Warning: spoilers are ahead for CBS’ Fit for Christmas movie.
CBS celebrated the festive season in a new way with Fit for Christmas, starring The Talk’s Amanda Kloots as Christmas-loving fitness instructor Audrey and holiday movie legend Paul Greene as charming businessman Griffin. Both were extremely driven… but their ultimate goals were unfortunately in complete opposition for most of the movie, and it was hard to guess how viewers could get a happy ending without one of the leads losing in a big way. Luckily, Fit for Christmas found a way to deliver the classic happy ending that Christmas movie fans expect, and Kloots has opened up about why she loved it.
Despite Audrey bringing all the merry and bright that anybody could possibly hope for in her mission to save the Mistletoe, Montana community center, Griffin and his company put up enough money to get all the necessary votes to be able to replace the center with a ski resort. Even though there were enough sparks flying between them that Audrey wasn’t ready to accept Bradley’s (played by Stephan Miers) proposal, Griffin's company buying the community center seemed like the point of no return… until the Christmas spirit got to him, and he found the way to incorporate everything that is special about Mistletoe into what he intends to build.
The future was looking bright for Audrey and Griffin under the mistletoe, after she sent Bradley back to New York, had a new vision for her work as a fitness instructor, and learned that Griffin was staying in town as well. Both characters got a win, and they earned their Christmas kiss before the final credits rolled. Amanda Kloots, who opened up about working with Paul Greene after his long list of Hallmark movies, spoke with CinemaBlend about Fit for Christmas and shared her thoughts on how the movie ended:
I loved the ending. I think that as much as we are slightly diverted, because we don't know which man Audrey might end up with, I do love that the character of Griffin is such a believer in Audrey's dreams and sees things in her that she doesn't necessarily see in herself yet. I do love that they end up together – spoiler alert – because I think that that is the perfect ideal couple, is if you can be with somebody who helps you achieve your dreams and sees things in you that you don't necessarily see yet.
Fit for Christmas didn’t just end with one of them having to give up their goal for the sake of starting a romance, but with Griffin seeing a better way after being inspired by Audrey, and Audrey learning from his business expertise to find a way to do what she loves without leaving Mistletoe. Was there any question of Audrey going back to New York with Bradley to work at a gym with no independence or creativity, when she could have everything she needed and wanted back in the town that she loved?
Of course, Audrey still brought a bit of New York back with her to Mistletoe, even though she left the city without knowing if she’d ever return. Her wardrobe consisted of a combination of fashion and festivity from beginning to end. When I noted that I loved all of Audrey’s Christmas outfits in the movie, Amanda Kloots weighed in on whether she had input on what her character wore:
Yes! [laughs] Yes, to a fault! I had a lot of control of my wardrobe for this movie. Listen, I just felt like she was a younger woman that had lived in New York and clearly had been in that world for a little while. So she had to come back to Mistletoe with a little bit of style, and a little bit of fun, and a little bit of silliness. I really tried to bring that and show that she had lived in Manhattan for a couple of years.
Sure, Audrey wore her share of Christmas sweaters, but she was also the only one who went full holiday glam for the party at the end with her green dress! She was still part of Mistletoe as much as ever, with a bit of flair that she brought back from New York City. It certainly made for a picturesque final moment between her and Griffin under the mistletoe!
Fit for Christmas was Amanda Kloots’ first Christmas movie, and she was inspired to create it following the loss of husband Nick Cordero back in 2020. She had simply never seen a holiday TV movie about fitness before. So, did her experience make her want to do another Christmas movie? She had an enthusiastic response:
It did! I have such a bug. We were on set and I felt it right away. I just was like, 'Gosh, this is so much fun.' To be doing this, to be making a movie, to have been a part of creating it, and executive producing it. It was just a blast. I definitely got the acting movie bug and fell in love with the whole thing. So I hope so. That would be a dream come true. I would love to do more.
Whether or not Amanda Kloots will be back in holiday movies in time for next Christmas season, CBS has some more festive fare in store in 2022. Must Love Christmas, starring Liza Lapira of The Equalizer, comes to the network on Sunday, December 11, while When Christmas Was Young (starring Galavant alum Karen David) will premiere on Sunday, December 18.
While Fit for Christmas aired on CBS on Sunday, December 4, you can find the movie streaming via a Paramount+ subscription. The fall TV season is winding down, and you can start planning ahead for the new year with our 2023 TV premiere schedule now.
