Across 19 seasons now, Grey’s Anatomy has given viewers lots to love. From fan-favorite romances, to beloved characters and emotionally-charged dramatic storylines, those who tune in on a regular basis have never lacked things to keep talking about after each hour of the drama is done. Though there have been lighter moments on the series over the years, the medical show is not known for its ability to induce laughter, and now former cast member Sarah Drew is talking about going less dramatic with a past TV husband for an upcoming Lifetime Christmas movie.
What Did Sarah Drew Say About Reuniting With Her Former Grey’s Anatomy Husband For A Lifetime Christmas Movie?
Look, we all know that there are millions of Japril fans out there, who were beyond delighted when Drew and Jesse Williams brought April Kepner and Jackson Avery back to Grey’s during the Season 18 finale at the end of May. Unfortunately, what was good news for some fans was not so great news for any others who were more on board with the romance between April and her second husband, Matthew Taylor (Sweet Magnolias cast member Justin Bruening).
Now, though, April’s portrayer has reunited with her former TV husband for a 2022 Christmas movie on Lifetime, Reindeer Games Homecoming, and she spoke to Entertainment Weekly about working on something far less dramatic with the Netflix star, saying:
[Our new characters] Mac and Chase are super different from April and Matthew [on Grey's], and are super different from the Turners [in Indivisible]. A lot of times people don't give Justin the opportunity to be funny, but he really is very funny. I wanted to allow him to spread his wings in that way and tap into that side in this rom-com, a movie that isn't heavy laden with drama, which is what both of our previous projects were. Matthew was an interesting character, but I think Chase has a lot more grit and more layers to him. And we wanted to tap into that as well. So, it's a very fun, different relationship that I think will be a pleasant surprise for the audience.
In the upcoming holiday movie, the actress (who also wrote and executive produced the film) plays high school biology teacher MacKenzie, who’s been honoring her late dad every Christmas season by participating in their town’s Reindeer Games fundraiser. But, when her childhood crush/current day action movie star, Chase, comes home to give a helping hand to his pregnant sister, he gets pulled into competing against her. The whole thing results in a recipe for joyful rom-com fun, free of the kind of major dramatic moments that the one-time TV couple played so frequently on the long-running ABC hit.
As Drew noted, not only does the new movie give her co-star a usually unseen opportunity to swing for the light-hearted romantic comedy fences, but it also gives both of them, in their third time working as an on-screen romantic pairing, the chance to have a lot more fun in their filmic interactions, and it sounds this will be just as amusing to watch as it was for them to make. You can see the result for yourself when Reindeer Games Homecoming airs on Lifetime on Saturday, November 12 at 8 p.m. EST.
