The BET+ holiday movie Queens of Christmas, released before the Christmas holiday on December 19th, was a hilarious movie while bringing some holiday-filled moments, as the ladies got in competitive mode to win the ‘Queens of Christmas’ title when a big opportunity presented itself to spotlight their Christmas decorating talent.
The film starring Essence Atkins, Terri J. Vaughn, and Vanessa Bell Calloway takes viewers on an adventure ride as to how far they will go to win it all. Atkins, who portrays the obnoxious neighbor, Nancy, is more than ready to prove herself against her neighbors as to why she’s the champion of Christmas decorating. Doris (Vaughn) and Julia (Calloway) gets in on the competition, believing they can take on the holiday throne. Doris and Julia realize the cost of winning it all throughout the film when the two lifelong friends discover the layers behind their feuded competition, which dates to their family history. The rivalry between the two reignited with the friends, with a glimpse of it seemingly birthing with their children, who are influenced by their competitive nature.
Essence Atkins, Terri J. Vaughn, and Vanessa Bell Calloway starring in the BET+ Original film, Queens of Christmas; Courtesy of BET+
Through a heart-to-heart conversation, the Doris and Julia rediscovered the holiday spirit, change the trajectory of their sisterhood bond, and the true essence of Christmas throughout the film, leading to a heartwarming and inspiring journey that will resonate with viewers.
Chad Quinn, the writer of the film, noted that he drew inspiration from his own personal experiences when developing the movie’s concept. He aimed to express a message regarding the impact of competition among loved ones, which can diminish the essence of genuine companionship and overshadow moments of celebrating one another.
“As a girl dad, and a husband. I know I pulled a lot when writing this story from my own wife’s story of her best friend. I think it’s a very thin line between celebrating someone and being envious. That’s where a lot of times you could see people turning into frenemies. So, we wanted to get back to the spirit of celebrating unity and not getting caught up in division,” Quinn stated.
“Even little things with social media today. I have a family thread, and we could show our kids, but someone else wants to show [them]. It’s like, OK, are we doing this because we’re happy or just in competition? So, coming back to the essence of celebrating love—man, celebrating someone else’s win. The Howard University graduate continued, “When your family wins, you all win, and that’s what we wanted to achieve.”
Quinn aimed to immerse viewers in the holiday spirit through a lighthearted film, while also emphasizing the importance of forgiveness. Originally from North Carolina, Quinn wrote many holiday TV movies, such as Christmas Revisited, Christmas Party Crashers, A Chestnut Family Christmas, and A Christmas Surprise, on his resume.
The Exclusive Press was able to interview the writer while the movie was promoted for the holidays and wanted viewers to take the overall message of forgiveness. Quinn asserts that the feud is rife with optics and misperceptions, emphasizing the importance of understanding that everyone makes mistakes. While it’s always enjoyable to watch comedic holiday films, he expressed his desire for people to embrace the spirit of grace and forgiveness.
“There’s always a great time for [watching] holidays, but anytime you can make a film where the message is bigger than Christmas and could last for yourself and others in any season of your life, I think that’s what I want people to take away from it,” he added.
Some actors who star in the film share the value of clearing up misunderstandings related to the film to create happy endings.
TERRI J. VAUGHN
“[Thoughts], they’re all usually in our mind or something that somebody just told us—and we just accept it and move on, and we carry this misinformation with us forever. Where it was, it most likely wasn’t,” Vaughn said, referring to the discrepancy between what our minds present and reality.
“Even though it happened in our mind, it’s something completely, totally different that the other person doesn’t even know. So, talking communication is 1000% the best way to heal most any dispute because most of the time we are all operating in our own egos with misinformation,” she continued.
GARY BUDOFF
Gary Budoff, who portrays Patrick Saint Thomas, the real-life TV Godfather of Black Cinema, shared that meeting in person as well as talking over the phone is also a better way to establish the tone and to get a much deeper and clearer meaning so the message won’t get lost in translation.
“The ability just to talk face-to-face, either in person or over the phone, but to actually hear each other’s voice and sort of know what the real intent is—I think that’s getting lost, and that’s really a shame,” said Gary Budoff.
ESSENCE ATKINS
Atkins, who portrays Nancy, the reigning Christmas decorating champ, touched on the importance of hearing the actual intent of a message versus what’s in your head without intonation and easily reaching out, whether it’s FaceTime or through a text message or email.
“I think it is so critical, particularly in times of dispute, that it’s not worked out or attempted to be worked out in an email or a text; it’s just too many things are left up to interpretation,” Atkins stated.
Atkins emphasizes that love encompasses a multitude of sins while discussing its aspects; the fruits of love include patience and long-suffering. “People don’t want to embrace that part. They want to embrace the idea that love is kind, patient, and long-suffering” while discussing the lack of love when it comes to solidifying relationships.
“Accountability is another aspect of repairing relationships. It means being able to apologize without defending one’s position but really taking accountability for how, even if you didn’t mean to, even if it wasn’t intended, I still think a proper apology addresses how the other person felt and interpreted your behavior,” she concluded.
The film continues to be a charming experience to appreciate at any time, even beyond the Christmas season, highlighting the invaluable themes of forgiveness and communication. It’s a valuable lesson that will linger in the hearts of those working to bridge the gap of communication and restore relationships. Be sure to tune in, as it is now airing exclusively on BET+.
