Inside SCOUTING FOR CHRISTMAS: Star Talks Love, Family and Faith
By Movieguide® Contributor
Tamera Mowry-Housley is gearing up for the holidays with her new heartwarming movie, SCOUTING FOR CHRISTMAS.
“One of the main reasons why I wanted to do this film — I’ve always wanted to be a mother as long as I can remember and I have two beautiful children. They are my world,” the SISTER, SISTER star told Movieguide®.
In hallmark’s hallmarkchannel.com/scouting-for-christmas/about-scouting-for-christmas">SCOUTING FOR CHRISTMAS, Mowry-Housley plays Angela, a busy divorcee and mom to 10-year-old Brooklyn, a Girl Scout. When Brooklyn asks Angela to have the owner of her favorite bakery cater a scout event, Angela starts to catch feelings for him. But then her ex-husband tries to walk back into their lives…and Angela has to make a choice.
“I love that Angela, her number one priority was to make sure that Brooklyn is safe and not only safe physically but you know, that her heart is always you know, protected…,” Mowry-Housley shared. “I have friends and family…who are divorced and it’s challenging. It’s hard especially when you have children.”
“I loved that you see Angela give her ex grace,” the actress continued. “You know, she knew that it wasn’t the best dynamic for the entire family so she wanted to you know, take control of that and make sure that her daughter had the best life possible and I love that her ex allowed that. I love that there’s a little love triangle in this film.”
SCOUTING FOR CHRISTMAS has a positive moral worldview, with a strong emphasis on helping others, working together, and the importance of family…
READ MORE: SCOUTING FOR CHRISTMAS REVIEW
Mowry-Housley never had the opportunity to be in the Girl Scouts, though she would have loved to. So, when she found out the Scouts were a large part of the theme, she was eager to take the role.
“I just love the outfits… They’re so freaking cute and I love to bake and this movie had all the elements that I love in my real life and also, it’s like all the elements of Christmas. I had to do it.”
On Oct. 17, Mowry-Housley shared photos from the set and told fans, “This one is so special and I can’t wait for y’all to see it.❤️”
As wife and mom to two kiddos, Mowry-Housley and her family have a few holiday traditions they enjoy together. Tree decorating is a family favorite.
“They’ve always helped us decorate the tree but as you know I mean having a 1-year-old, toddlers, it was always like ‘Wait wait, no no, no, no, no, no.’ We can’t use the glass, you know, ornaments this year, you know. Just use plastic this year.”
“They’re really involved and they have opinions. They pick out new ornaments. They…love seeing their ornaments that they made in kindergarten you know, on the tree and they’re like, ‘Oh you see them?’ Reminds [you] to talk about you know memories.”
Another favorite tradition is baking cookies — sugar cookies with friends and chocolate chip just for Santa.
“We’re creating memories and now they’re a part of that and that they’ll you know, pass it down if they choose to have a family…It’s beautiful to witness,” she said.
As someone who grew up in the entertainment industry, Mowry-Housley has certain values about worth that she instills in her kids.
“I want them to love the core of who they are…I want them to learn the importance of validating themselves. Not letting outside influences define them because I feel like that’s when you…have the tendency to lose yourself if you give outsiders that power to define you,” she said.
“And I had to learn this the hard way, but to let them I want to normalize not being liked by everyone like that’s okay,” she said. “Don’t take it personal. I don’t know one person where 100% of the world likes them.”
The “number one” thing that Mowry-Housley wants her children to have is faith.
“I look at how God loves me. Number one. Like nobody can shake that,” she said.
“If you focus on that…let God define me, you know, how does he define me and his word and then that’s what we focus on… We’re definitely instilling that I’ve been instilling that in my kids…since birth and it’s also beautiful to see how their faith is growing you know?”
Mowry-Housley tries to “live by example,” too. She knows she’s not perfect, and makes an effort to acknowledge her mistakes to her kids.
“Kids are like sponges. They’re going and they’re your mirror, believe it or not. So that’s what I’ve noticed. Like my daughter will do certain things and I’m like… ‘Adam, do I do that?’ and he’s like yeah and then I’m like, ‘That’s exhausting. I’m sorry.’
“We can learn from our children that way and I learned the importance of trying to be the best example possible. We’re not perfect individuals so when we do in a certain way that you know that that’s not the best, we are very open about that. We’re like, ‘Hey, you know, I didn’t like the way mommy was this morning. I apologize. This is probably the best way.”
Through that, Mowry-Housley’s kids learn grace, forgiveness and how to make things right when they make a mistake.
“No one’s perfect, and you don’t want to raise judgmental…children either. Mainly you don’t want them to judge themselves all the time,” she said.
When asked if Mowry-Housley loves to star in hallmark movies because they’re wholesome and family-friendly, she said, “Absolutely. Oh my goodness…I don’t have to worry about anything, and yes, the whole family can sit down and watch.”
The long-time actress has seen how entertainment has shifted away from family-friendly content, and she misses when families could sit down together to watch TV.
“I personally miss when families can sit down together. I feel like you have adult content you have children content where they’re watching their stuff, we’re watching our stuff, but it separates the family,” she said. “hallmark brings the family together. And again, that is what Christmas is about, right? Family togetherness.”
“And I love that everyone can sit down and watch these movies you know? They’re going to learn about love, hope, family, you know just Christmas, and that’s a beautiful thing, and I feel like we’ve lost a little bit of that in in in the world,” she said.
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