Great American Family: Danica McKellar Teases ‘Snarky’ Banter In Christmas At The Drive-In

This coming weekend, Danica McKellar stars in her first movie with Great American Family, Christmas at the Drive-In. In the movie, which premieres on Friday, The Wonder Years alum plays Sadie Walker, a lawyer fighting to save her hometown’s last surviving drive-in. While treating viewers to the golden days of drive-in movie theaters, Sadie finds herself in an awkward spot.

Danica McKellar in Christmas at the Drive-In

According to the plot of the movie, the person wanting to sell the property is a developer looking for a more profitable tenant. However, it seems he is also Sadie’s ex from high school, Holden, played by Neal Bledsoe. Meanwhile, Sadie hasn’t seen Holden in 20 years, but they have quite a history together.

Danica was recently interviewed about Christmas at the Drive-In, where she said this is her and Bledsoe’s third movie together. This history of working together makes their characters’ personal history feel natural. McKellar teases what she terms their “snarky” banter, saying:

We would ad-lib a little bit and throw things in there, and a lot of it ended up in the movie. I’m just thrilled with it.

Moving from Hallmark to Great American Family

Moreover, the new Great American Family movie is the first of Danica’s four-movie deal with the network. Speaking of her move from Hallmark, she said that having more creative control of her work as executive producer was part of the appeal for switching networks.

McKellar did say that Hallmark “was great” and that she loved her time there. However, with Great American Family, she has a much more active role in her movies. Danica told TV Insider she is “looking at loglines, working with writers … helping to cast it.” In fact, she said she cast the entire movie and that it was “just such a wonderful synergy,” adding:

I’ve been in this business for over 30 years, and finally getting a chance to have more input has been so creatively satisfying.

I can’t say there are any surprises except for how satisfying it has been.

Full synopsis of Christmas at the Drive-In

In the official synopsis for Christmas at the Drive-in, Sadie Walker (McKellar) has returned to her hometown of Chesterfield, New York. She is starting over, following a series of major life disruptions, including leaving her law practice after losing her biggest case. Meanwhile, she is also no longer engaged to her former fiancé.

Sadie now works as a law professor at Chesterfield College and has no interest whatsoever in pursuing her legal career. However, she finds herself fighting to preserve a much-loved local landmark, Chesterfield Drive-in.

Meanwhile, she is surprised to discover that her passionate effort to keep the drive-in open has strong opposition. It turns out the late owner’s son, and Sadie’s childhood sweetheart, Holden (Bledsoe) is dead against keeping it going.

Meanwhile, the holiday movie also stars Jennifer Wigmore and Ayesha Mansur Gonsalves.

When does the movie premiere?

The new, original movie Christmas at the Drive-In premieres on Friday, November 25, 8/7c on Great American Family.

Readers can watch a preview of the movie here: