Carly Hughes Spreads Holiday Cheer at Home and on Lifetime with "The Christmas Edition"

quotWhen I was doing The Grinch it was Christmas every day 15 times a weekquot she recalled quotA standard Broadway show is eight a week but since it was a holiday and we had a special contract we did up to four shows a day kind of like Radio City but we were offBroadway But it was fine as we were in Whoville all day so that was greatquotFor Hughes Christmas didn39t end with each performance quotI39m a Christmas elfquot she laughed quotI have a Christmas wardrobe I change out my Christmas dinnerware and mugs Last year I had a general 39Hello how are you I love Christmas I39m addicted to Christmas39 meeting with Lifetime just so they could see my face I even came wearing an ugly Christmas sweater that was not too ugly and actually very cutequotSo when this project came almost a year later they remembered mequot she continued quotThey were like 39Okay this is yours39 It could not have happened at a better time as the stars aligned and it was a perfect distraction with what is going on in the world and the pandemic and all of the crazy stuff happening in America It was nice to go into a Christmas bubble and make a little magic at this timequotHughes said that while she was elated to have landed the role getting to the set to start filming was another story quotI39m very strict with COVID rules and quarantining because my jobs depend on itquot she explained quotIf you test positive you don39t get the job I39d been sitting on my porch minding my business since March so knowing I39d have to travel and be around people gave me a little bit of anxiety They picked me up as I didn39t want to fly and we drove to Utah But the anxiety went away once I met everyone We were quarantined while in Utah filming to the set then to your house in this little bubble of actors and that made me feel comfortable as we knew where everyone wasquotHowever one little daily task continued to fuel some stress quotWe were tested regularlyquot she shared quotI didn39t like being tested because I felt like they were trying to dig my brains out I was like 39Is my nose bleeding39 I swear they39d ask 39Are you ready to shoot39 I39m all 39Sure is my nose bleeding39 So dramatic But it kept me sane knowing that we were taking the proper precautions and protocols to make a little Christmas magic happenquotIn the film Hughes portrays Jackie an upandcoming journalist passed over for a promotion by her new boss Osmond pictured above who decides to switch gears and accept the challenge of injecting new life into failing smalltown newspaper in Alaska For Hughes the idea of starting afresh is nothing new like her character she dislikes the word quotnoquotquotJackie and I are very similar in the fact that I don39t want to be told 39no39quot she shared quotI know me better than anyone so if I know I can do something and I39m being told 39no39 the answer is 39okay bye39 and finding another way to do it Jackie39s reply is 39Fine I39ll do it my way39 I related to not giving up Especially doing Broadway then transitioning to TV and film the answer is never 39no39 It39s more 39how39 Not everyone is going to have the same vision as you do and in the movie no one had the same vision as Jackie It39s always about how you get there and keep your focusquotAccording to Hughes her entramp233e into a Lifetime Christmas couldn39t have been better cast quotI hit the jackpotquot she said quotBetween Rob Aloma and Marie everyone was just good peoplequot She described Mayes with whom she shared much screen time and experienced ice carving and glassblowing as quota doll and an adorable goofballquot They became fast friends And Osmond Well Hughes is thrilled to now include her in her evergrowing Christmas card list quotShe is a legendquot she enthused quotI was like 39Oh Marie Osmond I literally grew up watching you We are in scenes together39 She39s a sweetheart a joy to be around and a goofball like me When we both laughed hard we snortedquotChristmas and its traditions are important to this traditionalist who hopes this is just the first of many adventures with Lifetime She recently concluded her commitment to American Housewife after four years of playing the infectiously sassy Angela As a hip Black lesbian she was a diversely rich character for television quotIt was great to hang her up as I39ve been playing her for four yearsquot Hughes said quotSometimes you have to spread your wings It was great to have that character grounded and rooted in American television I39m happy to have brought her to the screen and brought that character to lifequotWhile there are new projects in the works given the current constraints of travel Hughes is sad she39s unable to spend the holidays with her family this year Still she39s thankful to be going home in spirit courtesy of The Christmas Edition quotEvery year my mom and I watch all the Christmas movies on TV togetherquot she said in closing quotAt least she39ll be able to see me at Christmas on TV this year And there39s a little homage to my mom in the movie as a surprise which made it extraspecialquotThe Christmas Edition will be telecast Sunday November 15 at 8 pm on Lifetime as a part of the It39s a Wonderful Lifetime programming eventClick the social buttons above or below to share this content with your friends and colleaguesThe opinions and points of view expressed in this content are exclusively the views of the author andor subjects and do not necessarily represent the views of MediaVillagecomMyersBizNet Inc management or associated writers

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Carly Hughes Spreads Holiday Cheer at Home and on Lifetime with "The Christmas Edition"

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Steve Gidlow

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Carly Hughes Spreads Holiday Cheer at Home and on Lifetime with "The Christmas Edition"

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Steve Gidlow

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