Mercy: Can you share a little bit about yourself?
Brittany: I was born and raised in Toronto. I have an older sister named Vanessa who is my best friend ever! She's ten years older than me. My mom and dad both work in the film industry as well. I grew up acting, I was actually a child actor from ages 6-13 and when I was 12 years old I auditioned for Canada's National Ballet School which is a professional program training school here in Canada. I attended the national ballet school for both training and high school until grade 12, so grades 6-12 there and then graduated at a special level in dance but missed acting so much and knew that it was the thing I REALLY connected to the most even when I was at ballet school my forte was never in technique it was always in performance and so I decided to get back into the acting world. Since then I've kind of immersed myself in it. I went to the university of Toronto for several years, I also started my own film production company which has dwindled a bit over the last few years since I've been so busy. I've worked as a script editor, junior producer for a production company here in the city, and I just immersed myself into the film industry since deciding to come back to it. I think that's a pretty good description of me. "laughs"
Mercy: If you could play any role in any movie from the past, who would it be?
Brittany: I would take Audrey Hepburn's role in Roman Holiday. It's one of those movies that just makes you so happy and I love Audrey Hepburn, SO much. I know it's a cliche answer but the first dvd I ever owned was My Fair Lady. I used to watch VHS's but I remember when dvd came out and one year for Christmas I got My Fair Lady on dvd and I watched it like, 8,000 times "laughs" but while I watched that one a million times I think Roman Holiday would be the most fun. That or, this is maybe going to sound super cheesy but Mia Thermopolis in The Princess Diaries. That movie made my life better. "laughs"
Mercy: I actually just watched those a few weeks ago for the first time
Brittany: Did you? They are so much fun! I love them so much and I love Julie Andrews!
Mercy: Yes! Sound Of Music was like, my all time favorite growing up.
Brittany: Yeah! My dad was actually a singer and he would sing Edelwiess to me when I was trying to get to sleep or when we were in the car we would sing songs from The Sound Of Music. Then when I was 12 I worked with Christopher Plummer. I could not control myself, I was so excited to meet him!
Brittany: I don't know that's a tough one. Let me think.. This is such a copout bit I think it would have to be untitled right now. Just because, I have experienced so much but I have so much more to still experience. Either that or Life Unexpected but that's a tv show and I'm pretty sure I've never seen it so I feel like that's just stealing a name. But maybe Life Unexpected because I have no idea what's happening one moment from the next. "laughs"
Mercy: What is your favorite character that you've ever played?
Brittany: I love all of the characters I've played for different reasons. There is one character that's always stood out to me and I played her when I was quite young, but she will always stay with me. Like, I've had so much joy playing the characters that I do on Hallmark especially, they are so much fun and the characters are funny. I get the chance to enjoy and just have fun on set but I was 11 or 12 when I played this girl (and it was based on a true story and it also starred Christie Alley) who was held in a mental institution in the 1970s, maybe early 1980s and she'd been placed there because she had a learning disability and speech impediment. It was the first time I connected with doing research for a character. I remember watching I Am Sam and studying learning developments and all this stuff, and I was only twelve years old but I was so invested in it and as a result its always stood out to me as this role that was so special because it was the first time I ever connected with truly understanding that as an actor you are playing someone real, who deserves to be seen. I'd say that. It was a movie called Profoundly Normal.
Mercy: Love that. Is there a Hallmark movie you done that you'd like to do a sequel to?
Brittany: Holiday Date. "laughs" For real though it would be so much fun to do a sequel! I think I would also love to do a sequel to Love On Safari. I'd say right now a sequel to Holiday Date would be so much fun, in part because, yes, I'd love to go back to Africa. That's a much bigger take on everything and I think... I would do a sequel to all of them if I could, but Holiday Date was so much fun and because I just finished doing that one I'm so excited for the premiere, I feel like that's the one that is most on my brain right now. So I'm going to stick with Holiday Date. "laughs"
Mercy: I think we need a sequel to Love, Romance And Chocolate about your character
Brittany: Yes, I'm okay with that also. I'm on board for a sequel to all of these movies! I would happily reprise all of my characters as many times as I'm allowed.
"both laugh"
Mercy: Can you share a little about Holiday Date?
Brittany: Absolutely! The story does follow that classic young woman who's living in the big city, has a boyfriend but things just aren't working, and has her heart broken right before Christmas. She ends up going to a party and meeting an actor named Joel and she reluctantly agrees to have him pose as her ex-boyfriend that she just split up with. Her friends kind of incite it all. They push her and Joel a little bit but they end up convincing her and he ends up going home with her to celebrate Christmas with her family. She is so excited to bring her boyfriend home for Christmas, she's been building him up leading up to Christmas so her family is expecting this guy who loves Christmas, and is like a Christmas expert and of course Joel shows up and suddenly the news breaks that he is Jewish. The family is moderately confused as to how Mr. Christmas is Jewish. It becomes really, really fun because he starts to really enthusiastically participate in everything and the family learns from him how to celebrate Hanukkah. It's this fun, sort of comedy of errors where they keep trying to keep up the charade as long as they can. And on set we had so much fun! I was so blessed to be cast with such incredible people. Such wonderful people playing my family- Teryl Rothery plays my mom, she's hilarious, Bruce Boxleitner plays my dad and he is also hilarious, and then of course Anna Van Hooft plays my sister, and Peter Benson plays my brother-in-law. I have to say that virtually every behind-the-scenes story includes Peter making all of us laugh so hard - there was one scene that we were all practically crying, we couldn't stop laughing because Peter was so, so, so funny. The dynamic between him and Bruce is out of this world hilarious. The director laughed so hard we had to yell "cut" once. Everyone just had so much fun, we really bonded and such a good time working together.
Mercy: Thats awesome! What do you like to do in your free time?
Brittany: Well currently I'm sort of trying to learn to play the guitar. I'm terrible at it but I'm enjoying making weird noises by hitting the strings "laughs" I like a lot of stuff!
I go to the gym a lot, I find it fun. Theres a beautiful community of people that I get to see everyday and they really become friends. I've recently started learning how to do some woodwork stuff. I recently got a new apartment so my boyfriend has been helping me learn how to make stuff. We just recently made a table together. It's been really fun decorating my place and getting into the spirit of things. I'm one of those people that tend to be quiet in terms of things they do. I love to read, I'm currently knitting which makes me feel like of 90 but I'm okay with it because I'm making a scarf and its going to be very warm. I love writing. I love spending time with my family & friends. Trying to do artistic and creative things. Nothing wildly crazy and I find it so hard to come up with things to do in the winter because its so cozy and warm you just want to stay inside and watch Hallmark movies all day. Which I have to admit I have done ."laughs"
Mercy: Same "laughs" What is your all time favorite Christmas movie?
Brittany: I think I have two. I love White Christmas, my best friend from high school and I used to watch it every year at this old theater near my parents house. It was just one big movie theater screen and it was an old, old theater. You'd go in and get these little popcorn boxes and stuff. And then I'd say my other one is Elf. That is because every year my sister and I watch it and bake cookies so it has a lot of really good memories.
Mercy: What is your favorite Christmas song?
Brittany: Last Christmas by Wham.
Mercy: Favorite Christmas tradition:
Brittany: My favorite Christmas tradition - I love wrapping presents for people which maybe isn't a tradition.
Every year my family and I on Christmas Eve make dinner and watch Christmas movies and we open one present and then all sneakily stick presents under the tree. It's become really fun over the last few years because my sister has a daughter and she just had a little baby boy so its been kind of fun to pass those traditions on and create this new family tradition with them. I think Christmas Eve for me is a big thing. We love Christmas morning and Christmas Day. We get up and watch Christmas movies, we have a big breakfast, rip open presents. It's just been really fun the last few years to watch my niece get excited about Christmas and go through that all with us.
Mercy: What is your must-have Christmas food?
Brittany: Oh boy... Pomegranate, that might be a weird answer but pomegranates remind me of Christmas. I always try to break one open and de-seed it the night before.
Mercy: Lastly, any other upcoming projects?
Brittany: I have a project that I will be working on in the New Year but there is no confirmation as to when its starting yet so I want to be careful on how much I give out about it. My mom is actually writing the project so I'm very excited for her, its her first time writing a script and she's very nervous about it. It's based on a book she wrote, which is a phenomenal story. It's actually based on the story of a woman who was my teacher in high school. I'll be working on that. It's just a small role but I'm really excited to be a part of it. I have a film that I did last year called Shadow Town which is in the process of being finished up so it can do the festival circuit. And then we'll see what happens. I'm excited for whatever is coming next year, this has been a really, really wonderful year, last year was incredible and I'm just really grateful and excited to see what is coming next year too.
Mercy: Love that. Is there a Hallmark movie you done that you'd like to do a sequel to?
Brittany: Holiday Date. "laughs" For real though it would be so much fun to do a sequel! I think I would also love to do a sequel to Love On Safari. I'd say right now a sequel to Holiday Date would be so much fun, in part because, yes, I'd love to go back to Africa. That's a much bigger take on everything and I think... I would do a sequel to all of them if I could, but Holiday Date was so much fun and because I just finished doing that one I'm so excited for the premiere, I feel like that's the one that is most on my brain right now. So I'm going to stick with Holiday Date. "laughs"
Mercy: I think we need a sequel to Love, Romance And Chocolate about your character
Brittany: Yes, I'm okay with that also. I'm on board for a sequel to all of these movies! I would happily reprise all of my characters as many times as I'm allowed.
"both laugh"
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| Brittany Bristow & Matt Cohen. "Holiday Date" |
Mercy: Can you share a little about Holiday Date?
Brittany: Absolutely! The story does follow that classic young woman who's living in the big city, has a boyfriend but things just aren't working, and has her heart broken right before Christmas. She ends up going to a party and meeting an actor named Joel and she reluctantly agrees to have him pose as her ex-boyfriend that she just split up with. Her friends kind of incite it all. They push her and Joel a little bit but they end up convincing her and he ends up going home with her to celebrate Christmas with her family. She is so excited to bring her boyfriend home for Christmas, she's been building him up leading up to Christmas so her family is expecting this guy who loves Christmas, and is like a Christmas expert and of course Joel shows up and suddenly the news breaks that he is Jewish. The family is moderately confused as to how Mr. Christmas is Jewish. It becomes really, really fun because he starts to really enthusiastically participate in everything and the family learns from him how to celebrate Hanukkah. It's this fun, sort of comedy of errors where they keep trying to keep up the charade as long as they can. And on set we had so much fun! I was so blessed to be cast with such incredible people. Such wonderful people playing my family- Teryl Rothery plays my mom, she's hilarious, Bruce Boxleitner plays my dad and he is also hilarious, and then of course Anna Van Hooft plays my sister, and Peter Benson plays my brother-in-law. I have to say that virtually every behind-the-scenes story includes Peter making all of us laugh so hard - there was one scene that we were all practically crying, we couldn't stop laughing because Peter was so, so, so funny. The dynamic between him and Bruce is out of this world hilarious. The director laughed so hard we had to yell "cut" once. Everyone just had so much fun, we really bonded and such a good time working together.
 |
| "Holiday Date" |
Mercy: Thats awesome! What do you like to do in your free time?
Brittany: Well currently I'm sort of trying to learn to play the guitar. I'm terrible at it but I'm enjoying making weird noises by hitting the strings "laughs" I like a lot of stuff!
I go to the gym a lot, I find it fun. Theres a beautiful community of people that I get to see everyday and they really become friends. I've recently started learning how to do some woodwork stuff. I recently got a new apartment so my boyfriend has been helping me learn how to make stuff. We just recently made a table together. It's been really fun decorating my place and getting into the spirit of things. I'm one of those people that tend to be quiet in terms of things they do. I love to read, I'm currently knitting which makes me feel like of 90 but I'm okay with it because I'm making a scarf and its going to be very warm. I love writing. I love spending time with my family & friends. Trying to do artistic and creative things. Nothing wildly crazy and I find it so hard to come up with things to do in the winter because its so cozy and warm you just want to stay inside and watch Hallmark movies all day. Which I have to admit I have done ."laughs"
Mercy: Same "laughs" What is your all time favorite Christmas movie?
Brittany: I think I have two. I love White Christmas, my best friend from high school and I used to watch it every year at this old theater near my parents house. It was just one big movie theater screen and it was an old, old theater. You'd go in and get these little popcorn boxes and stuff. And then I'd say my other one is Elf. That is because every year my sister and I watch it and bake cookies so it has a lot of really good memories.
Mercy: What is your favorite Christmas song?
Brittany: Last Christmas by Wham.
Mercy: Favorite Christmas tradition:
Brittany: My favorite Christmas tradition - I love wrapping presents for people which maybe isn't a tradition.
Every year my family and I on Christmas Eve make dinner and watch Christmas movies and we open one present and then all sneakily stick presents under the tree. It's become really fun over the last few years because my sister has a daughter and she just had a little baby boy so its been kind of fun to pass those traditions on and create this new family tradition with them. I think Christmas Eve for me is a big thing. We love Christmas morning and Christmas Day. We get up and watch Christmas movies, we have a big breakfast, rip open presents. It's just been really fun the last few years to watch my niece get excited about Christmas and go through that all with us.
Mercy: What is your must-have Christmas food?
Brittany: Oh boy... Pomegranate, that might be a weird answer but pomegranates remind me of Christmas. I always try to break one open and de-seed it the night before.
Mercy: Lastly, any other upcoming projects?
Brittany: I have a project that I will be working on in the New Year but there is no confirmation as to when its starting yet so I want to be careful on how much I give out about it. My mom is actually writing the project so I'm very excited for her, its her first time writing a script and she's very nervous about it. It's based on a book she wrote, which is a phenomenal story. It's actually based on the story of a woman who was my teacher in high school. I'll be working on that. It's just a small role but I'm really excited to be a part of it. I have a film that I did last year called Shadow Town which is in the process of being finished up so it can do the festival circuit. And then we'll see what happens. I'm excited for whatever is coming next year, this has been a really, really wonderful year, last year was incredible and I'm just really grateful and excited to see what is coming next year too.
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