Jennifer Love Hewitt will make her long-awaited return to the Lifetime Network, this time as star and director.
The 45-year-old actress, who once joked about almost killing Betty White, will star in and direct a new Christmas movie titled The Holiday Junkie, it has been reported. Deadline.
She will also executive produce the film, written by Anna White, based on Love Hewitt’s personal relationship with the Christmas holidays and the loss of her mother.
The film marks a return to Lifetime for Hewitt, who starred in the 2010 TV movie The Client List, which became a Lifetime TV series that ran for two seasons.
The Holiday Junkie will be considered one of the tentpoles for the network’s It’s A Wonderful Lifetime Christmas movie slate in 2024, marking her first feature film as a director, after directing episodes of The Client List and Ghost Whisperer.
Jennifer Love Hewitt will make her long-awaited return to the Lifetime Network, this time as star and director.
The 45-year-old actress, who once joked about almost killing Betty White, will star in and direct a new Christmas movie titled The Holiday Junkie, according to Deadline.
The story follows Andie (Hewitt), who runs a decorating and planning services company with her mother Mimi.
His world collapses when Mimi passes away, while he faces his first vacation without his beloved mother.
Faced with the challenges of running the business on her own, it will be a Christmas like no other…one where Andie may even find love.
“Jennifer is loved by Lifetime and our viewers,” said Elaine Frontain Bryant, executive vice president and head of programming genres for A&E, Lifetime and LMN.
“We are excited to work with her again on this special project near and dear to her and have it as one of our cornerstones for our It’s a Wonderful Lifetime list,” he added.
Not only is it based on his own idea and a memory of his mother, who died at age 67 in 2012 from cancer, but it will also be a true family affair.
She will co-star alongside her husband Brian Hallisay, whom she married in 2013, and her three children will also have roles.
“Being able to direct and be in this film with my husband is such a special opportunity,” Hewitt said in a statement.
The story follows Andie (Hewitt), who runs a decorating and planning services company with her mother Mimi.
His world collapses when Mimi passes away, while he faces his first vacation without his beloved mother.
She currently stars as Maddie Kendall on the hit Fox series 9-1-1, which is on its summer hiatus.
‘And coming home to Lifetime feels as good as Christmas magic!’ she added in his statement.
Hewitt and writer White will also executive produce alongside MarVista Entertainment’s Julianna Hays, Larry Grimaldi, Hannah Pillemer and Fernando Szew.
Neil Elman and Kate Tumanova will also produce for Elman Films, although it’s unclear when Lifetime will release the film.
Hewitt launched a consumer and marketing brand also called The Holiday Junkie, and has a book Inheriting Magic coming out December 10.
She currently stars as Maddie Kendall on the hit Fox series 9-1-1, which is on its summer hiatus.