Lifetime and Paramount are changing the narrative on holiday movies and making them inclusive to the LGBTQ and Asian American communities with these new movies.
'The Christmas Setup'
The Christmas Setup will be Lifetime's first holiday movie centered around a gay couple. It stars the real-life married couple Blake Lee (Patrick) and Ben Lewis (Hugo) with the iconic Fran Drescher (Kate) trying to set them.
Advocate Channel spoke to Ellen Wong, whose character Madelyn is Hugo's best friend, and Blake Lee about this ground-breaking film. Ellen said:
"To be able to tell these stories that are so meaningful with your friends I mean that is another level of just, you know, fulfillment."
Lee told us:
"I think that what is so special about this film is that it really falls in line with that pattern that the Lifetime audience is used to and I think that there is something really incredible that they didn't change that. They did not change that for the LGBTQ story line."
The Christmas Setup debuts Saturday, December 12th on Lifetime.
'Dashing in December'
Paramount is following in Lifetime's footsteps by also releasing a holiday flick about gay men falling in love, only this time Andie MacDowell is playing the match-maker. Peter Porte and Juan Pablo Di Pace are the leading men in Dashing in December and they talked to us about how they feel about giving the LGBTQ community representation.
Peter Porte said:
"It's exciting that kids now can see themselves and their stories be told."
Juan Pablo Di Pace said:
"It's an honor to be a part of this movement, revolution that is happening with the LGBT themed holiday movies."
Dashing in December premieres Sunday, December 13th at 7/6c on Paramount Network.
'A Sugar And Spice Holiday'
The LGBTQ community is not the only one's finally gaining their right to representation in holiday movies. Lifetime is also premiering a new holiday film about Asian Americans starring a female Asian lead.
Jacky Lai stars in A Sugar And Spice Holiday as the young architect Suzy Yung. She told us:
"Lifetime's first Asian American movie feels so surreal because I can't believe it's taken until 2020 for us to have a movie like this. It's really rewarding to be a part of that."
A Sugar And Spice Holiday drops this Sunday, December 13th on Lifetime.
It is incredible that these groups are finally getting the representation they deserve and let's hope this trend does not die off and will soon become the new norm. Make sure to tune into this diverse holiday film filled weekend.
