Lacey Chabert Talks The Dancing Detective: A Deadly Tango, Finding Her Character’s Core, and the Women Who Shaped Her as a Storyteller

Lacey Chabert needs no introduction. The renowned actress, writer, and producer is known for her transformative and dynamic performances in projects including Mean Girls, Lost in Space, and Party of Five, and for bringing feel-good narratives to the screen like The Wedding Veil, The Crossword Mysteries, and The Christmas Waltz.

This summer, she reunites with costar and friend Will Kemp for the must-see film, The Dancing Detective: A Deadly Tango. Constance Bailey (Chabert) is a no-nonsense detective who prefers to work alone. When a high-profile CEO is murdered on the eve of his company’s corporate event in Malta – a high-stakes ballroom competition between senior executives – Detective Bailey is sent undercover as one of the contestants. The only problem? She can’t dance. To convincingly compete, she must team up with charismatic and free-spirited performer Sebastian Moore (Kemp). But with a killer on the loose and a growing list of suspects, it’s going to take more than a little fancy footwork to solve this case.

Pop Culturalist was lucky enough to speak with Lacey about The Dancing Detective: A Deadly Tango, how she found her character’s core, reuniting with Will, and her ongoing partnership with Hallmark.

PC: The Dancing Detective: A Deadly Tango is coming out on June 2nd. Your costar, Will Kemp, helped bring this project to life and thought of you for the role of Detective Bailey. What was it about this script and this character that resonated with you?
Lacey: I knew that I wanted to be a part of it after I read the first couple of acts because it was unexpected. There’s a lot of comedy in the film. It’s a real adventure. It’s a fun ride to watch these two characters go on together. I was really drawn to the opportunity to play the detective this time around. I love how the characters learn from each other and the ways that they relate to one another and don’t relate to one another. [laughs] I thought there was a real charm in that.

PC: Throughout your career, you’ve played so many incredible female characters. Who were the women in your own life who shaped the storyteller that you are today?
Lacey: That’s a great question. I have to say my mom has been a huge influence in my life and always has been. She’s such a positive influence and always encouraged me to go after my dreams, to believe in myself, and to be my own champion.

My grandmother, who passed, was someone that I was very close with. She was such a cheerleader in my life. It meant the most to me to hear her say that she was proud of what I was doing.

And now, I’m a mom. I’m raising a daughter who’s six years old. I hope that I can be that influence in her life and always encourage her to believe in herself and chase after her dreams. The sky is the limit.

PC: You’ve said in previous interviews that you’ve always been a little scared of dancing, but you were phenomenal in this film. What was that training process like as you tackled all these different ballroom dances?
Lacey: Thank you so much for that. I appreciate that. Will and I danced together in The Christmas Waltz a few years back. I was really afraid of dancing then because it isn’t my strong suit, but what I realized in the process of learning it is that it’s actually fun if you fight through the fear and face the challenge head on.

While I’m certainly not the best dancer in the whole world, I definitely gave it my all. Will and I had the best time learning to tango and foxtrot for this particular movie. I appreciate the way that dance is used in this mystery to solve the case. My character has to go undercover. She’s a very serious detective. She’s partnered up with Will’s character, who is an actor, who thinks he’s a detective because he’s seen them on TV. Because of their differences, there’s a lot of comedy and we’re able to have a lot of fun with those particular scenes. But at the end of the day, the thing that I was most drawn to for this movie is that it’s a real adventure film.

PC: You all shot this on location and the setting and environment feel like a character in and of itself. How beneficial was that for you as you prepared to immerse yourself in this world?
Lacey: I am so blessed that I’ve had the experience of being able to work on location and see places of the world that I probably otherwise wouldn’t have had the chance to. I love getting to go somewhere that I’ve never been before and seeing as much of the country as possible. While we were busy working and getting the movie made, we’d always take at least one day when we were on these trips to sightsee and be tourists. Malta was incredible. Everywhere you look is prettier than the last, and there are so many lovely people there. It’s so warm. The food is amazing, and it has such a rich history.

PC: There’s a beautiful moment within the film when your character lets down her walls and talks about her childhood and why she’s had to be so self-sufficient in her life, and you handled that moment with so much nuance and depth. As an actress, how do you create the space for yourself to dive into that scene in particular?
Lacey: Thank you so much. I really, really appreciate that. That’s a very kind compliment. I always try to figure out what is at the core of the character. What is it that makes them feel vulnerable? What is the story that they’ve been telling themselves their whole lives? Because we all have those stories and narratives in our own heads. What is she trying to maybe overcome?

A big thing is when we have those moments in these movies that are a bit more vulnerable or sentimental, you have to find what it is in the other person you’re acting opposite of that makes you feel safe enough to reveal that about yourself. Will makes that so easy. He and I are friends in real life. He’s such a wonderful actor and so connected. He’s such a great scene partner.

PC: There’s also a scene when Sebastian is opening up about a time in his life when he had to reevaluate a point in his career where he asked himself why he’s doing what he’s doing. Having had such an illustrious tenure in this industry, what’s been your North Star and kept you going throughout the years?
Lacey: Let’s face it, this business is hard. I’ve had some highs and lows like everyone. But my North Star has always been that I felt like I was born to tell stories, and it’s a part of my creative path. I can’t imagine a career that I’d be more passionate about than this one. I’m so thankful that I’ve been able to do this for so long, and in particular with Hallmark.

I’m at a point in my life that I want to be a part of things that my daughter can watch. I want to be a part of projects that spread joy and happiness in the world. Whether we’re doing a mystery or a drama or a Christmas movie, all of these films, at their core, are about something joyful. We want you to leave feeling good. I appreciate being a part of that.

PC: Similarly to Will, you’ve also written and produced. Have you found that your experiences behind the camera have impacted the way you’ve approached you work on screen and vice versa?
Lacey: Absolutely. It’s really nice to be involved in the development from the beginning. It’s exciting to have a creative voice in the process. I’m so thankful to Hallmark. They’ve let us wear different hats as actors and expanded the way that we’ve been able to tell stories. I’ve learned so much and I continue to learn, which is an exciting thing to say.

PC: Like you were saying earlier, there’s something for everyone with this film. What do you hope audiences take away?
Lacey: I hope they watch the movie and want to see more of these characters because we would certainly like to do more. I hope we get that chance. I think what sets this one apart is that it’s a mystery, but it’s also about the relationships and this adventure that these two characters find themselves on.

PC: Is there a particular scene you’re excited for audiences to see?
Lacey: It’s a really small scene, but I love the scene that we got to do that was a nod to the 1940s. I don’t want to spoil anything, but I like that it’s a glimpse into the character’s mind. It was also really, really fun to film because I’ve never done anything quite like that.

PC: You’ve done so much in your career. What’s left on that bucket list?
Lacey: Oh my goodness. So much. I hope I’m only at the beginning. There are a lot of things that I hope to do in my career. Personally, there are vacations that I hope to take with my family, places we want to see. Right now, I’m focused on my daughter finishing kindergarten and enjoying the summer with her. I’ve learned to count my blesses and take a step back sometimes and not life pass you by.

To keep up with Lacey, follow her on Twitter and Instagram. Watch The Dancing Detective: A Deadly Tango on June 2nd at 9/8c on Hallmark Movies and Mysteries.

Photo Credit: Crown Media United States, LLC