Kimberly Sustad.
Alastair Foster/Hallmark MediaKimberly Sustad She's a Hallmark Channel veteran, starring in and writing projects for the network — but that doesn't mean she doesn't feel insecure about her talents.
While writing the script for 2024 Three wiser men and a boySostad, 37 years old, exclusively He told Us Weekly I felt tremendous pressure to perform. (Sustad worked with the star Paul Campbell In 2022 Three wise men and a child And its sequel.)
“I was worried for a long time — talk about not feeling enough, you know, having imposter syndrome. This is me writing these movies,” she admitted during we' Visit to Three wiser men hiring In Canada earlier this year. “I kind of fell into it and I hate being thrust into the spotlight and Three wise men He kind of did that.”
after Three wise men and a child It became one of the network's biggest holiday hits in 2022, and Sustad said imposter syndrome is what defined it. “I thought, 'Oh, no, no, no, I'm not a professional writer,'” she recalls.
She creates her own magic! Kimberly Sustad first appeared on the Hallmark Channel in 2012, and has since become a leading lady and feature writer for the network. Two years after her breakout role in Hallmark's A Bride for Christmas, Soustad landed her first major role as Marylee White in the 2014 film The Nine (…)
But the network and fans alike didn't buy it. “People say, ‘You! “Write another,” Sustad explained. “You're like, 'Oh my God, what if I can't?' “And then everyone will know.”
The actress — who made her writing debut for Hallmark in 2020 Christmas by Starlight -Comparing the pressure to being a musician. “It's like writing a hit album,” she said. “Then they say, ‘So where’s the next song?’” “I can’t imagine being that artist,” she said.
Despite her reservations and “fear and panic,” she managed to create a successful mission Three wise men Continued, Sustad said we She believes their team produced a “better” film than the first. In the first film, the Brenner brothers work together to care for a child who has fallen at a fire station. In Following Siblings – Played by Tyler Haynes, Andrew Walker and Campbell – have to coordinate the baby, which is now a school holiday play for a young boy.
Originally, Soustad played the doctor. In the sequel, she briefly reprized her role – breaking the fourth wall – which fans are sure to have seen.
During the sequel, Sustad's Dr. MacLaren attends a children's play, explaining that she is a patron of the arts. “You know, I was a little worried because last year's show was so good, it's hard to follow up a hit song with another song, you know what I mean?!” Soustad's character pokes fun at the difficult process she and Campbell faced in writing the second film. After awkward laughs from everyone, Campbell's Stephen replied, “Yes tell me about it!!”
“We had a version of it at one point where (I) was like the obstructionist in the school, like the principal or something. And then I felt like it didn't serve (the story). It was very distracting,” Soustad said of her complementary cameo. “A wink is what you need and what you always need. So we backed away from that and wrote it differently (and) made it come at the end.
Media/Hallmark Photographer: Bettina Strauss Every year, Hallmark transports viewers to an enchanted winter wonderland with its “Countdown to Christmas” movies — but what is it really like to film a holiday movie? Us Weekly got an exclusive inside look at the filming of Three Wiser Men and a Boy, which premieres on Saturday, November 23. (…)
While writing Three wiser men It catapulted Sustad to Hallmark stardom, she was Part of the network since 2012. Two years later, she directed her first rom-com with Hallmark Nine Spirits of Christmaswhich she said we It is the most accurate description of her true personality.
“Marilee is me,” she said, referring to the doctor she plays in 2014 Nine Spirits of Christmas And 2021 The Nine Cats of Christmas. “That was my first introduction to Hallmark and I was just introduced to it all.”
Sustad revealed that her character's choice to buy a gallon of ice cream at the grocery store after a hard day still resonates with her. “I didn't know people weren't doing comedy in those movies at the time, but that was just me,” she explained. “I bump into things. I'm clumsy. I don't think I'm enough, all of that. (I) want to crawl into a hole and die on the side of it.”
Hallmark Media (4) Hallmark Channel's 2024 “Countdown to Christmas” lineup is bigger than ever with 47 all-new original movies spanning across all of its platforms. Starting Friday, October 18, fans will enjoy festive movies on the Hallmark Channel, Hallmark Mystery, and the network's streaming service, Hallmark+. Additionally, there are four miniseries coming to Hallmark+ (…)
“If you could do another character or (create) another character like that that would be great,” Sustad continued. Based on the characters we played like Miss the fit Or something. I feel like that person.”
He loves Sandra BullockGracie Hart V Miss the fitSostad is not a fan of getting emotional. “I can't wait to take off all the high heels. I can't wear a skirt. I'm not that girl,” she joked.
Although Sostad isn't ready to reprise her role as Marylee just yet, fans will be seeing her this holiday season Santa class. The film, which premieres on Saturday, December 14, also features Campbell, who plays one of her Santa candidates.
in Santa classSustad plays Santa's owner Kate North, who works for Coach Dan (Benjamin Ayres) To help Santa Claus named Nick (Trevor LernerWith amnesia, he regains his memories while saving Christmas and her school.
As Soustad continued to work for Hallmark, she realized how rewarding acting and writing were—no matter the story.
“I can't decide which is better right now, especially when this is what I envisioned,” she said. we. “I feel like that can be rare if you write for people you don't know and just hand it over to a group. I really like making a group project because we get to work with the producers and the director every day and work things out.
Santa class It premieres on Hallmark Channel on Saturday, December 14 at 8pm ET.
