'Tis the season when the television schedules are filled with holiday movies. Most actors will tell you the only downside to being involved with one of these wintry projects is they are often filmed in the middle of the summer.
That wasn't a problem for Vivica A. Fox and the rest of the cast of the new ION holiday film, "A Christmas Cruise." The production is filled with all the normal trimmings of a holiday movie, from unexpected gifts to even more unexpected love, but because the story mostly unfolds on a cruise ship, there was no need to pretend the weather outside was frightful.
Pam (Fox) is an aspiring novelist who has not found time to write her book _ or find a special someone _ because of her job as a reporter. An invitation from a friend to go on a holiday theme cruise is accepted only because Pam sees the story of love on the high seas as fodder for her next article.
"I have done one or two of these holiday movies in my career where we shot it in July and had to wear sweaters. It was not fun," Fox says. "It was very smart of them to set this on a cruise.
"Plus we got to shoot on the Queen Mary and it is beautiful. But, they did tell me parts of it were kind of haunted."
The other common factor of these holiday movies is they are filmed quickly. Actors who have a background in daytime dramas often are cast because they are accustomed to working rapidly. On the very long list of credits for Fox are stints on "Days of Our Lives" and "Generations." The two years she spent working on "Generations" was not only a help with the pacing, but it also made the love story parts of "A Christmas Cruise" easier.
"Definitely coming from the soap world has benefited me especially in making these kinds of films," Fox says. "I was additionally thrilled when they told me for my love interest they got Kristoff St. John. He was my very first love interest on 'Generations' more than 20 years ago.
"It was such a wonderful reunion and made my life so much easier for me because he's tall, good-looking, a good actor and a good kisser."
For the record, Fox confirms St. John has always been a good kisser.
Anything that made life easier during the filming was welcomed, as Fox not only stars in "A Christmas Cruise," she's also a co-producer. Being part of the behind-the-scenes team is something the Indiana native has been doing for two decades. Asked who wins if the producer and star get into an argument, Fox laughs and says it is always the producer because the actor often wants to do things that can't be done because of time or money.
That's something she's learned through years of working in a wide variety of TV and film projects. The diversity of her career has been a very conscience design by Fox, who happily describes herself as a workaholic.
"First, I love what I do. Then, I found in a business that chews people up and spits them out that versatility is the key to my longevity. To do comedy, drama, host. To have my hair line," Fox says. "I also have a very good team around me that keeps reminding me I am in a business called show business."
Her wide-ranging career kicked into high gear after starring in the 1996 blockbuster "Independence Day," and since then she has starred in: TV series such as "Arsenio," "City of Angels" and "Getting Personal"; films from "Kill Bill. Vol. 1" to "Ella Enchanted"; and multiple reality shows including "Dancing With the Stars" and a season on "The Apprentice."
Fox saw during her days in the boardroom with Donald Trump in 2015 his passion to be president.
"Donald Trump was the reason I wanted to do 'Celebrity Apprentice' and we had a wonderful season," Fox says. "I could see that he was fascinated with being the President of the United States for some odd reason. In my honest opinion, for him, it was just another notch he wanted to get on his belt. He's that kind of guy.
"I think now that he's there, he sees it's more than just another notch on the belt. I have said very publicly that I am not happy with the way he's brought division. I am disappointed because I didn't see him as that kind of guy."
The next notch in Fox's belt would be directing a TV show or film. Until then, work continues at a fevered pace for Fox on multiple projects. Not only is she continuing to portray Cookie Lyon's (Taraji P. Henson) sister in the Fox drama "Empire," she's got 10 movies that have been completed but have not been released yet. Even with all that work, Fox will find time to take a break for the holidays to be with family and friends.
The producer in Fox just can't take a break and she suggests those doing the same should take some time to watch "A Christmas Cruise."
