By: Mariah Thomas
Q) Single on the 25th was inspired by Lauren Spencer Smith’s song of the same title. Had you heard the song prior to joining this project?
A) No, I hadn’t heard of the song before the Hallmark movie, but when I first heard it, I immediately understood why it resonated with so many people. It sounds undeniably Christmas-y and timeless, with a touch of melancholy. So many can relate to the feeling of being single on the 25th when they don’t want to be and I think that is what makes the song and the film resonate so much.
Q) What was the initial breakdown you received for the role of Julia?
A) Julia was described as Nell’s (Lyndsy Fonseca) funny, bold and loving best friend. Doing her best to be supportive of Nell’s plan to spend Christmas on her own, Julia checks in while out of town with her husband and reveals that she’s pregnant and considering moving away to start her family. Though both friends realize their relationship might be changing, Julia promises that their bond will remain strong…
Q) Julia is the best friend of Nell, played by Lyndsy Fonseca. Did the two of you get to spend much time together before filming to build that friendship as scene partners together?
A) I was traveling overseas in Malta for a wedding right before filming and only landed in Montreal, where we filmed Single On the 25th, two days before my first day on set. So, we unfortunately did not get to meet until just a few hours before filming our first scenes together. That definitely left me eager to meet Lyndsy and get a feel for her energy and see how it meshed with mine. I was really hoping we would have good chemistry and, thankfully, we hit it off from the start. Lyndsy is such a ray of sunshine. Our connection felt very natural and a lot of the team and even some of my friends thought we had known each other prior to filming.
Q) Since Julia is away for the holidays, there are a few FaceTime scenes with Nell. Were the two of you on the phone or reading lines together for these scenes?
A) I filmed those FaceTime scenes without Nell and on my first day of shooting. Even then, I felt comfortable in the rhythm that Lyndsy and I had together, which made recording those scenes without her easier than I expected. I didn’t have to worry about it feeling disconnected or like we were in two separate worlds. I filmed the FaceTime calls with our director Jonathan Wright reading Nell’s lines off-camera and when it came time for Lyndsy to shoot her scenes, she had the footage of my calls to perform with.
Q) While Julia is celebrating the announcement of her pregnancy to her family, she is still showing up for Nell as a good friend by checking in. How would you describe their friendship?
A) Julia and Nell are fiercely loyal to the people they care about most. I mean, you don’t drive two and a half hours from Madison back to Chicago for just anyone! Julia and Nell know each other incredibly well and Julia has the emotional awareness and knows her best friend enough to recognize when Nell might not be completely okay, even if she is trying to stay positive. She checks in, offers encouragement and makes sure Nell feels supported and seen. These are two women who will always show up for each other in the ways that they can and in the ways the other needs most.
Q) By the end of the film, Julia returns to attempt to persuade Nell to join her for the holidays so she wouldn’t be alone. Nell expresses the fear in the friendship changing with the baby and Julia beautifully reminds her “It’ll make things different but it won’t change them.” Why does Julia feel strongly about making sure she tends to this friendship as she enters a new stage in life?
A) While new stages of life inevitably involve gaining new relationships and letting some others falter, there are absolutely people who you want to walk through all stages of life with and Julia and Nell are two of those people. Their bond stands the test of time and seasons of life. These two have been through so much together and have watched each other grow and evolve over the years. Growing together instead of growing apart is a beautiful way for their friendship to evolve. I’ve experienced this firsthand with close friends who’ve recently had babies, across different cities and stages of life, and it’s shown me that real friendships don’t disappear, they adapt.
Q) What was your favorite scene to shoot for the film – one that holds a special place in your heart?
A) The scene where I come back to Chicago to convince Nell to come to Madison with me holds a special place in my heart. When Julia tells Nell that her having a baby won’t end their relationship and seeing Nell’s relief, I think this was the first time Julia realized this was a big worry of Nell’s. It’s the part of the film where Nell’s is at her most vulnerable, so when Julia affirms their bond by asking her to be her godmother, it feels incredibly earned. I get happy teary just thinking about it. Lyndsy is so open and emotionally available as a scene partner, which just made it even more grounded for both of us. Every single take felt so alive, grounded and special. Each take was a little different, but we were both so moved.
Q) Early on in the film your character makes a joke about the amount of obscure Christmas coffee flavors. Julia loves her “peppermint mocha cream cookie.” What is Teneisha’s go-to coffee flavor?
A) Oooh that’s a tough one! Honestly, I love Christmas flavors so much, it’s hard to choose just one. Right now, I’m hooked on my own creation – a salted caramel gingerbread latte. I think that one would make Julia chuckle!
Q) What do you hope viewers take away from watching Single on the 25th? Is it always keep an open heart? Is it that the holidays have a special magic in the air?
A) First, being single on the 25th doesn’t have to be tragic. Hot chocolate isn’t just for two. There are so many fun activities that you can do at Christmastime as a singleton or with friends because being single doesn’t mean being alone. Next, that family comes in many forms. Nell has her biological family and her best friend Julia who welcomes her into her own family. And, finally, always leave room for magic and surprises.
Q) In addition to being in Single on the 25th you are also in Roku’s Jingle Bell Wedding this holiday season. From the small town sets to fake snow, Christmas movies are a complete genre of their own. Which holiday films are some of your go-to watches?
A) I have a few that I watch every single year. Some of my favorites include: Love, Actually, Elf, How The Grinch Stole Christmas (the 1966 version,) The Nightmare Before Christmas (it’s a Halloween AND Christmas movie) and A Muppet Christmas Carol. I also try to watch some of the new Christmas movies that Hallmark and other networks release.
Q) Are there other upcoming projects you can talk about?
A) I can’t talk about much right now, but I can share that I am also writing Christmas movies myself and have some currently in the works. If all goes well, Christmas 2026 will bring a few more Christmas romcoms that I get to act in and a few that I wrote!
Q) What would you like to say to fans and supporters of you and your work?
A) I truly have the best supporters. Many of you have been following my journey for over fifteen years, which still amazes me. I am deeply grateful for the encouragement, the messages and the genuine excitement you bring to everything I do. Knowing that people around the world connect to my work and are curious to see what comes next gives me so much motivation and joy. I do not take that for granted for a second. Thank you for being part of this journey with me!