Jennifer Love Hewitt will make her long-awaited return to the Lifetime Network, this time as both a star and director.
The 45-year-old actress – who once joked about almost killing Betty White – will star in and direct a new holiday film entitled The Holiday Junkie, according to Deadline.
She will also executive produce with the film, written by Anna White, based on Love Hewitt’s personal relationship with the Christmas holiday and the loss of her mother.
The film marks the return to Lifetime for Hewitt, who starred in the 2010 TV movie The Client List, which was turned into a Lifetime TV series that ran two seasons.
The Holiday Junkie will be considered a tentpole of the network’s It’s A Wonderful Lifetime holiday movie slate for 2024, marking her first feature film as a director, after directing episodes of The Client List and Ghost Whisperer.
Jennifer Love Hewitt will make her long-awaited return to the Lifetime Network, this time as both a star and director.
The 45-year-old actress – who once joked about almost killing Betty White – will star in and direct a new holiday film entitled The Holiday Junkie, according to Deadline
The story follows Andie (Hewitt), who runs a decorating and planning services company with her mother Mimi.
Her world comes crashing down when Mimi passes away, as she’s faced with her first holiday without her beloved mother.
Faced with the challenges of running the business on her own, it will be a Christmas unlike any other… one where Andie may even find love as well.
‘Jennifer is beloved by Lifetime and our viewers,” said Elaine Frontain Bryant, EVP, Head of Programming Genres for A&E, Lifetime and LMN.
‘We’re excited to work with her again on this special project near and dear to her and to have it as one of our cornerstones for our It’s a Wonderful Lifetime slate,’ she added.
Not only is it based on her own idea and a remembrance of her mother – who passed away at 67 in 2012 from cancer – but it will truly be a family affair as well.
She will co-star alongside her husband Brian Hallisay, who she tied the knot with in 2013, and their three children are set to have roles as well.
‘To be able to direct and be in this movie with my husband is such a special opportunity,’ Hewitt said in a statement.
The story follows Andie (Hewitt), who runs a decorating and planning services company with her mother Mimi
Her world comes crashing down when Mimi passes away, as she’s faced with her first holiday without her beloved mother
She currently stars as Maddie Kendall in the hit Fox series 9-1-1, which is on its summer hiatus
‘And to be back home with Lifetime feels as right as Christmas magic!’ she added in her statement.
Hewitt and writer White will also serve as executive producers alongside MarVista Entertainment’s Julianna Hays, Larry Grimaldi, Hannah Pillemer and Fernando Szew.
Neil Elman and Kate Tumanova will also produce for Elman Films, though it’s unclear when Lifetime will release the film.
Hewitt launched a marketing and consumer brand also called The Holiday Junkie, plus she has a book Inheriting Magic due out December 10.
She currently stars as Maddie Kendall in the hit Fox series 9-1-1, which is on its summer hiatus.
