drank on the set.
What attracted you to this Lifetime movie, both as an actress first and as an executive producer?
As an actress, I have done close to 30 of these Christmas movies, and so the opportunity to work as a lead on one of them was really enticing. A friend from Edmonton overheard me on a film set talking about producing [and] it became a perfect fit. The minute I sat down with the director, Dylan Pearce, it was a no-brainer. The fact that he was willing to let me come on as an executive producer as well, was the icing on the cake. Being a first-time executive producer, you want to surround yourself with people who are helping and educating you, and not just giving you a title.
How did you see Cassie? What did you like about her?
In the storyline, her mom had passed away, and having witnessed a friend go through this a couple of years ago, I thought there was a beautiful humane aspect to how she’s dealing with the holidays and making family come first. The relationship she had with her dad was something I found very familiar since I am very close to my father. I also liked that Cassie and Nicholas don’t necessarily get along in the beginning, because initially in a lot of these Christmas films everything’s coming up roses from the start, which is not real life. We don’t always get along with everyone. Sometimes we have to work with people to get things done. I appreciated that Cassie is as close to me in any character that I have played. She has this beautiful relationship with her dad, cares deeply for tradition and for her family. She also has flaws; she has a temper and has to work through that and put it aside when it is called for.
What was it like working with Marcus Rosner, who played the prince?
He’s very playful, filled with jokes and fun. Ironically, we both came into the movie with set ideas, so it took us about a week to get on the same page in terms of both of us feeling like the other one was maybe not listening. But that was probably a rewarding experience after hearing such great things about one another. So, it took about a week for us to really gel, but once we did we were super close, and it was great. We hardly had to say anything and the other one understood. It was a great experience!
You have made a lot of Christmas movies for Lifetime and Hallmark. How do you feel about these adult fairy tales?
I love them. Having two little kids of my own right now and watching them just get so excited about these different stories they are reading and I can see that their brains are soaking it all in. The idea of a positive narrative is extremely important in their world, and I think as adults sometimes we lose that. To be part of these Christmas movies, and overall heartfelt movies, this style, and positive genre is something I really feel good about.
So, are we all going to find our prince?
I think it’s probably frustrating for people who haven’t had those experiences, but I’m also a big believer in hope. I think that’s why people love these movies so much. While they are great for folding laundry, they also spark that little imagination from when you’re younger that anything is possible.
Do you feel that these movies provide good role models for girls and young women?
I think Lifetime and Hallmark do a great job of consciously trying to get away from the narrative that used to be very popular in which she gives up everything. They are trying to focus on the storylines in which maybe he has to make a choice and go with her. Or if she is staying—or making a big change—that she is doing it because it is her choice, which I think is really important. So, maybe choosing love isn’t like you are giving something up, but rather that you feel is the best choice for you.
Since we are getting into the holiday spirit, what Christmas traditions do you and your family enjoy?
When I was growing up, we always waited until the first of December to put up the tree, and it was a big deal in our house. That was the day we started listening to the Boney M Christmas Album. I don’t know if they have it anymore, but they used to have that ribbon candy, and that was the one year we got that. Then every Christmas Eve we would go to my mother’s side of the family and they would have a big to-do. And on Christmas Day we would spend it with my dad’s family. Moving away from my family 12 years ago as an adult, we try really hard to go back home for Christmas. Even as an adult I still get excited about those traditions. They are waiting for us to fly into Winnipeg to put up their tree. I think spending time with my family, all in our pajamas on Christmas is a big deal for us.
When your daughters are older what values and life lessons do you want them to carry on from you?
A strong work ethic is the most valuable thing that you can have for yourself. It supersedes everything. I also think how you treat people is of major importance. That old theory of the golden rule; treat others how you want to be treated. Just having a really strong sense of self, because with social media it is really easy to get lost in other people’s opinions. Even though they are so young I will talk to them about the importance of making their own choices. If nothing else it’s just to help them develop a healthy sense of self. Along with that, hopefully, they will build their self-esteem and self-confidence to be able to take on whatever they decide to take on in their lives.
I have to know… how much cocoa did you drink while making this movie?
A lot! A lot! The thing is, if it’s supposed to be a drink with alcohol, they give us apple juice or something that looks like that. So, you know not to drink a lot because it is very sweet., But cocoa sucks you in, especially if you love chocolate. By the end of shooting a scene, you are wired. It was an actual coffee shop and the girl who was hired as one of the characters was an actual barista, so she kept making delicious hot chocolate. I don’t think I know how much I drank, but it was more cocoa than I have had in my entire lifetime. Christmas With a Crown is currently airing on Lifetime Next, for more Christmas movie magic check out The Complete Lifetime Christmas Movie Schedule for It’s a Wonderful Lifetime 2021.
