Life’s not always a party, but thanks to Lacey Chabert’s new Hallmark+ series it can feel like one with every new episode.
“I love celebrating. I love celebrating life in general and celebrating the people in my life, my loved ones,” Chabert, 41, exclusively told Us Weekly of the inspiration behind her show, Celebrations With Lacey Chabert. “I love throwing parties for my daughter. So I’ve always dreamed of doing a show where we get to celebrate people who are so deserving.”
On the show, which premieres on Tuesday, September 10, Chabert works alongside two event planners to put together a fun bash for a worthy hero in three days’ time. The actress’ “favorite moment” each episode is when the hero, who thinks that they are filming a documentary interview, learns their loved ones and community have submitted them as the party recipient.
Lacey Chabert. Hallmark Media/Photographer: Kim Nunneley
Chabert said there is a “format” to Celebrations, starting with meeting the hero, getting to know their family and friends as part of the “investigative work” and hearing from those who have been positively impacted by the hero. The party planning, however, isn’t always as seamless as it might look on TV.
“It’s unscripted and so while there is a plan, things don’t always go according to that plan,” Chabert laughed. She teased that since people have jobs and are in school, her team is “sneaking around” and “trying to keep it a surprise.”
The Hallmark star revealed that they “lost venues because of weather issues” and mishaps happened “right before the celebration,” but with a little flexibility the events all came to fruition.
“You just go with the flow and make the best of it, and everything worked out just as it was meant to be,” Chabert teased, adding that she “cried every episode” due to how wonderful the celebrations were. She recalled being “really touched” by the moment when the hero walks in the room and feels the love from their community.
Additionally, Chabert was happy to be able to raise awareness for every recipient’s nonprofit, which viewers will learn about each week. “[We’ll] hopefully bring awareness to a larger community that also wants to pitch in and support them,” Chabert said of the philanthropy spotlight.
Fans of Chabert have to wait until Tuesday, September 10, to see her in the Hallmark+ TV show — but it’s not her only September project for the network. She’ll also star in Hallmark Channel’s His & Hers, which premieres on Saturday, September 7, at 8 p.m. ET.
“It was our 10th movie together and it was just so much fun to be on set again together and especially in a movie where we are playing husband and wife, so we’re already married,” Chabert told Us of the rom-com, which costars her longtime friend Brennan Elliott.
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Chabert said she had a “blast” working with Elliott, 49, since they have “history and that trust and friendship.” (The pair previously starred in Hallmark Mystery’s Crossword Mysteries franchise and the All of My Heart trilogy.)
In His & Hers, Chabert and Elliott play married lawyers who are pitted against each other while representing a reality show couple in their divorce. “We have a different dynamic in this movie,” Chabert said, adding that it was fun to play “two people in love” who are already married after portraying newly dating couples or coworkers in the past.
“Brennan is such a great scene partner because you can try something and he will just go with the flow,” she gushed. “He’ll be honest with you and tell you if it worked or it didn’t and we’re there to support each other.”
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In addition to His & Hers, Chabert is hopeful that fans will tune in week after week to watch Celebrations With Lacey Chabert. She teased that the show will pull at viewers’ heartstrings while keeping with the Hallmark spirit of all her past projects.
“[I hope] the goodness and the uplifting messages and just the nostalgic feeling that people go to the movies for [comes through in the show],” Chabert told Us. “I think they’re gonna get to see that come to life in a real way with the unscripted show. It’s that same feel-good hallmark warmth.”
Celebrations with Lacey Chabert debuts on Hallmark+ Tuesday, September 10. New episodes will premiere every Thursday beginning Thursday, September 12, on Hallmark’s all-new streaming service.