Exclusive Interview: Pop Culturalist Chats with A California Christmas’ Lauren Swickard

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas. While things may be different this year, one thing we can still look forward to is holiday movies, and one film that should be on everyone’s list is Lauren Swickard’s A California Christmas.

Created, starring, and produced by Lauren, A California Christmas follows a wealthy charmer who poses as a ranch hand to get a hardworking farmer to sell her family’s land.

Pop Culturalist caught up with Lauren to learn more about her career, A California Christmas, and what it was like wearing all those different hats.

Career

PC: How did you discover your passion for the arts?
Lauren: I used to dance professionally in New York City with the School of American Ballet when I was younger, and I’m still a ballerina at heart. So, I was always an artist from a very young age.

While I was in New York City, I actually injured myself. I had to take another class during the day while I was healing, so I started taking acting classes and I fell in love with acting. I moved home from New York City and completely switched gears. I’ve been acting ever since.

PC: Who or what has had the biggest influence on your career?
Lauren: I love this question. I’m working with a company, ESX Productions, right now, and they have a really great CEO, Ali Afshar. From the very first script that I ever sent him, he’s always connected me with other writers to help me learn more about writing. He connected me with one of my mentors, Alex Renner Rebelo. He’s an outstanding writer. I really tip my hat off to Ali Afshar because he took me seriously at a very young age, and we’ve been working together for almost four and a half years. Now, I’m producing movies and writing TV shows. It’s all because somebody really gave me a real shot at such a young age. He was a big influence on my success.

PC: In addition to acting, you’re also a writer and producer. How has your work behind the scenes made you a stronger actress and vice versa?
Lauren: It’s interesting. The first movie that I produced was A California Christmas. It’s coming out this December and we didn’t have a full casting process. All the roles were offer-only, and they went out to actors that I knew or actors that the company knew of. But with this TV show, this is the first time I’m actually actively holding casting sessions with a casting director, and to be involved behind the scenes is such an important acting lesson.

As a producer and someone who’s casting a character, my favorite perspective is that we’re all human. When a person comes into the casting session, I can tell that they’re nervous and they’re shaky. We’re all on the other side rooting for you and wanting you to do well. We’re not these big, bad producers that I had the image of in my own head anytime I went into an audition.

I think it’s going to change the way I experience auditions. I mean, not that I was ever super nervous going in, but it was just the biggest deal ever anytime I walked into an audition. Now, it’s just, if I’m right for the part, then I’m right for the part. The producers and casting directors are rooting for me. If I’m not right for the part, it has nothing to do with me; It’s just that I’m not right for the part. It gives a casualness that I never thought of before.

A California Christmas

PC: Like you were saying earlier, you have a new film coming out. Tell us about A California Christmas and the inspiration behind it.
Lauren: I wanted to write a movie during quarantine because there were all of these slogans on social media. Everywhere you looked, it was just, “This is the time to be creative and to do things.” So, I wanted to write a script. I started thinking, “When is this quarantine going to be over? What will people want to watch when quarantine ends?” I thought, “They’re going to want to watch something happy and heartfelt.” Nobody wants to see something super, super negative after coming out of a global pandemic and being locked inside. I wanted it to be outdoors and happy. I thought, “We’re going to need to ride the holiday season hard because we’re depending on it,” so I thought a Christmas movie would be perfect.

The company that I work for, ESX Productions, has a lot of connections in Northern California. It’s in an area called Petaluma and it’s right next to Sonoma, right next to wine country—it’s gorgeous. Christmas and wine are two of my three favorite things, so I blended the two together and I wrote a Christmas movie with a classic save-the-ranch story with a wine vineyard twist.

My husband and I were the leads in it together, so hopefully everyone will enjoy our chemistry. It’s coming out in November on a very popular streaming service. I can’t wait.

PC: You created, produced, wrote, and starred in the film. How early on in the process did you realize you wanted to wear all those different hats? How challenging was that?
Lauren: At first, I was just going to produce because it was going to be my first time producing anything on a larger scale. I just wanted to produce, but the more I started working on the female lead character and writing her, the more my team was like, “This is you! You should do it.” My team actually convinced me to do it, which then brought on the idea of bringing Josh to play the male lead.

That made it really easy because we were filming during COVID. Josh and I didn’t have to worry about any kissing scenes or any close, intimate scenes because we’re married and live together. It made everything easier. Wearing all those different hats is something that I loved!

There were a few days where everything was super rushed and I was able to look at the script and say, “You know what? This scene isn’t that important for the story. Let’s cut it and save an hour.” I did that probably four times. It’s a big deal when you cut a scene, and that wouldn’t have been able to happen if I weren’t wearing at least two of the three hats. I loved it and I’m hoping to do it again very soon.

PC: Besides A California Christmas, you also have another exciting project coming out. Is there anything you can tease about Casa Grande?
Lauren: When I was filming A California Christmas, we were filming on a very, very large dairy farm where there were a lot of Hispanic workers. They had such joy when they were working, and they were working long hours. They were doing such hard, hard labor with such joy. It’s something that I have never been exposed to and never seen.

I thought it would be a great way to give a voice to this community. I trust the team that we’ve hired that are experts in this community. They are able to help me tell a beautiful story that gives a voice to these people. It shows the joys and the triumphs, but also the struggles that come with being involved in the Hispanic workforce in America.

I’m so excited about it. I’m also so excited to be able to say more. Right now, we have Gabriele Tagliavini as our director. She has personal stories that are around this community. She’s incredible. I can’t wait for you guys to see it.

Pop Culturalist Speed Round

PC: Guilty pleasure TV show?
Lauren: Saving Hope.

PC: Guilty pleasure movie?
Lauren: The Holiday. I’ve watched it so many times…I could probably quote the whole thing.

PC: Favorite book?
Lauren: I’m rereading the Golden Compass series.

PC: Favorite play or musical?
Lauren: Hamilton. My husband and I just saw it on Disney+. We always sing it to each other; it’s pretty cheesy.

PC: A band or artist that fans would be surprised to learn is on your playlist?
Lauren: Gavin James.

PC: Who would play you in the story of your life?
Lauren: Lily Collins would be perfect. I love her. She’s quirky, classy, and stylish. I would love her to play my character in the story of my life.

To keep up with Lauren, follow her on Twitter and Instagram. Watch A California Christmas today.