Sydney Scotia on 'Our Holiday Story': Holiday Magic, Family Lessons & Behind-the-Scenes Moments

[00:00:09] Sydney, how are you today? Thank you for joining me on Pop Culture Unplugged.

[00:00:13] I'm great. Thank you. I'm so excited to be promoting this movie. Thank you for having me.

[00:00:16] Oh, no problem. Our Holiday Story premiered about two days ago on Hallmark.

[00:00:20] What's your thoughts on all this time of the year? You know, we have every day there's something coming out about Christmas or any type of holiday movie, you know, from now until January 1st. What's your thoughts on all this?

[00:00:31] It's true. There are so many Christmas movies. They keep pumping out the Christmas content. I love it.

[00:00:38] I haven't quite slowed down yet for the holidays. I feel like in December rolls around and then it starts to slow down a little bit more. So I like having a lot to watch.

[00:00:49] That's my favorite thing to do during the holidays. So I'm excited to check out some more. What's your thoughts?

[00:00:56] I have two young kids, so we're watching all the old stuff, which is great. I like watching that old stuff.

[00:01:01] Yeah. Yeah. Introducing them to the classics.

[00:01:04] Right. Right. Like Elf. Who doesn't like Elf?

[00:01:07] Yeah. I mean, Elf is the top. All of my friends, if you are sure. Yes.

[00:01:14] My favorite holiday movie. Usually it's Elf.

[00:01:18] So let's jump into your, into your latest project. Now, you know, we see you as Joanne in the movie.

[00:01:23] How did you connect with this character, especially for a holiday movie like this that takes place, you know, where like the parents are recounting their own Christmas love story to your character's boyfriend?

[00:01:32] Yeah. This, this character was quite easy to identify with, you know, this, this story is, is relatable. And Joanna is dealing with, you know, lack of control. She's at six years old. She thinks that she has it all figured out. And she's telling her dad how to go after his, his love. And she's telling, she's facilitating it. She's in control.

[00:02:01] But then as she gets older, she realizes not everything is panning out exactly how she thought it would. And I think that was, it was very easy to relate to. So when she starts to lose control of things, she has to adjust to the new reality of that.

[00:02:19] Right. What did you find like most challenging about this character, you know, for a story that explores, you know, like themes like fate and self change?

[00:02:29] Yeah. I think it really was just about looking inward and asking myself what I would do in that situation. I mean, a challenging aspect of the role was being 16 and then 26.

[00:02:43] And how, what would this character be thinking and, and talking about and how would she be approaching something at this age versus this age, which is not that far apart, but it still is a lot of growth happens in that time.

[00:02:57] The film explores like, you know, a lot of like, honesty is one of the themes in there. Like, what do you think about Joanne in her relationship with Chris? Is there a lot of honesty in there between them? You think?

[00:03:06] I think she is honest with him and she has to be honest with herself in order to share with him how she's feeling. And it's not easy. And she's so scared to tell him that she's scared.

[00:03:22] Yeah. So it's, there's a lot of honesty that has to happen between Dave and Nell, obviously with the switch up of who they are, but then not being completely honest with her boyfriend about not knowing if, if she knows he's the one, which is a terrifying realization and thing to tell someone, but you have to share things in order to get past it.

[00:03:50] It's true. How do you think, what do you think about like the storytelling style in this movie? And what do you think is like the main theme for this movie?

[00:03:58] Well, I mean, the storytelling style and the camera style really go hand in hand in this one. And there's a lot of whip pans from the future, like the present to the past and the past to the present.

[00:04:09] Okay. And what was your second question?

[00:04:12] Like, what do you think? What's the big theme? Like what's the big message for this movie?

[00:04:17] Mm hmm. I think one of the big messages is letting go of how you should be and letting them be what they are, not grasping on so tight to an idea of something and let and trusting yourself and trusting the people around you.

[00:04:41] What was it? What was it? What was it like? So was it? Let me rephrase this question. What was it like working with Nikki and Warren also your the one that played your parents in the film?

[00:04:49] What was it like working with them?

[00:04:50] It was really great. I really admire them from just a professionalism standpoint and acting standpoint. They're so experienced. They've been in the industry for so long, and they've worked so much because they're just so good.

[00:05:06] So getting to act with them was really nice. I mean, our first scene, my first scene with Nikki was we were at the end of the night. And it was a really emotional scene and we were rushing to get to that to that wrap. And we really only had enough time for a few different angles. And she was just such a giving scene partner.

[00:05:25] Same with Warren. He we had already worked together for a few days at that point. And so we just had a flow and they they came together and were amazing. It's like nothing had to be forced with them and because they were just so natural and good at what they do.

[00:05:41] Do you have a favorite moment or scene in this film that stands out to you?

[00:05:46] Yeah, I loved working with Gavin. I've worked with Gavin before and there was one scene where we're making a gingerbread house and and things get really awkward.

[00:05:54] And I thought that I thought it was a hilarious scene. And we had fun. We in between takes as well. We.

[00:06:02] It was just fun to work with him again and had a great time messing around in between takes, but that was great as well as a lot of the scenes with Warren, you know, when when a scene is just going and you feel like, oh, this is easy and it's fun.

[00:06:17] And we're just bouncing off of each other and trying some new things. And and.

[00:06:23] There's already that built in. I feel like the relationship is going to translate here.

[00:06:27] That's very exciting. So.

[00:06:29] The first day finding that with Warren was a really, I think, awesome day.

[00:06:35] So in other words, you would jump in a heartbeat to do another Christmas movie or holiday movie.

[00:06:40] Yeah. Oh, definitely. I would love to keep doing holiday movies and I love that they air every holiday.

[00:06:50] The movie celebrates, you know, like I said, holiday season, the magic of Christmas.

[00:06:53] Do you have any personal holiday tradition that you cherish in your life?

[00:06:59] Yeah, I.

[00:07:02] I do just love being with my family on Christmas Day and playing board games.

[00:07:09] We love seeing shows as well.

[00:07:12] I'm based in New York and so going to a show or on the holiday time is really fun.

[00:07:18] But every year is slightly different.

[00:07:21] We moved to like my family is based in New York now, but we were in Arizona before that and that looked very different.

[00:07:26] So it changes as the years go on.

[00:07:28] But what about you? Do you have any holiday traditions?

[00:07:30] Just to get together with the family, you know, because it seems like, you know, that's the only chance I get to see them.

[00:07:34] You know, there was a travel to come down here.

[00:07:36] So it's like I always try to make time to go see them.

[00:07:40] Yeah. Yeah.

[00:07:42] It's just quality time.

[00:07:43] You know, a lot of FaceTiming that happens.

[00:07:47] It's not the same when you do the FaceTime and then you're with them.

[00:07:50] You know, it's like it's something special about actually being in the same room with somebody.

[00:07:53] Yeah, it's true.

[00:07:54] So there's nothing like it because especially family, you don't get to see that often, whether they're far away or not.

[00:07:59] You know, going from Nova Scotia to Arizona back in the day was a long trek.

[00:08:05] And so it was extra special when we got to get together and spend the holidays together.

[00:08:10] So our holiday story at Hallmark City.

[00:08:12] I want to thank you for giving me for minutes today.

[00:08:14] This was great.

[00:08:15] Yeah.

[00:08:15] Thanks so much for having me.

[00:08:17] We got to do this again.

[00:08:18] Peace.

[00:08:18] Peace.

[00:08:18] Peace.