Tamera Mowry Housley Talks Scouting for Christmas, Hallmark Memories, and What She Stole From Set!
From Sister Sister to Twitches to our favorite Hallmark movies, watch Tamera Mowry Housley on screen has been a staple in all of our homes. Pop Culture Planet’s Kristen Maldonado spoke with the actress about her new holiday film Scouting for Christmas, looking back at 15 years of Countdown to Christmas, and the surprising items she’s stolen from set.
In Scouting for Christmas, Mowry Housley plays a single mom who feels like she has to do it all on her own. “The reason why I wanted to do this film was because I resonated with it. I'm a mom of two and I personally had to learn that it's okay to ask for help. I wanted to do a film that would show other moms or other families that it does take a village,” she told me. “It takes some adjusting, but, as long as you have the right people in your circle and you have that support, you can get through it. That's why I love this film. When you add Christmas and romance and just great characters and [a] beautifully aesthetic film, it's wonderful.”
This holiday film introduced her to a new form of self-care. “I personally had to learn that in asking for help it's actually a wonderful way of taking care of yourself. Sometimes, us moms, it's just in our DNA to always take care of others and forget how we're feeling. I had to learn the hard way just being exhausted,” explained Mowry Housley. “I remember just having my newborn being like, ‘Oh my gosh, I physically just can't. I can't do this anymore,’ and my friends were like, ‘Hello, that's why we're here. Ask for help. It's okay.’ I thought that asking for help made me feel weak, but it's the opposite. Knowing when you need help and vocalizing that actually shows strength.”
Mowry Housley was particularly proud of how smoothly Scouting for Christmas came together. “You're always a little anxious and nervous to see how people are going to respond to it, but if we're having a great time then the audience can see that as well,” she said about the new film. “I would say this one felt special because personally it felt like a breeze. I felt like I could just just breathe in it and relax and sit back and have fun. Initially this film was supposed to be a little bit more dramatic, but all of us got together and we put the words — we call it on our feet — and it ended up being hilarious,” she shared. “You can make comedy out of drama, anything. You really can. Weddings, funerals, I mean, life even in chaos can be really hilarious. I think that's what we did. We were all just grounded in the truth of the matter and had fun with a really nice breeze.”
As she looked back on 15 years of Countdown to Christmas, there were so many moments that were special to her that were tied to her career at Hallmark. “Being in the business for over 30 years, I can't believe I'm saying that… I'm here. I'm just so grateful. I've learned a sense of when things are going to be a little special. Like you have your films that you do and you're like, ‘Oh wait, this feels a little different. This feels special.’ Sister Sister, Twitches,” she revealed. “I will say Inventing The Christmas Prince when I was working with Izzy. That little girl, she's just a wonderful actress and the chemistry was awesome. There was this scene […] at the end and, if you haven't watched it you have to watch it, I love it so much. Doing the Gethsemane Brown mystery, that was magical. Being this woman of color with vibrant clothes in this dreary, cold, rainy place with these amazing Irish actors. I was like, ‘Oh, this is something special.’”
With all her time on the network, she has taken a few souvenirs home. “I take the ornaments ‘cause I want a little bit of that memory and bring it home,” she said about what she’s taken from the set of her Christmas movies. “Then this film, the wardrobe! I took the green dress! Okay, fine. It's so cute, and the PJs!”
Scouting for Christmas is playing on the Hallmark Channel — and don’t miss all the holiday films airing all season long to celebrate the 15th anniversary of Countdown to Christmas!
