Why Hallmark’s Nikki DeLoach Makes Giving Back Part Of Christmas
By Movieguide® Contributor
Hallmark actress Nikki DeLoach is sharing why giving back is her favorite part of the Christmas season.
“I love being a part of what [the Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles] do[es] at Christmas time because there’s so many families that have to spend Christmas in the hospital,” she said.
The actress shared that Hallmark will be handing out backpacks of gifts to kids spending the holidays in the hospital.
“I’ve spent a lot of time in the hospital with my kid, and it’s hard enough to be in a hospital for a long period of time with your child whose fighting for his or her life, but to do it at Christmas, that just is an extra layer of hard,” she shared.
DeLoach’s son Bennett was born with multiple defects, and she was told he might not survive.
“There were two things that kept me going: my family and my faith,” she told PEOPLE. “My son put a smile on my face every day no matter how upset I was and I had faith that everything was going to work out for the highest good of all. I truly believed that.”
DeLoach is also celebrating Christmas with her latest holiday movie, A WORLD RECORD CHRISTMAS.
“A WORLD RECORD CHRISTMAS is inspired by the true story of then-12-year-old Auldin Maxwell, who is on the autism spectrum, and his Guinness World Record-making feat of balancing 1,400 Jenga blocks on top of a single Jenga block back in April 2021,” Parade reported.
“I started putting on the table stories that were deeper stories and telling them [the executives] this is what our audience wants, and boy has Hallmark delivered,” DeLoach shared. “They have delivered in such a tremendous way, and I think that this year’s slate of movies is our best year yet. And I’m so proud and I’m so honored that they’ve chosen me to bring some of these deeper, more emotional stories to life.”
Movieguide® previously reported on DeLoach’s role in Hallmark’s first faith-based movie:
Nikki DeLoach and Brennan Elliott are the stars of THE GIFT OF PEACE, Hallmark’s first movie made in partnership with the faith-based media company Dayspring.
THE GIFT OF PEACE tells the story of Traci (DeLoach), who is mourning the loss of her husband. Her grief is impacting not only her ability to make art, but also her faith. A friend encourages her to attend a grief support group, where she meets group leader Michael (Elliott). The pair connect and help each other heal from the losses they’ve faced.
“I think Brennan and I both feel so honored,” DeLoach said of the movie. “It’s the first collaboration with Dayspring. And they have been such a good partner in all of this. They come to faith in such a beautifully inclusive way. And to be a part of a movie, the first collaboration with Hallmark and Dayspring was a real honor.”
“I have many, many, personal reasons why this was probably one of my most special movies,” he continued, referring to his wife’s ongoing battle with cancer. “But it is a very special movie and people will really be affected by it. I think. Which just warms my heart to know that.”
- Content: +1Share:
- Content: +3