Interview
Rachel Skarsten Teases Undercover Romance With Corey Sevier in ‘The Christmas Charade’ & Sequel Plans
Sometimes, you just need to go undercover for Christmas. Rachel Skarsten stars in The Christmas Charade, one of Hallmark’s Countdown to Christmas movies. She plays a cautious librarian named Whitney, who has always played it safe. But a blind date mix-up thrusts her into an undercover FBI operation with handsome Special Agent Josh (Corey Sevier). Whitney has to embrace her inner action hero to save Christmas, and she might just find true love, too.
For Skarsten, The Christmas Charade marked yet another reunion with Sevier, who also directed the movie. “When I read this script, it was just such a great script. It’s probably one of the best scripts for Hallmark that I’ve ever read,” Skarsten tells Swooon. “I laughed out loud. I was actually told about the script because Corey and I worked together when we were barely even teenagers. I was 12, he was 13, and we did a series called Little Men together. We did that for a few years and were kids together, so I know his family and all this stuff. We kind of kept in touch over the years.”
The pair already worked together once this year in Jazz Ramsey: A K-9 Mystery. While filming, they started discussing holiday projects. Sevier brought up that his wife was writing a Christmas movie and that Skarsten would be great for the leading role. “But people say that all the time in this industry,” Skarsten admits. “I really just took it with such a grain of salt, and then when Hallmark came and offered me the movie, I was so touched that Corey actually followed through on it. It was also really fun because Corey was directing it, and it was something special that I’ve never had.”
Rachel Skarsten in ‘The Christmas Charade.’ (Hallmark Media / Courtesy Vortex Media)
When Whitney first meets Josh, Skarsten says her character is a “bit fascinated by him because he’s had this kind of unconventional, almost lonely life. There’s something that draws her to that, and she wants to uncover more of that and who he really is behind everything. I think there is a little bit of a thrill with it because she’s always played it safe. So now someone is introducing her to the fast life. I think she’s intrigued and feels safe with him, too.”
Getting this opportunity to live on the edge opens up a whole new world for Whitney, one that Skarsten was excited to explore that aspect and the lighter moments as well. “She gets pulled into this whole world of espionage and whatnot, and of course, many things unfold after that,” the actress teases. “But I loved that premise primarily because there is so much room for growth within her character and because there’s so much room for humor in it. I think that’s a wonderful heartbeat to great films with Hallmark, having that element of humor in the situations. We’ve all been there like a total fish out of water, and you can’t do anything but just laugh about it. I think that one of my favorite ways to walk through life is to find humor in situations. I really liked those two elements of her story.”
The premise of The Christmas Charade will likely have many Hallmark fans wondering about a sequel. If it were up to Skarsten, a second Christmas Charade movie would already be in the works.
“It’s funny because the formidable and wonderful Cynthia Dale, who I got to meet on another project and have now forced to become my friend, she sort of floated the idea of a sequel while filming because we had so much fun together,” the Christmas Island alum tells Swooon. “When I say floated, I mean, we were really peer pressuring Corey to get his wife to write a sequel. I would love to do a sequel. Actually, we also were kind of spitballing saying, ‘Wouldn’t it be fun if we flashed forward, and they were married and had kids, and then it’s like this whole caper?’ So, yes, I’m going to put it out there in this article so that I can get the general public to also begin pressuring Hallmark and Corey and his wife. I totally think that there’s room for sequel. Honestly, I would love to work with Corey again. I joke that now I just exclusively work with Corey because we’ve worked together twice this year.”
Looking ahead, there’s one Hallmark actor in particular Skarsten wants to work with next. “I want to work with Will Kemp because he’s a dear friend of mine,” Skarsten said. “I absolutely love him. He’s such a babe, and I would love to make a Christmas movie with Will. He’s my bucket list guy to make our Christmas movie with.”
Make it happen, Hallmark!
The Christmas Charade, Movie Premiere, October 26, 8/7c, Hallmark Channel
