ABC Family’s New Original Movie, 12 Dates of Christmas airs this Sunday night and anyone who knows me knows that I adore ABC Family original movies, especially the Christmas movies! Best of all, Amy Smart and Mark-Paul Gosselaar are the leading stars here and both took some time out to talk about the upcoming film!

12 Dates of Christmas, starring Mark-Paul Gosselaar (Saved by the Bell, Franklin & Bash, NYPD Blue) and Amy Smart (Just Friends, The Butterfly Effect), follows a young woman who re-lives the same first date on Christmas Eve over and over again until she learns to open up her world to new things and stop living in the past.

12 Dates of Christmas in Amy’s Own Words:
It’s incredibly humbling and enlightening and fun, and a journey everyone takes where you think you know what you want and then something in your life makes you fall on your … and you can see clearer about what life is really about and what really matters.

Getting Involved:
I actually got offered this role. I read the script and I really, really loved it and wanted to do it. Then, I was so happy that Mark-Paul signed on to do it afterwards because I think he’s so talented. Everyone’s a huge Zack Morris fan…

It was the first film that I’ve ever done where I was in every single scene. I really poured my heart and soul into this film. Honestly, I loved the script. I thought all the characters were so three dimensional and they all have their own voice. I like any story that starts one place and really takes a huge journey to a whole new place; that people in their life want to take that journey. They want to be able to find things in their life that aren’t working and work through them to a new place of change.

I think what’s endearing about this film is two people keep missing each other, who are meant to fall in love, but things keep going awry. It’s like this funny tale about two people wanting to connect and they always keep missing each other.

Amy on Her Character, Kate:
I really liked Kate because she is such a three-dimensional character. She’s still hopelessly in love with her ex-boyfriend and wants him back so badly. She’s stubborn. She’s work-driven and stubborn. She just wants what she wants. She kind of has that tunnel vision and doesn’t see past that. What I liked about this project is that I liked that Kate has to go through this transformational journey where she is pushed to her limits and has to keep reliving Christmas Eve over and over and over again until she can start to expand her horizons and see that maybe what she thinks she needs is not really what she’s going after. She’s given this chance to explore other possibilities that are better for her and her life that open her up and humble her…

There were definitely parallels in my life during this film because I’d gotten out of a long-term relationship and fell in love with a new man who I married. So, I could relate to her on that place of spending so much time trying to make something work that wasn’t meant to work.

What was it like working with James Hayman?
He was wonderful to work with. He really has such a great sense of comedy. That helped me tremendously. I trusted him so much because what I like about this film is it is a romantic comedy. You want to laugh and you want to play and enjoy. He just has such a great way of giving notes and expressing himself, and an eye for comedy. So, it was fun taking it to all these different levels. He helped to push me farther and farther. So, I hope I can work with him again.

In the movie, your character relives Christmas Eve until she gets it right. If you could do over any one day in your life, which day would you choose?
It’s funny, because in hindsight, we have so much fear and anxiety about our future, the next day, or what’s happening in our lives. When you have that 20/20 hindsight that everything was going to be fine, you’re going to be okay, I don’t know of one specific day, but just trusting more in life and your journey. I know that sounds airy-fairy, but really just knowing if I could go back and know everything was going to be okay in certain circumstances; not to stress out about it. I think if anything, the best gift we can have is living in the present moment and really enjoying it for what it is; and, not being in our heads and getting sidetracked.

Have you ever been on a date that you wish you could relive?
That’s funny—not really. There’s dates that I would have liked to pass on.

What’s one of your favorite Christmas traditions?
I love baking little Mexican wedding ball cookies. I love cooking during Christmas, all smells like the hot apple cider, the hot spiced wine.

This is your first married Christmas. So, I was wondering maybe what are you looking forward to that going to be different from previous years?
I’m really looking forward to just enjoying the Christmas spirit, not about being materialistic, just about the celebration of friends and family and cooking and singing and enjoying each other; just using this time to really enjoy our new marriage. That’s pretty much what I’m looking forward to.

Can you talk about your upcoming projects?
I actually just finished working on a horror film that the Japanese director, Takashi Shimizu directed. We did The Grudge. It was with Leslie Bibb and Ryan Kwanten and a bunch of other great actors. It all takes place in an airplane. That comes out next August, I think. Then, I have a recurring role on the second season of Shameless. That’s really fun to work on.

Mark-Paul Gosselaar (Surprise Guest Caller): This is Miles Meyer from ABC Family. Can you elaborate further on how talented and handsome your co-star, Mark-Paul Gosselaar, was?

Amy Smart: Mark-Paul is one of the nicest people I’ve ever met. He is such a generous actor, so caring. He definitely is a male. He’s not a boy. He’s a man.

Mark-Paul: Oh, really? He’s a man. Yes. Oooh, that sounds so sexy. I mean the man has the nicest butt in Hollywood. Did you ever get a look at it?

Amy Smart: No. I did not. I’m sorry.

Mark-Paul: Was he wearing snow pants?

Amy Smart: No. He wore jeans most of the time.

Mark-Paul: Does he have nice feet?

Amy Smart: Honestly, I did not check out his feet.

Mark-Paul: Yes, he’s got great hair, too. He’s just the perfect man.

ABC Family: Amy, we have a mystery guest. The previous caller was actually complimenting himself.

Amy Smart: Are you serious?! No way! I was like who is this crazy guy who wants to be Mark-Paul?

Mark-Paul: I love how you didn’t want to take it at all. You’re like, “I have the feeling that you’re trying to get me to say really risqué stuff.” I was like, yes, I am. Oh, man.

Amy Smart: Oh, well, if it’s you.

Mark-Paul: What do I call this? It’s like a photo-bomb, but it’s like an interview bomb.

Mark-Paul, what was your favorite part about filming this movie?
Well, it was a pleasure working with Amy. My co-star that I’m currently working with now worked with her and always spoke very highly of her. Working with her was a pleasure. So, the reason I came on board with this film was because she was attached to it. So, for her to follow-through with all the high praise that she’s gotten from so many people that I know was something that I appreciated. Yes, I think it shows on the film, too, that we enjoyed each other. We had a great working chemistry.

What has been the best date that you’ve ever had?
I don’t know. I haven’t dated a lot. I can’t really answer that question, but I would say that the date that my fiancée went on was pretty damn good and that’s why we’re still together now. Yes. I would say the date that I had with her.

What are your favorite Christmas traditions?
Usually decorating the tree after Thanksgiving. We just did that with the kids. I love the way the house smells during the holidays. We try to light as many scented Christmas-y candles as possible, the pine cones. We’ll put on the stove cinnamon and cloves and heat those up. I like the music, too. I just like the atmosphere of Christmas.

How do you deal with a bad date?
I don’t like confrontation. I’ve been on a few bad dates, but nothing horrible, but knowing there was no chemistry there. I have such a hard time letting that person know that this is not going to work, unlike your character in the movie who was very honest and said this isn’t going to happen. I tend to just put my head into the sand and hope it goes away, which sometimes makes it even worse. It elongates the issue. But, I tend to just turn my back and hope that the scary thing goes away.

12 Dates of Christmas airs Sunday, December 11th at 8/7c on ABC Family.