Amanda Righetti Stars In Tello’s ‘Christmas at the Ranch’
A film that truly reminds us that home is where the heart is, the LGBTQ holiday rom-com Christmas at the Ranch is now streaming on Tello Films, the first network dedicated to featuring stories about lesbian and queer women.
Following up the critically acclaimed 2020 release of I Hate New Year’s, Christmas at the Ranch stars Laur Allen as an urban power broker named Haley who is summoned to go back to her family’s Nashville ranch in a last-ditch effort to save the beloved land from the bank. When she reluctantly arrives just prior to Christmas, she is introduced to ranch hand Kate, played by Amanda Righetti. Although their initial meeting goes terribly awry, they must put their differences aside and band together to save the homestead.
OFM had the opportunity to talk more about the film with Righetti, who is best known for her roles in Captain America: The First Avenger, Friday the 13th, and The Mentalist.
Can you begin by telling us what you have enjoyed the most about being involved with Christmas at the Ranch?
I love that it is female driven. Female director, a lot of the crew was female, and it was an amazing set to be a part of. The energy was a lot different than most of my experiences in the industry, and it was just a lot of fun. A great script, and great people to work with.
Is this your first time being in a LGBTQ rom-com and playing a queer character?
Yes, it is.
What has this experience been like for you?
I was a little nervous about it because I didn’t want it to be taken the wrong way. It’s a very fine line that you walk, and I wanted to also be supportive of the community. I didn’t want to hurt anybody’s feelings or come off as unauthentic. Ultimately, this story is about love, and I think everybody can relate to that. It’s a universal language.
What made you want to be a part of this film?
It’s interesting because during the pandemic, the industry was very quiet. This was the first film that I did throughout the shutdown, and it was a great opportunity because it had such a small crew, and it was going to be filmed on a ranch. There were a lot of pieces and elements to the projects that I really liked, and it felt right for the time period. There was so much turmoil happening in the world, and the story presented love and hope. It was such a good feeling. After I read it, it felt like the right piece for me. Also, again, because it was very female-driven, that really spoke to me. I appreciated that.
Can you tell us more about your character, Kate?
Kate is the ranch hand, and she is trying to help save the ranch. The ranch has gone into a bit of dire straits financially, and she’s kind of a one-man show (laughs). She does a little bit of everything and has her hand in a little bit of everything with the ranch, but she’s also got some trust issues. She’s a bit lonely and really wants and desires connection with someone. She feels like she can’t find it, and there’s an awkwardness to her ability to break through her own barriers. It’s kind of her journey of learning how to be vulnerable again and learning what it’s like to take a leap of faith, as well as reconcile the past.
Christmas at the Ranch premiered earlier this month. How has it been received so far?
From what I hear, people are enjoying it! I’m not sure how it works for streaming in terms of how often it’s been downloaded or how many hits it’s gotten, but people seem to be enjoying it.
You also got to work with an all-star cast including Lindsay Wagner, Archie Kao, and Laur Allen. How much fun was that?
Lindsay Wagner is awesome! I am such a huge fan, and funnily enough, I was up for The Bionic Woman reboot when they did it on NBC years ago. So, there was six degrees of separation with that. She is very, very lovely. Laur Allen is awesome, and she came in last minute when there were some casting issues. She is such a rockstar. She got thrown into the mix with very little time to prep and pulled it off. I thought she did a killer job. Then Archie, I worked with him on Chicago P.D., so it was great to work with him again. Everyone was so supportive of each other, which made this project such a special experience.
What are your plans for the holidays this year?
I will have my son with me this year, and we are going to see family. His dad is Jewish, so we do a little bit of Christmas, a little bit of Hanukkah. So, we’ll be seeing some family on Christmas, and my dad just turned 80. We will celebrate his birthday, and my mom’s birthday is right before Christmas. One huge family celebration.
Do you have any goals or resolutions for 2022?
(Laughs) Radical self-acceptance.
Before we wrap up, are there any other upcoming projects or anything else you would like to mention or plug?
I’ve got a movie coming out in 2022, a Ronald Reagan biopic with Dennis Quaid, and I play Reagan’s mom in the 1920s and 30s. I am very excited about that. Otherwise, I have a couple other things in the works but don’t have exact dates or details just yet. When I do, I will post it on social media!
Stay up-to-date and connect with Righetti by following her on Facebook and Instagram. Christmas at the Ranch is streaming on Tello Films.
Photos Courtesy of David Chung
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