When I look back on 2023, I will tell you that one of the best things that happened were all of the interviews that I was able to do with Hallmark stars. Each one has their own way of touching my heart, of making me think about the holidays, and well… quite frankly talking to any of the stars of Countdown to Christmas just make you feel like you’re the only person in the world that matters.
They are quite special like that.
John Brotherton is special like that.
There was a part of me that was intimidated when I was asked if I wanted to speak to John Brotherton. I’ve seen a lot of his movies and all of his characters are big and bold. His characters have been intimidating and strong. Don’t get me wrong, I have liked them – was just having trouble differentiating the characters from the man.
But as he got on the phone, I was instantly taken a back by the soft voice that radiated a smile. He had just landed in New Jersey – in town for a special screening of Christmas on Cherry Lane and Christmas Con. I was worried that I was taking up too much of his time. But, he was so unbothered. Instead, while he started his trek into the city, he started to answer all my questions and tell me that if we lost connection (he was going into the Lincoln Tunnel) he would make sure we were reconnected.
I told him how I’d already watched the movie three times (he hadn’t seen it at all at this point) and it was in part because of the interview that he had given where he said it was like a braid and I needed to find the strands I may have missed. Every time I watched it, I learned something new.
Brotherton is an expert at making movies, and while he seems so selective in the stories that he tells, I wanted to know why this one. It’s so different than anything I seen him in.
“Oh, man, a few things. First of all, it’s interesting because we were on individual paths, we shot almost three separate movies. Immediately when they sent me the script, I thought how unique of a story to tell where it’s three different generations, three different families, but all woven together through the love of Christmas chaos. I loved how grounded our storyline wasn’t real. I had so much fun with my part last year with Lights, Camera, Christmas! and even the year before it’s Christmas Contest,” he said.
He continued, “Obviously, those were bigger, bolder, superlative-type characters. This was relatable as a father and someone who is a relatively new homeowner in the last ten years of my life and have children and all that. Because I am going into the tunnel right now, so we’ll be on here for as long as we can. It’s the tenderness of this movie which I thought that stood out to me that– I mean, all the Hallmark movies obviously have tenderness but my previous two characters were so big and bold. This was more of straight-to-the-heart, touch-the-heart tender moments.”
“Then I was lucky enough to work with just incredible actors. Aaron is so fantastic, so giving. She’s so present. Her eyes are just, boom, they’re just like right in front of you waiting to receive and give. It’s like you play tag as an actor. It’s like you go back and forth and when someone is so present with you, it makes all that touching moments easier. Yes, it was really the tender heart of it all that I just really appreciated. To go back into the ’70s, that was pretty awesome too.” he had added.
There was a difference in his voice when he brought up the fact that he was a father. He just seemed so proud and full of so much love for being a father.
In Christmas on Cherry Lane, he plays a new Dad. Well, his wife in the movie, (Erin Cahill), was pregnant and about to give birth. When she does give birth in the movie, he’s beaming with love and pride in the movie also.
You can just tell he’s the ultimate girl Dad.
The chemistry that he has in the movie with his co-star, Cahill, is evident. The two are just calm and kind, coming across as a couple that seems real and that you can invest in. So I asked about their on screen chemistry and working together.
“I got to go give Erin so much credit because she’s such a warm, open, embracing human being. She just wants to love and hug and connect. Once you call action, there’s no difference. She’s just there to receive and then give it right back to you. I never felt anything forced. I never felt like we had to try to create something that wasn’t there. When you work with an actor and you can just stay locked into their eyes, I know as cliche as that sounds, it really truly is like a safe haven.” he said of Cahill.
He continued, “When you feel like you could just look at someone’s soul and they’re looking right back at you and whatever you throw their way, they’re going to receive and they’re going to give it back to you in another honest way. Nothing felt fake. She’s just easy. She’s easy on the eyes and she’s easy to work with. She really is like a beating heart. She’s this giant beating heart and it just made it easy and really made it fun. That’s the best part of our job is these, when you get– I play house for a living, that’s what I always tell people.”
I couldn’t help but smile. Cahill has long been one of my favorites and having had the joy of speaking to her and she just is the easiest person to talk to. She’s so humble, but also so full of excitement. She’s just the easiest person to talk to, so I can’t even imagine what it’s like to work with her.
The way that Brotherton describes her, I think fits to a tee, “When you get to play house with people who are down to just have fun and give– I find when you have other actors that actually want to give, not take, sometimes you can work with people that can suck the life out of a scene, whereas she just infuses life into a scene. I just appreciate it, I feel very lucky. Frankly, I’ve been lucky to work with some really incredible co-stars thus far in my Hallmark experience between her and Kimberly and Candace.”
He continued, “I pinch myself because they’re just exceptional human beings, exceptional actors, and just strong, badass women too, which is cool, being a father of two daughters. They’re all role models. Erin being a Power Ranger, I think that’s pretty cool. She’s a tender heart, but also a badass at the same time. Yes, the chemistry, I don’t think was hard to come by. I think it was just we just fell into each other’s rhythm from day one and went from there.”
When you catch the movie, you can’t help but fall in love with the entire cast. Though they weren’t all working together, it feels like they would all fit together. He has to many compliments for his co-stars, but I wonder what he thinks that would say about him.
But he is ever so humble and says, “I would have to leave that to them, but I would hope that I am known to be very professional, very caring, and I love the work. I love the people I work with. That’s all I’ve ever hoped that my reputation would be, so to speak. I guess it remains to be seen what they would say, but I’m just– I’ve been lucky. Yes, that’s all I can say about that.”
We talk about how the theme of Christmas on Cherry Lane to me was about family and the family we choose and he tells me about a movie that he just shot with Heather Graham, ironically about chosen family. He’s excited to talk about it.
He says, “It’s called Chosen Family, and it’s literally about that; is that as life goes on, your family often isn’t the people that you share blood with, but it’s the people that you share love with. I think this movie, our movie, Cherry Lane, is no different, and, your chosen family can be just as important as your born family.”
I laugh because he answers my questions without me having to finish them and part of me wonders, if he can read my mind. But I am listening as he continues to tell me about his upcoming movie, Chosen Family, “It’s going to be fun. It’s Heather Graham, Julia Stiles, Tom Lennon. I play Heather’s love interest. Julia plays her sister. Certainly not for Hallmark. It’s got a little more risque going on. It’s a rom-com, but more of a rom-dram, but I’m super proud of it. It’s nitty gritty, and just really real true to life, so with some humor, but for another day.”
I could listen to him talk about it for quite sometime, because he seems passionate about it. There’s no part of me that doesn’t love when an actor is passionate about their project, because it means that they put their entire heart into it.
I know I have to wrap it up soon, as I have timed the interview and know that he’s gotta be close to his hotel. I know what it’s like to fly cross country and I don’t want to keep him on forever. We start to talk about Christmas and Christmas traditions, but I then ask him about Christmas Con and why it’s so important to for him to come face to face with the fans.
“It makes my job grounded because there is a sense of sensationalism that comes with being an actor and being put on display. When you’re able to touch someone at their true heart, like in their home, at their most precious time, it’s a very real thing. When they come and they’re standing in front of you, just beaming ear to ear because you have somehow brought joy to their home at one point or another.” he says, so sincere that I want to talk to him about joy. But I restrain myself as he talks.
“Frankly, there’s no bigger joy. I always say the greatest part of my job is the fans. It’s something that was unexpected, I think, in this career. I grew up a theater kid. I wasn’t in it for necessarily the fame. I was in it because I grew up with an artist mom and I loved to do the dance and the whole thing. Now that it’s come full circle where there are people experiencing joy as a result of my work, it’s an honor. I don’t take it for granted ever.” he finishes off.
And as we say our goodbyes, I wonder why I was ever intimidated. I instead am thankful that I had the chance to speak to him. He’s a humble man with a ton of heart.
I was thankful to end my day speaking to him. He made a bad day end very well.
