Canadian actor Ben Lewis admits he wasnB次元官网网址檛 that familiar with the holiday TV-movie genre before signing on to B次元官网网址淭he Christmas Setup.B次元官网网址�

In fact, he and his co-star B次元官网网址� and husband in real life, Blake Lee B次元官网网址� had never even seen a holiday Hallmark Channel or Lifetime movie all the way through.

As such, they didnB次元官网网址檛 realize the cultural significance of B次元官网网址淭he Christmas Setup,B次元官网网址� LifetimeB次元官网网址檚 first-ever LGBTQ holiday film, until reaction poured in from the cast announcement.

B次元官网网址淪o many people came out of the woodwork B次元官网网址� friends, peers of ours, a lot of queer people B次元官网网址� saying how they had grown up watching these movies and loving these movies, and how much the representation meant to them,B次元官网网址� Lewis said in a recent interview.

B次元官网网址淪o seeing it through their eyes, it began to sink in. Then I think doing the rounds of press for the movie now and having the discussion has really made us, in retrospect, feel even more grateful to have been given the opportunity.B次元官网网址�

Debuting Friday on CTV Drama Channel, the Ottawa-shot film stars Lewis as a New York lawyer who returns home to Milwaukee with his best friend, played by Ellen Wong.

Fran Drescher plays his mother, while Lee plays his high-school crush he starts to fall for B次元官网网址� just as his work gives him a promotion that requires him to move to London.

Lewis said he and Lee, an American actor with credits including B次元官网网址淧arks and Recreation,B次元官网网址� were asked to star in the film B次元官网网址渙ut of the blueB次元官网网址� in August when they were in Los Angeles.

Lewis admired director Pat MillsB次元官网网址� work, which includes the 2017 film B次元官网网址淒onB次元官网网址檛 Talk to Irene,B次元官网网址� and felt he would be B次元官网网址済reat at balancing the heart and the humour, without it ever becoming too cloying or saccharine.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淥ur (executive producer), Danielle von Zerneck, described herself as the B次元官网网址楲ifetime police.B次元官网网址� So we would just go with our own instincts and our own impulses, and we were really encouraged to trust and follow those,B次元官网网址� said Lewis, who studied at MontrealB次元官网网址檚 National Theatre School of Canada and has starred in series including B次元官网网址淎rrowB次元官网网址� and B次元官网网址淒egrassi: The Next Generation.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淏ut if it was ever tonally going off the rails, she would be the one who would pull it back and make sure that it was still appropriate for the genre and for the audience. So I think what we ended up with is a really great blend of these esthetics.B次元官网网址�

Of course, this being a TV holiday movie, there are some over-the-top elements in the love story written by Michael J. Murray.

B次元官网网址淟etB次元官网网址檚 be honest, these movies are not known for their realism,B次元官网网址� Lewis said with a laugh. B次元官网网址淏ut I do think that Lifetime was committed to trying to make it as authentically as possible, which is a credit to them B次元官网网址� from hiring a real couple, two openly gay actors to play the lead roles, which historically weB次元官网网址檝e not always been afforded the opportunity to do.

B次元官网网址淎nd itB次元官网网址檚 written by a gay man, itB次元官网网址檚 directed by a gay man, one of the executive producers is a gay man. So I think that within the genre, within the world of these movies, I think itB次元官网网址檚 as authentic as you could hope for B次元官网网址� while still not losing that idyllic, escapist quality that makes these movies so popular, so beloved.B次元官网网址�

Shooting took place under COVID-19 health and safety guidelines in September in Ottawa.

Lewis and Lee, who have been together for 10 years and married for five, werenB次元官网网址檛 the only long-standing relationship on set.

Lewis said heB次元官网网址檚 been friends with Wong since they starred together in the 2010 Toronto-shot film B次元官网网址淪cott Pilgrim vs. the World.B次元官网网址� And heB次元官网网址檚 known Chad Connell, who plays his brother in the film, for even longer.

Lewis and Lee had acted opposite each other in audition tapes in the past. But theyB次元官网网址檇 never starred in a project together and were a bit nervous going into filming.

B次元官网网址淓very time we do a self-tape together, weB次元官网网址檙e like, B次元官网网址榃eB次元官网网址檙e going to get a divorce,B次元官网网址橞次元官网网址� Lewis said with a laugh. B次元官网网址淪o this was pretty unpredictable. We didnB次元官网网址檛 know what it was going to be like. But luckily it was really just so purely joyful.B次元官网网址�

So joyful, in fact, that Lewis is game for a sequel, should one be made.

And heB次元官网网址檚 working on an outline for his own gay Christmas movie that he wants to write.

B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檝e done such a 180 with the Christmas movie genre,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淚t won me over.B次元官网网址�

Victoria Ahearn, The Canadian Press

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