Autumn Reeser has become a Hallmark actress and executive producer legend, starring in many films on the network’s roster. However, as she shared with me in a phone interview, Junebug is a project dear to her heart.
Autumn stars as Juniper, a book editor turning 40 who needs a wake-up call about her complacent life. Instead of writing children’s books, she edits them. She has a perfectly nice boyfriend named Ethan, but no sparks exist.
In Junebug, Autumn gets a second chance at life when Juniper gets a visit from the eight-year-old version of herself, who reminds her of the importance of having fun and following her dreams.
Junebug differs from many Hallmark films, and Autumn shared why it would be relatable to many viewers.
“It’s very relatable because most of us, at times, are complacent or find things good enough, but in our hearts, we want something deeper. Would it be good enough for your eight-year-old self, or would she want you to capture your dreams?”
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Autumn shared that she had been developing Junebug for five years and loves movies with deeper psychological issues with some candy coating.
“Often, the child has an imaginary friend, but the adult sees the child this time. Essentially, she’s the only one who can talk and see her. So, playing that contrast was extremely fun as an actor.”
Autumn loved working with her eight-year-old counterpart, Mila Jones (Supergirl).
“Mila is so great. She really came alive and blossomed even more during the making of this movie. Watching her find Junebug, bring out her sassy self, and give her permission to yell and stomp louder was entertaining, and watching her cause more trouble was hilarious.”
She added that they always envisioned Mila for that role and that people who had worked with Mila previously had recommended her.
“When they heard that we were doing this movie, they said Mila would be great, and she was. They were right.”
Autumn also shared enthusiasm about working with Aaron O’Connell, her romantic costar, who plays Alex, a cute artist she connects with. “Well, have you seen Aaron? He’s gorgeous!” Autumn laughed.
“Making a movie about falling in love with Aaron takes no stretch of the imagination. He is such a sweetheart and a good man — a family man, a hard worker, and a good soul.”
Autumn added that the entire cast vibed well and was passionate about telling Junebug’s story.
“There was a special energy on set and many beautiful synchronicities that I can’t even get into. The magic behind them and everyone who ended up in this movie, the way that came about, always had a little element of magic that would reveal itself bit by bit.
“I’m really excited for people to see this movie because the magic is not only in the story and not only on screen; something special was also working behind the scenes.”
Autumn spoke about the importance of being exposed to the Arts early in life and how it influenced her career.
“My parents really championed the importance of the arts with me and my sister and made us understand that those were viable careers. Many kids don’t get that from their families.
“I think many of us are told that’s too big of a dream, that’s pie in the sky, or that’s unrealistic. My parents gave me the gift of never saying any of those things. They always said they believed in me.”
Since Junebug involves Juniper getting inspired by her eight-year-old self and her childhood wishes and dreams, we also discussed what Autumn’s childhood self would think of her life today.
“I have kids of my own, so it is almost like living with your eight-year-old self because they have a lot to say and share many opinions. The other day, my son mentioned he wished I had more time for myself because I’m working a lot promoting this movie and other reasons.
“I thought that was so sweet. I have plenty of time for myself. Don’t worry. It was such a sweet, caring thing for him to say.
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“I think my eight-year-old self would like my life because I wanted to be an actress. So, I’m very much getting to live my childhood dreams.”
Autumn spoke passionately about the inner ihild and will co-lead a workshop later in August on the subject since it’s one of the movie’s underlying themes.
“It is reconnecting with the inner child, healing the relationship between your heart and the innocent heart of the child within you. Doing that healing and reparenting work is really important for living to the fullest expression of yourself.
“I’ve been doing that type of work for quite a while, but this is the first time I will make it publicly available. I’m launching a workshop that will start on August 15. All the details will be on my website, but I’m really excited about it, and I’m partnering with some amazing leaders in the world of self-development.”
Autumn believes that doing both the film and the workshop will spread awareness about the importance of reconnecting with your inner child. She hopes to reach as many people as possible.
“I want to bring as many people along on that journey as possible because they see these movies and are very inspired. They want to live with them longer and have more engagement with them.
“This is a way for them to do that, to continue bringing the story into their own lives, bringing the work that Juniper does into their own lives. So, we’re going to guide them in how to do that.”
Junebug is the perfect movie the kick off Hallmark’s Summer Nights. It differs from many other films, but it still features romance and nostalgia.
It invokes memories of childhood and playfulness, which Autumn shared was important to her.
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“It’s interesting because play is my word for the year. Seeing all the ways that word has come forward and taught me through the energy of play and then making this movie alongside that, having that intention for the whole year, is just perfect timing.
“It’s another example of how the divine plan works. It’s really beautiful.”
To discover which childhood dreams Juniper’s childhood self still holds dear, you’ll need to watch Junebug, where you’ll see how much natural chemistry Autumn has with both of her main co-stars.
Junebug is so much more than a romance film. It’s about finding yourself and finding fun in your life again.
Junebug premieres on the Hallmark Channel on Saturday, August 3 at 8/7.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.