Actor Jeremy Sumpter (“Peter Pan” and “Friday Night Lights” fame) chatted about his upcoming film “Holiday Harmony,” which premieres on November 24th on HBO Max.
The movie was directed by Shaun Paul Piccinino, and it was co-written by Christopher James Harvill and Lauren Swickard. “This movie was so much fun,” Sumpter admitted. “It was fun working with the kids, and it brought me back to my ‘Peter Pan’ days. They were kind of like my ‘lost boys’ and ‘lost girls’ while I was filming that movie. It was just really good and all the kids were great actors. It was great to be a part of that. It literally brought me back to my ‘Peter Pan’ years. It was a wonderful experience.”
In “Holiday Harmony,” singer-songwriter Gail (Annelise Cepero) lands an opportunity to compete for a once-in-a-lifetime shot at the big time, and heads cross country—only getting as far as Harmony Springs, Oklahoma when her ride, her budget, and all her hopes are stalled.
With just two weeks to get to the iHeartRadio Christmas Eve performance of her dreams, she takes the advice of local Jack-of-all-trades, Jeremy (Jeremy Sumpter), and takes on a group of misfit kids hoping to perform in a Christmas Eve Gala of their own. Gail and Jeremy grow close, but if she’s going to fulfill her lifelong dream, she may have to leave him and the town she’s grown to love behind.
“I kind of sold myself because it was Jeremy playing Jeremy in the film,” he admitted. “My wife and I love Annelise, she is one of the most beautiful actresses that I have ever had the pleasure of working with. I love her soul and her spirit. Annelise is a down-to-earth and genuine human being. We paired up very well in the film and I couldn’t make it happen without her.”
Sumpter also praised Brooke Shields, who also starred in this movie. “Brooke is absolutely beautiful. My wife and I want to know where this fountain of youth is coming from. Brooke and I got along really well and we were like mother and son in that movie, and that worked out great. It was such a pleasure to work with her.”
The trailer for “Holiday Harmony” may be seen below.
On the title of the current chapter of his life, Sumpter responded, “Peter Pan is growing up.” “I recently got married, and my wife and I are expecting our first baby… a baby girl,” he revealed.
“I just finished my fifth movie in the last year so things are rolling,” he added.
On being an actor in the digital age, Sumpter, said, “A lot of the films that are doing are probably going to go straight into streaming. A lot has happened over the last year and the streaming side of things is just where it’s at.”
Regarding his definition of the word success, “Being able to please an audience because if it wasn’t for the audience, I wouldn’t have a career. We are an escape for people who can be losing loved ones or who need a good laugh or a good cry. I give those people an escape for two hours. For me, success is being able to accomplish those things.”
For viewers, he concluded about “Holiday Harmony,” “If you are looking for a good movie for the holidays, you can’t have holidays without music and without harmonization. With our film, you have both: the holiday value, the music, the kids, and the family.”
To learn more about Jeremy Sumpter, follow him on Instagram.
