Tony and Emmy award-winning actress, singer and producer, Christine Baranski, has an incredibly busy work schedule, but she jumped at the chance to collaborate with Dolly Parton in her new Netflix Christmas special. Baranski
reveals,
“People asked me how I came to the project, and I said, ‘Two words—Dolly Parton.’ …I just thought I would so love to get to know Dolly Parton as a human being, as a woman.”
A veteran of both stage and screen, Baranski has played a wide array of characters throughout her career. She currently stars as Diane Lockhart in the hit television series The Good Fight. Notorious for being cast in Christmas movies as the not-so-nice modern-day Scrooge type, her part in Christmas on the Square is certainly reminiscent of those characters.
When asked about her lead role in the new Netflix special, she explains,
“It’s a little daunting that I had to play the role, because she is so darn mean. I seem to only play meanies in Christmas movies.”
Her character, Regina Fuller, is a cold-hearted, wealthy woman who returns to her hometown of Fullerville after her father passes away. She is on a mission to force all of her father’s tenants out of their homes, so she can close a real estate deal with a mall developer. Instead, she finds herself reconnecting with people from her past and having an unexpected encounter with an angel (played by none other than Dolly herself), giving her an opportunity to have a change of heart.
“She comes across mean, but she really just feels she’s doing the right thing,” Baranski shares. “It’s really a wonderful human journey, and I think we like seeing characters like that. We like seeing people who are redeemed in the end.”
The story of redemption in Christmas on the Square serves as a beautiful reminder that the most valuable gifts we can give are treasures that money cannot buy. It’s a message of hope that renews our faith in the human spirit and affirms the fact that change for the better always begins in the heart.
Christine Baranski has a great love of music. Among her favorites are baroque and classical, and she says there is nothing better than Motown!
Seasonal cheer comes to a screeching halt when a cold-hearted woman tries to sell her hometown’s land. Can music, magic and memories change her mind? Find out in Dolly Parton’s Christmas on the Square coming to Netflix on November 22, 2020. Starring Dolly Parton, Christine Baranski, Treat Williams and Jenifer Lewis, this new holiday musical features 14 original Dolly songs. It’s sure to become a holiday hit for years to come.
Hollywood star Jenifer Lewis delivers a sensational performance as a member of the star-studded cast in Dolly Parton’s new Netflix film, Christmas on the Square. Lewis portrays Margeline, a lovable beauty shop owner from Fullerville. Her larger-than-life role is sure to make an indelible impression as she lights up the screen with luminous joy.
Lewis has enjoyed a long and illustrious career, appearing in many notable movies and television series. Like Dolly, she comes from a small town and a big family. The youngest of seven children, she was born and raised in Kinloch, MO. When asked about her favorite Christmas memories from childhood, Jenifer was transported back to a very special time with her mother, one she says she had almost forgotten. Her inner child lit up as she recalled the tradition. She said,
“Every Christmas morning, I almost forgot this, I got to go with my mother at six in the morning. It was still dark, and I would get to ring the church bell.”
Her zest for life, infectious joy and contagious laughter are some of her many wonderful qualities – on and off screen. In a conversation about fun moments on set, fellow cast member Treat Williams remarks, “Anytime I was on set with Jenifer was a fun moment…Jenifer was our entertainment and our sense of humor!”
After seeing the screening of Christmas on the Square, Lewis shared her reaction to the movie-musical extravaganza.
“I laughed. I cried. It made me think. It made me relax during these quarantine times. And all I could think about was how the world is going to enjoy this, how the world needs this movie now.”
The world does indeed need this movie, and the world also needs more warm, wonderful people like Jenifer Lewis!
Jenifer Lewis is an AIDS awareness advocate. She has performed in more than 15 AIDS Walks around the country.
Seasonal cheer comes to a screeching halt when a cold-hearted woman tries to sell her hometown’s land. Can music, magic and memories change her mind? Find out in Dolly Parton’s Christmas on the Square coming to Netflix on November 22, 2020. Starring Dolly Parton, Christine Baranski, Treat Williams and Jenifer Lewis, this new holiday musical features 14 original Dolly songs. It’s sure to become a holiday hit for years to come.
Josh Segarra grew up in Florida and decided to pursue an acting and singing career from an early age. He has had several roles in popular television shows including FBI, Sirens and Arrow. His rugged, Puerto Rican good looks seem to land him in several crime dramas but he doesn’t let that fact overshadow his singing chops. Recently, Josh originated the role of Emilio Estafan in the Broadway hit, On Your Feet. Josh also has soundtrack credits from the 2018 release Overboard, in which he appeared as Jason alongside Eugenio Derbez, Anna Faris and Eva Longoria. Given his resume, it’s no surprise that Josh was a great choice to play Pastor Hathaway in this new holiday musical.
The role of Pastor Hathaway was a good fit for Josh who says faith was, and remains, a big part of his family life. As a child, he began to hone his skills at church as a member of the youth group and choir. During his exclusive Front Porch interview, Josh reflected on his childhood and recalled how much his church life influenced him. He said,
“Sundays, for us, were getting up and going to church and then going to eat. Then hanging out with some of my friends…some of my best friends were from [church].”
Not only was the role a good fit, but the seasoned professional recognized the magnitude of getting to work with the star-studded cast and crew. He was eager to get started on the musical with the iconic Dolly Parton and industry master, Debbie Allen. When specifically asked about director and choreographer Debbie Allen, Josh said,
“Working with Debbie Allen was a master class in understanding what it was to come and bring it!”
The devoted father of two is obviously passionate about sharing the film’s themes of love and community. When asked about his wish for Netflix viewers he said,
“I hope that during this Holiday season, you just take the ones that you love and you hold them near. And we all look at somebody that maybe we don’t know and we take the opportunity to see the love in their life and how they’ve put it to use.”
As Jason in Overboard, Josh worked alongside Alyvia Alyn Lind and Hannah Nordberg who fans will remember from Dolly Parton’s Coat of Many Colors and Dolly Parton’s Christmas of Many Colors: Circle of Love. Alyvia played Dolly Parton and Hannah portrayed Dolly’s best friend Judy Ogle.
Seasonal cheer comes to a screeching halt when a cold-hearted woman tries to sell her hometown’s land. Can music, magic and memories change her mind? Find out in Dolly Parton’s Christmas on the Square coming to Netflix on November 22, 2020. Starring Dolly Parton, Christine Baranski, Treat Williams and Jenifer Lewis, this new holiday musical features 14 original Dolly songs. It’s sure to become a holiday hit for years to come.
With her mutual love of musical theatre and all things Dolly Parton, Mary Lane Haskell immerses herself into the role of the faithful and eternally optimistic Jenna Hathaway in Dolly Parton’s Christmas on The Square.
Mary Lane Haskell grew up in California and caught the entertainment bug at an early age. She attributes much of her affinity of showbusiness to her actress mother, Mary Donnelly Haskell. As a child, Mary Lane looked up to her mom who appeared on many TV shows including 7th Heaven and Saved by the Bell: Wedding in Las Vegas. And who could blame her? What little girl wouldn’t want to grow up to be just like her beautiful and talented mom, who happens to play Lenore in Christmas on The Square?
By the age of five, Mary Lane received her first role as “homeless child” in a Disney Channel Original Movie. Sure, it might have seemed like a first step, but to the sassy girl with the big brown eyes, it was the start of a lifelong love affair with film, television and musical theater.
In this exclusive Front Porch interview, Mary Lane talks about her role as Jenna Hathaway in Dolly Parton’s Christmas on The Square. As the pastor’s wife, she plays opposite Josh Segarra (Pastor Christian Hathaway). The self-proclaimed “rebel-rouser” admitted she enjoyed playing the sweet, calming wife in the film. Mary Lane also discusses the rewards she received while working with director Debbie Allen and veteran actors Treat Williams (Carl Pellam), Jenifer Lewis (Margeline) and Christine Baranski (Regina Fuller). Mary Lane said,
“Work is a blessing no matter how it comes. But when you get to work with people who are like-minded and just good, generous, kind people that’s where the magic happens. And I think that’s where the magic of Christmas on The Square really comes from.”
The film marks a lot of firsts for the young actress. She has appeared in three films associated with Dolly Parton, however, Christmas on The Square was her first chance to sing with Dolly on camera. A special moment she will always cherish. In recapping it, Mary Lane said,
“As a little eight-year-old singing along, you don’t really realize you are singing along with an icon. So, for me, all these years later…to look through that window and sing with her was just an absolute dream come true.”
In the interview, Mary Lane also recalls her favorite holiday memory that involved the California girl getting her “first winter coat” for a treasured family Christmas in New York City when she was just five years old. On that trip, her parents took her to see the Radio City Rockettes, likely sealing her fate as a future actress and singer. And while she might still have stars in her eyes for film and stage, Mary Lane remains deeply grounded to her family.
During one musical number, Mary Lane’s character takes the hand of Lenore, played by Mary Donnelly Haskell. It’s the first time the mother and daughter have had the opportunity to work together and it proved to be a heartwarming moment for everyone. Mary Lane said,
“I learned how to do what I do, watching my mother. And so to get to be there doing it with her was really, really special.”
Not only did Mary Lane star as Miss Moody in Dolly Parton’s Coat of Many Colors and Dolly Parton’s Christmas of Many Colors: Circle of Love, she also played Helen Cunningham in the “Down from Dover” episode of Dolly Parton’s Heartstrings.
Seasonal cheer comes to a screeching halt when a cold-hearted woman tries to sell her hometown’s land. Can music, magic and memories change her mind? Find out in Dolly Parton’s Christmas on the Square coming to Netflix on November 22, 2020. Starring Dolly Parton, Christine Baranski, Treat Williams and Jenifer Lewis, this new holiday musical features 14 original Dolly songs. It’s sure to become a holiday hit for years to come.
Matthew Johnson has an impressive resume of background vocal appearances with the likes of Pharrell, John Legend, Jennifer Lopez, Childish Gambino and Stevie Wonder. And he has spent the better part of a decade under the expert tutelage of Debbie Allen honing his acting and dancing skills. Now, Matthew finds himself playing Mack, a devoted father and upstanding member of the community in Dolly Parton’s Christmas on the Square. He says he relied on the positive influences of his father for the role. Matthew, whose parents are celebrating 50 years of marriage, says he was honored to portray the role. When describing Mack, he says,
“He’s a ‘best of both worlds’ type of guy. He is a business owner and then he also manages to be a great father at the same time.”
Coming from a big family, Matthew has many memories from his childhood. His extended family includes 30 cousins and several aunts and uncles. According to Matthew, he comes from a talented family of singers and musicians. So it’s no surprise that music was always a huge part of family gatherings and holidays. He said,
“I can always remember my family around a piano, just singing together. My whole family sings!”
Pulling from his wholesome childhood, Matthew really connected to not only his character, but the themes surrounding him. Christmas on the Square includes 14 original Dolly Parton songs, one of which Matthew was honored to perform. In talking about the number, Matthew said,
“I sing a song that’s really dear to me called ‘A Father’s Prayer’ in this film. And I think it’s something that a lot of people can connect to, especially at this time. And I think they will be able to connect to it beyond this time.”
Matthew is somewhat of a vocal chameleon and has appeared on some of the world’s most-watched television shows including American Idol, The Voice, X Factor and Late Night with James Corden.
Seasonal cheer comes to a screeching halt when a cold-hearted woman tries to sell her hometown’s land. Can music, magic and memories change her mind? Find out in Dolly Parton’s Christmas on the Square coming to Netflix on November 22, 2020. Starring Dolly Parton, Christine Baranski, Treat Williams and Jenifer Lewis, this new holiday musical features 14 original Dolly songs. It’s sure to become a holiday hit for years to come.
