Actor Daniel Lissing chatted about starring in his new Great American Family film “Catering Christmas.”
Lissing is known for his acting work in such Great American Family original films as “The Christmas Star” and “When Hope Calls Christmas.”
On being a part of Great American Family, Lissing said, “I have a fantastic relationship with Bill Abbott, who was the former CEO of Hallmark, and now, I am certain that he is going to take the reins of Great American Family and he is going to turn that into the No. 1 family programming channel in America.”
“Great American Family are very good to their talent, they build relationships and they honor those relationships. It’s a pleasure to be on that journey with them. It’s a great company to be a part of. Also, they put out great content for the audience as well,” he added.
‘Catering Christmas’
T.W. Peacocke directed “Catering Christmas” from an original screenplay by Cara J. Russell.
In “Catering Christmas,” he stars alongside Merritt Patterson. She plays Molly Frost, who is struggling to make a go of her new catering business when she unexpectedly lands New Hampshire’s biggest event of the year, the Harrison Foundation Christmas Gala. ‘It was really good,” he admitted. “I have a great time with this movie. I enjoyed this movie the best in regard to its script and character. It was a really sweet movie and it has something special.”
“Merritt and I both take our job very seriously. We had a lot of conversations on how to approach each scene, and we found honesty and great collaboration. I believe the results will speak for themselves,” he added.
That’s where Lissing’s character, Carson Jacob Harrison, comes in. He is the nephew and reluctant heir to the family’s foundation and is managing the GALA this holiday. “I was so lucky to have a co-star like Merritt Patterson,” he said. “As an actor, I loved playing Carson due to the person I got to work with. I also liked Carson’s journey since he was lost at the start of the film, and then he knows what he wants and who he wants. I liked that aspect of it.”
Carson is a renowned photographer who has spent years jet-setting around the world to avoid taking over the foundation from his Aunt Jean. Molly, a hometown girl who once was the beneficiary of the foundation’s generosity, takes him on a journey to learn about all the good his family provides to so many. “I could really relate to Carson,” he admitted.
The discovery inspires Carson to use his artistic gifts to create the most heartwarming fundraiser in the history of the foundation.
“Catering Christmas” is executive produced by Brad Krevoy, Eric Jarboe, Amanda Phillips, Amy Krell, Vince Balzano, Jimmy Townsend, Susie Belzberg Krevoy, and T.W. Peacocke. “I want the audience to feel this movie’s warmth, coziness, and Christmas joy. It’s a beautiful romantic movie. I hope they feel the love, the romance, and getting into the holiday spirit. They can snuggle on the couch and watch something that makes them feel good,” he added.
Most recently, Lissing was featured in the “Suspenders Unbuttoned” podcast where he spoke about “Catering Christmas.” “The ladies were so lovely, I had some really great conversations with them, and we got to talk about a plethora of things in the industry,” he said.
The digital age
On being an actor in the digital age, Lissing said, “I think there are a lot of pros. We have many platforms where we can view our content on. There is more content than ever now, which is affording more opportunities for actors and for people that want to put content out there such as writers and producers. The industry has grown in that aspect. For someone who came from Australia and is working in the United States, that is a real blessing.”
“These days, there is something for everyone, so in the digital age, it’s a great thing. The more content we put out, the more art we put out, and the more performances we put out and that is a great thing. It is a part of our civilization now, and being human. We are entertained by story and by content,” he added.
On the title of the current chapter of his life, Lissing said, “The Pursuit of Happiness.” “I have a wonderful wife, who is my teammate, and that affords me the opportunity to pursue things in the professional world that I want to pursue,” he said.
Regarding his definition of success, he said, “Success means feeling fulfilled within oneself in the home and in the workplace. Success covers a really wide range, and it starts internally and how we feel about ourselves and how we treat other people and then the relationships that we foster.”
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