BET ‘s thriller movie “Christmas Rescue”, is all set to premiere on the channel on Thursday, December 14, 2023 at 8/7c. Let’s take a first look! We at Survived The Shows had the chance to chat via email with star Samantha Neyland Trumbo, who shared her experience on BET’s Christmas Rescue and more. Check out full interview below!
MUA: Melissa Bedi
Can you tell us a bit about your character in Christmas Rescue?
SAMANTHA: I play Chelsea Alexander who is getting married to the handsome, wealthy Charles Duncan when she’s kidnapped at the altar by her childhood sweetheart Keith Benjamin, who is desperately attempting to win her back.
What initially attracted you to your role in Christmas Rescue?
SAMANTHA: Chelsea is an extremely strong person and I love female characters that exhibit a lot of strength and independence because that’s real life. She’s not a damsel in distress. In this movie, she has two men fighting for her heart but she has no problem telling either of them what it takes to be with her. She settles for nothing, instead, she makes everyone rise to her level and it’s amazing.
What do you think makes the romance in the movie so special and captivating?
SAMANTHA: It’s honest. They don’t meet at a bakery, instantly fall in love, and then get engaged two weeks later. No shade to those movies because I absolutely love them too but what’s really special about Christmas Rescue is that they have real life challenges, real obstacles to overcome, and a history together that is 100% relatable.
What do you hope audiences take away from watching Christmas Rescue?
SAMANTHA: I hope people see the beauty that can come from standing up for yourself in the name of love. Chelsea and Keith argue but they’re never simply fighting with each other, they’re always fighting for something. When you take a step back and really listen to what they’re saying it’s beautiful. Even in the moments of hurt, anger, and loss, it’s such a beautiful film.
What was it like working with the rest of the cast on set?
SAMANTHA: We were blessed with such an incredible cast. Everyone worked so well together and fed off each other’s energy. Robin Givens really takes the cake because she was also the writer and executive producer so she was fully invested in the film and was always available to encourage, motivate, and even challenge me and the other actors.
What can you tease about your character Journey?
SAMANTHA: Well, I won’t spoil the movie but I will say we get to see Chelsea go from a place of wanting to make other people happy to fully letting go of that pressure and focusing on what makes her happy. The ending is so satisfying after watching everything she has to go through to achieve it.
What was your favorite scene or moment while filming Christmas Rescue?
SAMANTHA: There’s a scene on the swingset between Chelsea and Keith and it is so emotional! It’s a moment we don’t always get in a romcom but I’m so glad our writers chose to go there because it’s fueled with so many emotions and so much history. It’s a major turning point in the story and I remember feeling like it was a breakthrough for the characters. It was honestly one of the hardest scenes to shoot because it required so much from an acting standpoint but I’m really happy with how it turned out.
Can you tell us about any challenges you faced while filming Christmas Rescue and how you overcame them?
SAMANTHA: The biggest challenge was time. We shot the entire movie in three weeks which is just insane. I remember thinking three weeks was ambitious but we did it. Anytime you’re pressed for time you just know you’re going to lose a little sleep so that you can be extra prepared when you show up. I definitely sleep 10 hours on my days off, sometimes more, just so I could catch up.
Change of subject, What have been some of the most memorable projects you have worked on throughout your career, and why?
SAMANTHA: One of my favorite projects was working with Eugenio Derbez on HULU’s “The Valet”. It was a director I had admired for a while and my character was so much fun. I played a supermodel which automatically is going to be fun. But I had this amazingly dramatic scene where I got out of a car and slo-mo walked toward Eugenio to flirt with him and his character just stood there in shock. It was hilarious.
Can you tease something about your next projects?
SAMANTHA: My next movie is actually a horror Syfy so very, very different from Christmas Rescue. It’s set at a summer camp and I play one of the camp counselors. When the kids arrive at camp they suspect something dark is happening and spend the movie trying to convince the counselors. It’s a great mystery that is so fun to see unfold.
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Desirèe
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