December 17, 2025 • 26 mins
Jana is hanging out with Zibby Allen from Virgin River and they have a LOT to talk about! Zibby lives in Scotland and is married to a man from Northern Ireland, so we have to compare notes!
Zibby holds nothing back when sharing what she REALLY thinks of the situation her character Brie finds herself in with Brady (Ben Hollingsworth) on Virgin River.
Plus, Jana reveals that she went on a date with Zibby’s co-star (and OTH fan fav)… and you won’t believe what happened!!
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
Wind Down with Janet Kramer and I'm Heeart Radio podcast.
Speaker 2 (00:06):
This week's special wind Down episode guest, We've got Zibbi
Allen coming on and I Kristin I cannot wait to
chat with her because I mean, I just worked with
her co star Ben Hollingsworth on the Christmas Ring and
she's married to, I believe, a Scotsman.
Speaker 3 (00:25):
I don't really know. I think she got married in Scotland.
I can't keep track of where Zibby Ellen is. She's
a busy, busy lady she is. She's one of the
stars of Virgin River. And she has a new movie
coming out called The Pickleball Christmas, which premieres on Lifetime Saturday,
December twentieth, which we love Lifetime. So let's get her
on and chat all the things.
Speaker 1 (00:47):
Hi, how are you? I'm good? How are you, ladies?
I'm good, Zibby.
Speaker 3 (00:53):
Where in the world is Zibby Allen is our new
segment because you are a time splitter in Scotland.
Speaker 1 (00:58):
Here in the wait, Vancouver and.
Speaker 4 (01:02):
Vancouver, Georgia. You know Georgia, yes, and then Scotland.
Speaker 1 (01:07):
We're never right now. I'm in none of those places.
Where are you?
Speaker 4 (01:10):
I'm in Dallas right now. I flew from Scotland last night.
I'm here for an event, so okay, background.
Speaker 1 (01:17):
So I got it.
Speaker 2 (01:18):
I have to ask because I'm also married to a
Scottish Man. So one of the first things. So I
just worked with Ben on a movie in the summertime.
Speaker 1 (01:26):
Yes, Christian a Christmas Ring, the christ Christmas Ring.
Speaker 4 (01:29):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (01:30):
Yeah, And he was obviously talking all about you, and
he's like, he's like my love interest on Virgin River,
like she's married to a Scotsman. I was like, oh,
I was like, and so we chatted about that, but
so does he. I'm confused because he's like, he said,
you guys go there a lot.
Speaker 1 (01:46):
So does he live? Like where does he live?
Speaker 2 (01:48):
I need to understand because it's like I've I love Scotland,
but I've only been there twice. Oh really, Okay, we
got we got married there what part of Scotland? We
got married outside of Glasgow because he's from Glasgow, born
and raised, right, and then it was in a castle
somewhere outside, like forty minutes outside of Glasgow.
Speaker 1 (02:10):
Love.
Speaker 4 (02:10):
We also got married in a castle in Scotland, just
like minutes north of Edinburgh. Okay, So first My husband's
actually from Northern Ireland, but he went to university and Edinburgh.
I had been living there. Edinburgh's just like forty minute
train ride from Glasgow.
Speaker 1 (02:25):
Yep, it's all small.
Speaker 4 (02:26):
Compared to like the United States anyway. And so when
we met, he had been living there for years, and
so we would go back every year to see now
our friends, his friend's now ours and family because from
Scotland it's like a twenty minute flight to Northern Ireland
for years, and then in the last couple of years
we were like, we love it here so much, so
(02:48):
we're kind of evenly splitting our time between. It's like
halftime Scotland and then we split between Vancouver and Georgia
where we have a house.
Speaker 1 (02:57):
And in the rest of the.
Speaker 2 (02:58):
Time, where in Scotland are you living, We're in Edinburgh,
you are okay. So he was, yeah, born and raised
in Glasgow. And then when we went to our wedding,
we flew obviously into Glasgow, and we were gonna go
because my best girlfriend and my other girlfriend came and
they were going to Edinburgh for to see the castle,
and but my kids all got sick the week of
(03:21):
our wedding, so we canceled.
Speaker 1 (03:23):
I've never even been there. It's so stunning and so fun.
Speaker 2 (03:26):
I've only we only went to Stirling Castle because that
was the closest thing and because the kids were sick,
so I'm like, oh, let's do something, you know, and
they were feeling like okay to like walk a little bit,
you know, and oh she's timing and it's fun and
it's easy.
Speaker 1 (03:40):
But my husband like never once. I'm like, hey, do
you want to go for Christmas? Do you want to go?
And he's like, no, it's.
Speaker 4 (03:45):
Okay because when you grow up there, it's like less
of a thing. And see for Adam, my husband, he
didn't grow up in Scotland. He grew up in northern
and so it really hits difference. You're totally difment five.
But you're so right. It's so charming. Every time I
step outside, I'm like, am I.
Speaker 1 (04:01):
In a movie? Like it's just it's a movie. Yeah,
it's beautiful. Where did you grow up, Zibby? I grew
up in San Francisco.
Speaker 4 (04:08):
I really am to go.
Speaker 1 (04:11):
Where in the world is Ziby Allen? Is part of
my life?
Speaker 4 (04:13):
Well?
Speaker 1 (04:13):
Why Georgia?
Speaker 4 (04:15):
Listen?
Speaker 1 (04:16):
Random?
Speaker 3 (04:16):
But can you grab a globe real quick and just
to help us drop some pinpoints.
Speaker 4 (04:23):
My goal is just like global domination by way of
living there for longer than a year each. No. So,
my co star on Virgin River, Alexandra Breckenbridge, she lived
in Georgia, and so we got really close after my
first year on the show, and she was like, girl,
come visit me in Georgia. I swear you're gonna want
to move to this town which I won't name right
(04:43):
now because it's too small to Yeah. So I was like,
all due respect, it's Georgia. Like I don't think I'm
a San Francisco girl, Like I don't think I'm gonna
want to live there.
Speaker 1 (04:51):
She's like, just come.
Speaker 4 (04:52):
So we went out there and we were like, oh no,
we love it here.
Speaker 1 (04:56):
We love it here.
Speaker 4 (04:57):
So we instantly, like I think within six months, bought
a house there.
Speaker 1 (05:01):
That's do you know? That's what I did with Ben
and Nila.
Speaker 4 (05:05):
Oh yeah, I'm like you've heard all about this, like
we're recruiting.
Speaker 2 (05:09):
I mean I literally like I fell in love with
both of them, Like they're beautiful people, love their family,
and I'm like, you're moving here, and it's like now
they're looking at homes I'm like.
Speaker 1 (05:17):
Yeah, I was like, would you like to homeschool? I
have a co op for you? What else do they need?
Speaker 4 (05:20):
Kramer, I'm so all about this mission for them. Like
I'm really he told me all about it. I know
you eat like you seduced them hard. But they're so
lovely and I can still see them there.
Speaker 1 (05:31):
But it's just the same thing. You get that vibe.
Speaker 2 (05:33):
It's like I think if you came here too, you'd
be like, oh, I love it here. It's so great,
you know. So it's like because Georgia, Tennessee, they have
that same sweetness to it. Yes.
Speaker 4 (05:42):
In fact, my girlfriend just moved to Tennessee and she's like,
you should move here.
Speaker 1 (05:45):
You're gonna love it. Like when you come visit, go
plant your roots. There'd be one more little address.
Speaker 4 (05:50):
Change pack my flag on just another spot.
Speaker 3 (05:53):
I'm here for it. Why isn't to Georgia for Thanksgiving?
And I'm wondering if we went, if we can talk
about this later, Yeah, the same area. Yeah, because it
was so romantic. It was ever it was the sweet
spot of America. I said to my best friend, You've
done it, you have found it, You've won the grand prize.
Speaker 1 (06:11):
Yeah, it's magic game spot. We'll talk.
Speaker 4 (06:13):
It is magical. It's really special. It's hard to resist
because it feels like one of the last really like
in Earnest, safe community based, like really a wholesome, beautiful communities,
and they're they're up to some really cool stuff just
in terms of quality of life.
Speaker 1 (06:30):
How did you meet your husband?
Speaker 4 (06:32):
So I was doing the Edinburgh Fringe. I don't know
if you know about it. That it's like the annual
huge theater fringe festival that happens in Edinburgh and like
the city quadruples in population for the month of August
when it happens. And so I was out there doing
weirdly two plays. This is now like ten years ago,
and Adam was running a restaurant, a Mexican restaurant of
(06:56):
all things, down the road from the venue where I was.
So I'd walk by.
Speaker 1 (07:01):
His place like multiple times a day and he'd.
Speaker 4 (07:04):
Always be like in the doorway, like having a cigarettet
the time.
Speaker 1 (07:07):
He's most and I.
Speaker 4 (07:09):
And I'm like, I'm mysterious, Oh my gosh, I was
like he's I'm sure he has a Scottish accent. He
has a northern Irish accent, which is as sexy. We
should talk about how you feel about Husban's accent, Like
I just.
Speaker 1 (07:19):
Love very ps I love you. Yeah. I.
Speaker 3 (07:22):
Meanwhile, Alan, her husband's always liked are you You're staring
at my mouth and I'm like, yes, Alan, because I
just have to be able.
Speaker 1 (07:28):
I have to be able to know what you say.
So I'm not asking you to repeat. Listen.
Speaker 4 (07:33):
There are certain friends of ours in Scotland who I
still don't understand.
Speaker 2 (07:36):
Like oh, his father, his father and his brother because
they talked Glasswegian and I'm like, I don't understand one
word that has come.
Speaker 1 (07:45):
Out of it.
Speaker 4 (07:45):
That's like a specific region of Scotland. One of my
best girlfriends is Glass Region, and it's like I have
to play her voice notes like on slow Weez, I
have to slow hers down. We have this app where
I can slow hers down anyway because she's so hard
to understand. Yeah, yeah, anyway. So the Adam and I,
I just walked by all the time and I was
(08:06):
like pretty sure he liked my butt and I thought
he was cute. It was going to be a cute hookup.
And then I had two weeks left on my trip
and so we really were just hanging out and not
even hooking up.
Speaker 1 (08:16):
Because like we were both shy.
Speaker 4 (08:17):
It was really strange, but every time we were apart,
it physically hurt and it didn't make any sense and
not open for business. I was not looking for anything
serious and certainly not anything as inconvenient as being you know,
at the time, I was in La.
Speaker 1 (08:32):
So that was gonna be insane.
Speaker 4 (08:33):
But we did just accidentally fall for each other. And
then I extended my trip by ten days after the
show was over because I found a cheap ticket and
he was like, we should go see more of Scotland
while you're here, and so we took a road trip
to the Isle of Sky and I'll make this quick.
But on our way, my mom was texting me being like, Zibbi,
where are you And I'm like, Mom, I with a
really cute guy and this we're going to the super
(08:56):
cute sounding place called the Isle of Sky. Don't worry
about it. And she nearly died because that same week
she was deep into our family genealogy and she had
just discovered that our family lineage is not only Scottish
on her mom's side, but originated on the Isle of
Sky and so she's sending me like articles and names,
and then a drop in to where it was said
that my great great great grandmother Florence McKinnon was buried,
(09:17):
who I didn't even know existed until that moment. So
as we're driving onto the Isle of Sky, we're then
suddenly looking for the gravesite of my great great great
grandmother Florence McKinnon, and we didn't find it in this
old ruin of a parish and that was it. We
were done. We're like, we'll be back here in a
year and we'll get married.
Speaker 1 (09:33):
It's fine. Oh and then how soon did you guys
get married?
Speaker 4 (09:36):
We then got married, like I think two years later,
three years later, sweet, very romantic.
Speaker 1 (09:57):
Was kids in ever in the picture for you guys?
Or is it still? Or is it?
Speaker 4 (10:00):
Was?
Speaker 1 (10:00):
It one of those things where it was just work
And then you.
Speaker 4 (10:04):
Know we don't want children now. I mean, it's not
that we don't want them. We have this deep, deep
need for community and we have a lot of love
to give. It's one of the reasons why that town
in Georgia really spoke to us, and why so much
of where we go is about the people.
Speaker 1 (10:21):
That we love.
Speaker 4 (10:22):
But as time went on, you know, like I ray,
it's hard.
Speaker 1 (10:28):
To say, I.
Speaker 4 (10:30):
Somehow accidentally became sort of a matriarch figure in my
own family, and I feel like I spent a lot
of time with my own family caring for my siblings
in this way that even as a sister, there's like
a lot of worry and a lot of vulnerability and
a lot of years spent in that. And so there's
something really beautiful about being able to give my attention
(10:53):
to just my partner and my career, which started to
blossom a little bit later, sort of second chapter in
my world. And so the appeal of having children lessened,
especially as Adam and I learned that we really love
being global, and it's been so special for us because
most of our friends have children now to be really
(11:16):
sincerely in our friends' children's lives and meaningful way, and
not only that, in our friend who have children in
their lives and being invested in their mental health and
their own individuality and still showing up for yes, their children,
but also for them. And we feel like we're somehow
like getting that fulfillment in this very specific role that
I think is rarely felt like when we're in such
(11:37):
especially in America, it's so individualist. It's so like, you know,
you can get everyone together for brunch, but you'd be
hard pressed to get a friend to pick you up
to the airport type thing. And we have the freedom
to shift that a little bit because not having children
of our own. So that's my very long winded answer
to your question.
Speaker 1 (11:56):
It's a really sweet answer though, because it is such
a busy I know, like Jan and I for sure,
we're transplants as well. We're both actually from Michigan, but
didn't know each other growing up. And it's really relieving
to me because we've I know for sure, and I
would just going to speak for both of us because
we're a power couple, but I feel like we default
often to just like we have to either pay our
(12:17):
help or we just don't get help. And so when
there actually is this like lending of a hand or
this aspect of community, it's I it almost like brings
me to tears.
Speaker 3 (12:25):
And then I'm like, well, wait, what should I do
for them? Should I give them a gift basket? Because
I don't know how to receive. And I grew up
very much watching my friend's kids and helping, you know,
in our my small town where I came from, it
was prom engagement babies. So because I was a later mom,
everyone I had the ability ahead a career, but I
could come hold a baby, or throw a baby shower,
or you know, bring a dinner postpartum, and it's so invaluable.
(12:49):
And to have someone that has a heart like yours
an insight like you to be able to pour into
those kids is going to be absolutely like just immeasurable
for those little humans. So that's a really special role
to play.
Speaker 4 (12:59):
It's true joy likes. It's honestly it hurts. The only
thing about moving around so much is that when we
miss chunks of time in our friends' kids' lives where
they've grown, you know, like two inches since you left them,
it feels sort of ache because you're like, oh, I'm
missing out, But it is I really get what you're saying,
especially about that thing where like when somebody does something
(13:20):
for you out of pure kindness and you're like, oh,
how do I repay them? I have to one up them,
I have to pay give them something back. And I
just think it speaks to how we've all kind of
become understandably because we're doing a million things in our
lives now, but like so insular and sort of wearing
our self sufficiency like a badge as opposed to just
(13:43):
trusting and giving in to sort of this reciprocity that
I don't think has been put into practice much.
Speaker 1 (13:52):
I do you think?
Speaker 2 (13:52):
It's like so interesting though. I was having a conversation
with one of my she's an actress as well, and
she's been very successful, and she's in our forties and
I'm forty two, and you know, we were talking about
how there is that you have to then go okay
because she's never had, you know, her own child, and
you know, they've been she's been talking about it with
(14:13):
her with a partner. But she's like, I'm She's like,
it's it's sad that like we have to we get
to that age where we have to go okay, I'm okay,
Like I have to make that decision for my for
our family and as a physical baby coming out of
la like my body. She's like, but I think about
how I love on my niece and my nephew, and
she's like, and I She's like, that's a love that
(14:35):
has kind of She's like that that motherly love it's
still there, you know what I mean. It's just like
she's like, I've had to reframe it. She's like, but
I do hate that the age caught up to where
I'm at now. She's like, I don't have any regrets.
It's just that's just the sadness of like where because again,
like I would love another one, but also forties is tough,
(14:55):
you know what I mean.
Speaker 4 (14:55):
And it's like having a baby out of my body.
I'm over forty, Like I don't want to put my
body through it totally, Like I'm like love where my
body's out. Finally, I don't want to it's physically exhausting. Yeah,
it's a funny, it's it's a funny thing. And like,
you know, we all have our different relationship to that
whole notion of like the biological child and if there
(15:19):
are differences and what those differences are. Yeah, yeah, yeah,
but we're getting we're getting so much out of being
in each other's lives, you know, in our friends' lives rather.
Speaker 3 (15:29):
Yeah, I love that, and I love that when you
come to Tennessee and move here, then you can have
six kids to.
Speaker 1 (15:35):
Be and we're going to add on Ben's kids too.
On or two.
Speaker 4 (15:40):
Yeah, guys, I'm like, I'm like, I've got the Mary
Poppins and me.
Speaker 1 (15:44):
Do you know what I mean?
Speaker 4 (15:45):
I'm like going for like anti Zibby is the best
love it?
Speaker 2 (15:48):
Zibby, What does Zibby think of Brady? I know what
your character thinks of Brady, but I want to know
what Zibby thinks of Brady, not Ben.
Speaker 1 (15:56):
Brady, because like we could dish on Ben being no.
Speaker 2 (15:58):
I mean we can do that for hours in the
best of ways. We love you, Ben, but like I
want to know what Zibby thinks of Brady.
Speaker 4 (16:06):
I mean whoa Like, how are we framing this? Like
how would Zibby advise Brie? Or like what's my own? Yeah?
Speaker 2 (16:15):
I mean like what if you were a friend Debrie,
Like what do you what do you think of Brady?
Speaker 4 (16:20):
Man?
Speaker 1 (16:20):
That's tough here to ask the tough questions.
Speaker 4 (16:24):
Friend listen, Like like Brady is he's really trying hard?
Speaker 1 (16:31):
You know?
Speaker 2 (16:31):
Yeah, but we know those guys that try hard, but
sometimes they just keep Like how when we are we
are holding a rope over a bridge and it's like, yeah,
they're going to try to climb up a little bit,
but they're not going to climb up all the way?
Speaker 1 (16:42):
When do you let go of the rope?
Speaker 4 (16:43):
This is what I'm saying, Like, like that's why I struggle.
It's not like a straightforward thing. And look like good
chemistry is good chemistry, Like that's hard to resist. I
get it, But like practically speaking, you know, how much
longer are you going to like deal with the cycle.
Speaker 1 (17:00):
Of mister mister Big.
Speaker 4 (17:03):
Yeah he is.
Speaker 1 (17:04):
He is a mister Big. He's a mister b of sorts.
Speaker 4 (17:07):
Yeah, I know, it's hard, Like I really want to
like him more for her, and I do in a
lot of ways.
Speaker 1 (17:13):
But you know, you know how you have those girlfriends
where you're just like girl?
Speaker 2 (17:18):
I always yeah, I know, but I always think, like
what would I say to my best friend in those moments?
Speaker 1 (17:23):
You know, Well, you've said it, have said it? Have
you said it? We say the hard things. Yeah, we've
been through a lot together.
Speaker 3 (17:33):
I want to ask you a question that Jana usually
gets to ask, but it's my favorite one I get
to beat her to it, and that is, how is
your character on the show most like you in real life?
Speaker 1 (17:41):
Well that's such a good question.
Speaker 3 (17:43):
It's not mine, it's borrow tanks. I learned this by
being best friend to an actress. I'm like, well, that's
such a fun thing because I didn't realize how much
you would probably relate to each character. So now I'm
fascinated by that those questions.
Speaker 4 (17:56):
I think there's a really good like you know those
Ben diagrams, there's a good overlap. I feel like Bri
has helped me move myself in a direction that I've
really needed without understanding that before getting the role. And
maybe I bring a little something to her, like I'm
softer than she is. Our differences are I'm way softer
than b Bree is a lot more hard shelled and tough,
and I love that I could borrow more from that
(18:19):
side of her. But our similarities are like we have
a deep, deep, deep sense of like justice, you know,
when someone's been wronged. That's a really hard thing to
just sit with. I really struggle, like, uh, maybe it's
the libra in me. I've been told that, but like
(18:39):
it's hard, like the physical response, and I'm pretty stubborn
like she is, Like, but I wear it more quietly
than she does, Zibi.
Speaker 3 (19:00):
I have to ask you this because I got a
text message and Jana knows this is coming. So I
got a text message from a girlfriend one day and
she said, you have a doppelganger. She is out in
the wild. There is someone that is I'm telling you
you need DNA testing. You and her are separated, definitely
the sisters.
Speaker 4 (19:15):
Yeahs, where are I need to put glasses on right now?
Do you have?
Speaker 3 (19:18):
Okay, I'll take mine off and you tell me. So
it's wild because I'm not. I'm not very like people
will say, you know, like in college, I got a
little Britney spears those days of past, but I don't
normally go like, oh yeah, I could see it. I've
never seen the Britney thing. But when she showed me
a picture, I was like, well, this is like a
little eerie and she said it's mannerisms too on the show.
(19:41):
And so I'm wondering, do you think that we are sisters?
Speaker 4 (19:44):
Yeah, but you're further back. I need a close above you.
But yeah, First of all, I wish I looked like
you you're stunning.
Speaker 1 (19:49):
Oh oh, we'll say, but yes, I see it, you are.
Speaker 4 (19:54):
I would like that's the thing.
Speaker 1 (19:55):
I look at you and I'm like, she's stunning, and
the ones I feel the same way about you, like
you're just gorgeous and your energy is beautiful, and so
I'm like, wish we were sisters and we are in
my comedy Tennessee. Is it you are? It's happening. You
have a change of addresses.
Speaker 2 (20:12):
We're going to do in Tennessee. We're gonna play pickleball
because I'm putting one in my backyard. We're doing a
pickleball court in our backyard. Eventually you love it. I
love pickleball. I love tennis.
Speaker 1 (20:23):
Okay, so you like the racket sports.
Speaker 2 (20:25):
And I love ping pong. So like blending the two
together are is a love language to me.
Speaker 3 (20:30):
It's a little like Gollilocks and the three competitive, like
it's the one that fits just right.
Speaker 1 (20:34):
Yeah, yeah, exactly, not too tiny, not too big.
Speaker 4 (20:37):
I feel like I've said those exact words, including I'm
very competitive, I am up to I'm not I'm very competitive,
I'm not amazing at tennis. I'm really I don't want to.
Speaker 1 (20:48):
I don't want to have a ping pong table in
my garage.
Speaker 2 (20:50):
So when you come, when you move here, when you
move here.
Speaker 1 (20:55):
We will do a competition.
Speaker 2 (20:57):
And I even I haven't played I played ping pong
with my husband, well he wasn't my husband then but
boyfriend at the time.
Speaker 1 (21:02):
In Scotland.
Speaker 2 (21:03):
You know those they have those awesome little cathedral bars
that are just there's a ping pong table in one
of them, and I kicked his ass and it was
good for you.
Speaker 4 (21:10):
Yes, yes, I'm so proud of you. Yes, yes, it's
all like perfect.
Speaker 1 (21:15):
It is a perfect blend.
Speaker 2 (21:17):
And how great is James Lafferty like I had I'll
be honest, when I when I worked on One Tree
Hill for those couple of years he was I was
very intimidated of him, Like we didn't have a lot
of scenes together because my character rarely was in that world.
But he's just he's very stoic, and even when we
(21:38):
like I just saw him in Paris for the One
Tree Hill convention, I'm always like hi James, Like I
don't know, I get like I get nervous around him
or something because he's just he's he's so quiet, but
he's so sweet, and then I I never know what
he's thinking, and then I'm just like, hi, I was
on the show.
Speaker 1 (21:52):
I remember me. That's really weird.
Speaker 4 (21:57):
And why You're like, Okay, I am moving to Tennessee
it's too much.
Speaker 1 (22:01):
No, yes, come on, you're saying.
Speaker 4 (22:04):
The exact feeling I had when we first met. He's right, sic,
And I was like, where do I stand with this bro?
Like does he like are we going to be okay?
Being like love interest? He is kind like to the
core and so non judgmental and shows up for the
work in this really impressive professional way. But yeah, he
doesn't give a lot away. He's not overly. You know,
(22:26):
I just want to you know, I'll mirror somebody like
if you're coming up a big love like, I'll meet
you there. And I was like, I don't know what
you want from me. I'm just gonna be polite and
then let you open up.
Speaker 1 (22:38):
Yeah, we had the best time.
Speaker 4 (22:40):
And by the way, as a result, it meant that
all that work could show up really confidently, like on camera,
because that's where he would really like come alive. And
it just speaks to his professionalism honestly.
Speaker 2 (22:53):
But yeah, not one of those guys over I mean,
I was on the show for three years and I'm
still like, I like, I don't.
Speaker 1 (23:00):
Know, James, it's Janna, you remember, Yeah, I'm.
Speaker 2 (23:03):
Just like I but you know it's but he's so sweet,
you know, and his his wife and like he's so
respectful and like the whole thing, like he's a lovely dude.
But yeah, he's it's very It's I just remember when
Alan came in to Paris.
Speaker 1 (23:16):
I'm like, here's my husband.
Speaker 2 (23:17):
Like I'm like me and my husband talked to him
because and then I am chatting up a bunch.
Speaker 1 (23:21):
Oh they were, Yeah, they chatted about football. I think.
Speaker 4 (23:24):
I honestly, I like brought up my husband like the
like thirty times in the first ten minutes because I
was like, maybe it's just because he wants to be
really respectful and not like be one of those like
actors that makes it seem you know what I mean.
So it's just like just like you know, like I'm like,
I'm not a thirty actress. Like I wasn't sure what
it was.
Speaker 1 (23:42):
Anyway. I love that you're saying that. But yeah, no,
I mean, we love James.
Speaker 2 (23:46):
But when I saw that you two together, I'm like,
I am pumped for a pickup ball Christmas. It's going
to be on Lifetime December twentieth. What is one thing
because this is you know Ben and I always say
this about we're not reinventing the wheel. When it comes
to these Christmas movies, you know, it's like, okay, now
this one's with pickaballs, was ours was a lost ring.
(24:07):
So but what's the one thing that you go, Okay,
this might be this might stand out, or maybe it's
the acting between you two, or like, what is the
one thing that you're like this they can look forward
to this one little nugget.
Speaker 4 (24:18):
I mean, I think there's a lot of witty language
that kind of just rises a little bit above the
formula that we love, like why it's not broke?
Speaker 1 (24:30):
It's great.
Speaker 4 (24:30):
But I actually wrote the writer Blake Rutledge. I hope
I'm saying his name right, And when I first read it,
because I was like, dude, I read these things all
the time. But and the genre is what it is,
but honestly, your writing kind of transcends it. Like I
was laughing out loud, and you know, maybe Lifetime has
had to like sand down some of those more funny edges,
but I think it has like a wit to it
(24:53):
that's really smart and kept us out of falling into
those like super cheesy traps.
Speaker 1 (24:59):
You know, I absolutely like it. I think the cheesiest
thing about it is the.
Speaker 2 (25:02):
Name where I were right, yeah, I mean, but I
mean again, I'm I'm pumped to watch it. I now
love you because you know, obviously I love the Hollingsworths.
So daylor moving here too, because why not add another
little mark on the you know, another little zillow here.
Speaker 1 (25:21):
It's meant to be.
Speaker 4 (25:22):
Well, I'm definitely going to come check it out and
visit Ben Andyila sold me hard on Tennessee. And they
love you so much because I saw them shortly after
we were in Toronto.
Speaker 1 (25:32):
Together and they were just going on and on about
you guys.
Speaker 2 (25:34):
So yeah, well maybe and then we'll hang out in Scotland.
Speaker 1 (25:37):
Like you know, here we go. I feel we have
a lot more to discuss, ladies, So we do, Yeah,
we do. When you come here, it will be easy
to do. We'll just come over. Zibby are the best.
Thank you so much for coming on. Thank you both
for having me.
Wind Down with Janet Kramer and I'm Heeart Radio podcast.
Speaker 2 (00:06):
This week's special wind Down episode guest, We've got Zibbi
Allen coming on and I Kristin I cannot wait to
chat with her because I mean, I just worked with
her co star Ben Hollingsworth on the Christmas Ring and
she's married to, I believe, a Scotsman.
Speaker 3 (00:25):
I don't really know. I think she got married in Scotland.
I can't keep track of where Zibby Ellen is. She's
a busy, busy lady she is. She's one of the
stars of Virgin River. And she has a new movie
coming out called The Pickleball Christmas, which premieres on Lifetime Saturday,
December twentieth, which we love Lifetime. So let's get her
on and chat all the things.
Speaker 1 (00:47):
Hi, how are you? I'm good? How are you, ladies?
I'm good, Zibby.
Speaker 3 (00:53):
Where in the world is Zibby Allen is our new
segment because you are a time splitter in Scotland.
Speaker 1 (00:58):
Here in the wait, Vancouver and.
Speaker 4 (01:02):
Vancouver, Georgia. You know Georgia, yes, and then Scotland.
Speaker 1 (01:07):
We're never right now. I'm in none of those places.
Where are you?
Speaker 4 (01:10):
I'm in Dallas right now. I flew from Scotland last night.
I'm here for an event, so okay, background.
Speaker 1 (01:17):
So I got it.
Speaker 2 (01:18):
I have to ask because I'm also married to a
Scottish Man. So one of the first things. So I
just worked with Ben on a movie in the summertime.
Speaker 1 (01:26):
Yes, Christian a Christmas Ring, the christ Christmas Ring.
Speaker 4 (01:29):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (01:30):
Yeah, And he was obviously talking all about you, and
he's like, he's like my love interest on Virgin River,
like she's married to a Scotsman. I was like, oh,
I was like, and so we chatted about that, but
so does he. I'm confused because he's like, he said,
you guys go there a lot.
Speaker 1 (01:46):
So does he live? Like where does he live?
Speaker 2 (01:48):
I need to understand because it's like I've I love Scotland,
but I've only been there twice. Oh really, Okay, we
got we got married there what part of Scotland? We
got married outside of Glasgow because he's from Glasgow, born
and raised, right, and then it was in a castle
somewhere outside, like forty minutes outside of Glasgow.
Speaker 1 (02:10):
Love.
Speaker 4 (02:10):
We also got married in a castle in Scotland, just
like minutes north of Edinburgh. Okay, So first My husband's
actually from Northern Ireland, but he went to university and Edinburgh.
I had been living there. Edinburgh's just like forty minute
train ride from Glasgow.
Speaker 1 (02:25):
Yep, it's all small.
Speaker 4 (02:26):
Compared to like the United States anyway. And so when
we met, he had been living there for years, and
so we would go back every year to see now
our friends, his friend's now ours and family because from
Scotland it's like a twenty minute flight to Northern Ireland
for years, and then in the last couple of years
we were like, we love it here so much, so
(02:48):
we're kind of evenly splitting our time between. It's like
halftime Scotland and then we split between Vancouver and Georgia
where we have a house.
Speaker 1 (02:57):
And in the rest of the.
Speaker 2 (02:58):
Time, where in Scotland are you living, We're in Edinburgh,
you are okay. So he was, yeah, born and raised
in Glasgow. And then when we went to our wedding,
we flew obviously into Glasgow, and we were gonna go
because my best girlfriend and my other girlfriend came and
they were going to Edinburgh for to see the castle,
and but my kids all got sick the week of
(03:21):
our wedding, so we canceled.
Speaker 1 (03:23):
I've never even been there. It's so stunning and so fun.
Speaker 2 (03:26):
I've only we only went to Stirling Castle because that
was the closest thing and because the kids were sick,
so I'm like, oh, let's do something, you know, and
they were feeling like okay to like walk a little bit,
you know, and oh she's timing and it's fun and
it's easy.
Speaker 1 (03:40):
But my husband like never once. I'm like, hey, do
you want to go for Christmas? Do you want to go?
And he's like, no, it's.
Speaker 4 (03:45):
Okay because when you grow up there, it's like less
of a thing. And see for Adam, my husband, he
didn't grow up in Scotland. He grew up in northern
and so it really hits difference. You're totally difment five.
But you're so right. It's so charming. Every time I
step outside, I'm like, am I.
Speaker 1 (04:01):
In a movie? Like it's just it's a movie. Yeah,
it's beautiful. Where did you grow up, Zibby? I grew
up in San Francisco.
Speaker 4 (04:08):
I really am to go.
Speaker 1 (04:11):
Where in the world is Ziby Allen? Is part of
my life?
Speaker 4 (04:13):
Well?
Speaker 1 (04:13):
Why Georgia?
Speaker 4 (04:15):
Listen?
Speaker 1 (04:16):
Random?
Speaker 3 (04:16):
But can you grab a globe real quick and just
to help us drop some pinpoints.
Speaker 4 (04:23):
My goal is just like global domination by way of
living there for longer than a year each. No. So,
my co star on Virgin River, Alexandra Breckenbridge, she lived
in Georgia, and so we got really close after my
first year on the show, and she was like, girl,
come visit me in Georgia. I swear you're gonna want
to move to this town which I won't name right
(04:43):
now because it's too small to Yeah. So I was like,
all due respect, it's Georgia. Like I don't think I'm
a San Francisco girl, Like I don't think I'm gonna
want to live there.
Speaker 1 (04:51):
She's like, just come.
Speaker 4 (04:52):
So we went out there and we were like, oh no,
we love it here.
Speaker 1 (04:56):
We love it here.
Speaker 4 (04:57):
So we instantly, like I think within six months, bought
a house there.
Speaker 1 (05:01):
That's do you know? That's what I did with Ben
and Nila.
Speaker 4 (05:05):
Oh yeah, I'm like you've heard all about this, like
we're recruiting.
Speaker 2 (05:09):
I mean I literally like I fell in love with
both of them, Like they're beautiful people, love their family,
and I'm like, you're moving here, and it's like now
they're looking at homes I'm like.
Speaker 1 (05:17):
Yeah, I was like, would you like to homeschool? I
have a co op for you? What else do they need?
Speaker 4 (05:20):
Kramer, I'm so all about this mission for them. Like
I'm really he told me all about it. I know
you eat like you seduced them hard. But they're so
lovely and I can still see them there.
Speaker 1 (05:31):
But it's just the same thing. You get that vibe.
Speaker 2 (05:33):
It's like I think if you came here too, you'd
be like, oh, I love it here. It's so great,
you know. So it's like because Georgia, Tennessee, they have
that same sweetness to it. Yes.
Speaker 4 (05:42):
In fact, my girlfriend just moved to Tennessee and she's like,
you should move here.
Speaker 1 (05:45):
You're gonna love it. Like when you come visit, go
plant your roots. There'd be one more little address.
Speaker 4 (05:50):
Change pack my flag on just another spot.
Speaker 3 (05:53):
I'm here for it. Why isn't to Georgia for Thanksgiving?
And I'm wondering if we went, if we can talk
about this later, Yeah, the same area. Yeah, because it
was so romantic. It was ever it was the sweet
spot of America. I said to my best friend, You've
done it, you have found it, You've won the grand prize.
Speaker 1 (06:11):
Yeah, it's magic game spot. We'll talk.
Speaker 4 (06:13):
It is magical. It's really special. It's hard to resist
because it feels like one of the last really like
in Earnest, safe community based, like really a wholesome, beautiful communities,
and they're they're up to some really cool stuff just
in terms of quality of life.
Speaker 1 (06:30):
How did you meet your husband?
Speaker 4 (06:32):
So I was doing the Edinburgh Fringe. I don't know
if you know about it. That it's like the annual
huge theater fringe festival that happens in Edinburgh and like
the city quadruples in population for the month of August
when it happens. And so I was out there doing
weirdly two plays. This is now like ten years ago,
and Adam was running a restaurant, a Mexican restaurant of
(06:56):
all things, down the road from the venue where I was.
So I'd walk by.
Speaker 1 (07:01):
His place like multiple times a day and he'd.
Speaker 4 (07:04):
Always be like in the doorway, like having a cigarettet
the time.
Speaker 1 (07:07):
He's most and I.
Speaker 4 (07:09):
And I'm like, I'm mysterious, Oh my gosh, I was
like he's I'm sure he has a Scottish accent. He
has a northern Irish accent, which is as sexy. We
should talk about how you feel about Husban's accent, Like
I just.
Speaker 1 (07:19):
Love very ps I love you. Yeah. I.
Speaker 3 (07:22):
Meanwhile, Alan, her husband's always liked are you You're staring
at my mouth and I'm like, yes, Alan, because I
just have to be able.
Speaker 1 (07:28):
I have to be able to know what you say.
So I'm not asking you to repeat. Listen.
Speaker 4 (07:33):
There are certain friends of ours in Scotland who I
still don't understand.
Speaker 2 (07:36):
Like oh, his father, his father and his brother because
they talked Glasswegian and I'm like, I don't understand one
word that has come.
Speaker 1 (07:45):
Out of it.
Speaker 4 (07:45):
That's like a specific region of Scotland. One of my
best girlfriends is Glass Region, and it's like I have
to play her voice notes like on slow Weez, I
have to slow hers down. We have this app where
I can slow hers down anyway because she's so hard
to understand. Yeah, yeah, anyway. So the Adam and I,
I just walked by all the time and I was
(08:06):
like pretty sure he liked my butt and I thought
he was cute. It was going to be a cute hookup.
And then I had two weeks left on my trip
and so we really were just hanging out and not
even hooking up.
Speaker 1 (08:16):
Because like we were both shy.
Speaker 4 (08:17):
It was really strange, but every time we were apart,
it physically hurt and it didn't make any sense and
not open for business. I was not looking for anything
serious and certainly not anything as inconvenient as being you know,
at the time, I was in La.
Speaker 1 (08:32):
So that was gonna be insane.
Speaker 4 (08:33):
But we did just accidentally fall for each other. And
then I extended my trip by ten days after the
show was over because I found a cheap ticket and
he was like, we should go see more of Scotland
while you're here, and so we took a road trip
to the Isle of Sky and I'll make this quick.
But on our way, my mom was texting me being like, Zibbi,
where are you And I'm like, Mom, I with a
really cute guy and this we're going to the super
(08:56):
cute sounding place called the Isle of Sky. Don't worry
about it. And she nearly died because that same week
she was deep into our family genealogy and she had
just discovered that our family lineage is not only Scottish
on her mom's side, but originated on the Isle of
Sky and so she's sending me like articles and names,
and then a drop in to where it was said
that my great great great grandmother Florence McKinnon was buried,
(09:17):
who I didn't even know existed until that moment. So
as we're driving onto the Isle of Sky, we're then
suddenly looking for the gravesite of my great great great
grandmother Florence McKinnon, and we didn't find it in this
old ruin of a parish and that was it. We
were done. We're like, we'll be back here in a
year and we'll get married.
Speaker 1 (09:33):
It's fine. Oh and then how soon did you guys
get married?
Speaker 4 (09:36):
We then got married, like I think two years later,
three years later, sweet, very romantic.
Speaker 1 (09:57):
Was kids in ever in the picture for you guys?
Or is it still? Or is it?
Speaker 4 (10:00):
Was?
Speaker 1 (10:00):
It one of those things where it was just work
And then you.
Speaker 4 (10:04):
Know we don't want children now. I mean, it's not
that we don't want them. We have this deep, deep
need for community and we have a lot of love
to give. It's one of the reasons why that town
in Georgia really spoke to us, and why so much
of where we go is about the people.
Speaker 1 (10:21):
That we love.
Speaker 4 (10:22):
But as time went on, you know, like I ray,
it's hard.
Speaker 1 (10:28):
To say, I.
Speaker 4 (10:30):
Somehow accidentally became sort of a matriarch figure in my
own family, and I feel like I spent a lot
of time with my own family caring for my siblings
in this way that even as a sister, there's like
a lot of worry and a lot of vulnerability and
a lot of years spent in that. And so there's
something really beautiful about being able to give my attention
(10:53):
to just my partner and my career, which started to
blossom a little bit later, sort of second chapter in
my world. And so the appeal of having children lessened,
especially as Adam and I learned that we really love
being global, and it's been so special for us because
most of our friends have children now to be really
(11:16):
sincerely in our friends' children's lives and meaningful way, and
not only that, in our friend who have children in
their lives and being invested in their mental health and
their own individuality and still showing up for yes, their children,
but also for them. And we feel like we're somehow
like getting that fulfillment in this very specific role that
I think is rarely felt like when we're in such
(11:37):
especially in America, it's so individualist. It's so like, you know,
you can get everyone together for brunch, but you'd be
hard pressed to get a friend to pick you up
to the airport type thing. And we have the freedom
to shift that a little bit because not having children
of our own. So that's my very long winded answer
to your question.
Speaker 1 (11:56):
It's a really sweet answer though, because it is such
a busy I know, like Jan and I for sure,
we're transplants as well. We're both actually from Michigan, but
didn't know each other growing up. And it's really relieving
to me because we've I know for sure, and I
would just going to speak for both of us because
we're a power couple, but I feel like we default
often to just like we have to either pay our
(12:17):
help or we just don't get help. And so when
there actually is this like lending of a hand or
this aspect of community, it's I it almost like brings
me to tears.
Speaker 3 (12:25):
And then I'm like, well, wait, what should I do
for them? Should I give them a gift basket? Because
I don't know how to receive. And I grew up
very much watching my friend's kids and helping, you know,
in our my small town where I came from, it
was prom engagement babies. So because I was a later mom,
everyone I had the ability ahead a career, but I
could come hold a baby, or throw a baby shower,
or you know, bring a dinner postpartum, and it's so invaluable.
(12:49):
And to have someone that has a heart like yours
an insight like you to be able to pour into
those kids is going to be absolutely like just immeasurable
for those little humans. So that's a really special role
to play.
Speaker 4 (12:59):
It's true joy likes. It's honestly it hurts. The only
thing about moving around so much is that when we
miss chunks of time in our friends' kids' lives where
they've grown, you know, like two inches since you left them,
it feels sort of ache because you're like, oh, I'm
missing out, But it is I really get what you're saying,
especially about that thing where like when somebody does something
(13:20):
for you out of pure kindness and you're like, oh,
how do I repay them? I have to one up them,
I have to pay give them something back. And I
just think it speaks to how we've all kind of
become understandably because we're doing a million things in our
lives now, but like so insular and sort of wearing
our self sufficiency like a badge as opposed to just
(13:43):
trusting and giving in to sort of this reciprocity that
I don't think has been put into practice much.
Speaker 1 (13:52):
I do you think?
Speaker 2 (13:52):
It's like so interesting though. I was having a conversation
with one of my she's an actress as well, and
she's been very successful, and she's in our forties and
I'm forty two, and you know, we were talking about
how there is that you have to then go okay
because she's never had, you know, her own child, and
you know, they've been she's been talking about it with
(14:13):
her with a partner. But she's like, I'm She's like,
it's it's sad that like we have to we get
to that age where we have to go okay, I'm okay,
Like I have to make that decision for my for
our family and as a physical baby coming out of
la like my body. She's like, but I think about
how I love on my niece and my nephew, and
she's like, and I She's like, that's a love that
(14:35):
has kind of She's like that that motherly love it's
still there, you know what I mean. It's just like
she's like, I've had to reframe it. She's like, but
I do hate that the age caught up to where
I'm at now. She's like, I don't have any regrets.
It's just that's just the sadness of like where because again,
like I would love another one, but also forties is tough,
(14:55):
you know what I mean.
Speaker 4 (14:55):
And it's like having a baby out of my body.
I'm over forty, Like I don't want to put my
body through it totally, Like I'm like love where my
body's out. Finally, I don't want to it's physically exhausting. Yeah,
it's a funny, it's it's a funny thing. And like,
you know, we all have our different relationship to that
whole notion of like the biological child and if there
(15:19):
are differences and what those differences are. Yeah, yeah, yeah,
but we're getting we're getting so much out of being
in each other's lives, you know, in our friends' lives rather.
Speaker 3 (15:29):
Yeah, I love that, and I love that when you
come to Tennessee and move here, then you can have
six kids to.
Speaker 1 (15:35):
Be and we're going to add on Ben's kids too.
On or two.
Speaker 4 (15:40):
Yeah, guys, I'm like, I'm like, I've got the Mary
Poppins and me.
Speaker 1 (15:44):
Do you know what I mean?
Speaker 4 (15:45):
I'm like going for like anti Zibby is the best
love it?
Speaker 2 (15:48):
Zibby, What does Zibby think of Brady? I know what
your character thinks of Brady, but I want to know
what Zibby thinks of Brady, not Ben.
Speaker 1 (15:56):
Brady, because like we could dish on Ben being no.
Speaker 2 (15:58):
I mean we can do that for hours in the
best of ways. We love you, Ben, but like I
want to know what Zibby thinks of Brady.
Speaker 4 (16:06):
I mean whoa Like, how are we framing this? Like
how would Zibby advise Brie? Or like what's my own? Yeah?
Speaker 2 (16:15):
I mean like what if you were a friend Debrie,
Like what do you what do you think of Brady?
Speaker 4 (16:20):
Man?
Speaker 1 (16:20):
That's tough here to ask the tough questions.
Speaker 4 (16:24):
Friend listen, Like like Brady is he's really trying hard?
Speaker 1 (16:31):
You know?
Speaker 2 (16:31):
Yeah, but we know those guys that try hard, but
sometimes they just keep Like how when we are we
are holding a rope over a bridge and it's like, yeah,
they're going to try to climb up a little bit,
but they're not going to climb up all the way?
Speaker 1 (16:42):
When do you let go of the rope?
Speaker 4 (16:43):
This is what I'm saying, Like, like that's why I struggle.
It's not like a straightforward thing. And look like good
chemistry is good chemistry, Like that's hard to resist. I
get it, But like practically speaking, you know, how much
longer are you going to like deal with the cycle.
Speaker 1 (17:00):
Of mister mister Big.
Speaker 4 (17:03):
Yeah he is.
Speaker 1 (17:04):
He is a mister Big. He's a mister b of sorts.
Speaker 4 (17:07):
Yeah, I know, it's hard, Like I really want to
like him more for her, and I do in a
lot of ways.
Speaker 1 (17:13):
But you know, you know how you have those girlfriends
where you're just like girl?
Speaker 2 (17:18):
I always yeah, I know, but I always think, like
what would I say to my best friend in those moments?
Speaker 1 (17:23):
You know, Well, you've said it, have said it? Have
you said it? We say the hard things. Yeah, we've
been through a lot together.
Speaker 3 (17:33):
I want to ask you a question that Jana usually
gets to ask, but it's my favorite one I get
to beat her to it, and that is, how is
your character on the show most like you in real life?
Speaker 1 (17:41):
Well that's such a good question.
Speaker 3 (17:43):
It's not mine, it's borrow tanks. I learned this by
being best friend to an actress. I'm like, well, that's
such a fun thing because I didn't realize how much
you would probably relate to each character. So now I'm
fascinated by that those questions.
Speaker 4 (17:56):
I think there's a really good like you know those
Ben diagrams, there's a good overlap. I feel like Bri
has helped me move myself in a direction that I've
really needed without understanding that before getting the role. And
maybe I bring a little something to her, like I'm
softer than she is. Our differences are I'm way softer
than b Bree is a lot more hard shelled and tough,
and I love that I could borrow more from that
(18:19):
side of her. But our similarities are like we have
a deep, deep, deep sense of like justice, you know,
when someone's been wronged. That's a really hard thing to
just sit with. I really struggle, like, uh, maybe it's
the libra in me. I've been told that, but like
(18:39):
it's hard, like the physical response, and I'm pretty stubborn
like she is, Like, but I wear it more quietly
than she does, Zibi.
Speaker 3 (19:00):
I have to ask you this because I got a
text message and Jana knows this is coming. So I
got a text message from a girlfriend one day and
she said, you have a doppelganger. She is out in
the wild. There is someone that is I'm telling you
you need DNA testing. You and her are separated, definitely
the sisters.
Speaker 4 (19:15):
Yeahs, where are I need to put glasses on right now?
Do you have?
Speaker 3 (19:18):
Okay, I'll take mine off and you tell me. So
it's wild because I'm not. I'm not very like people
will say, you know, like in college, I got a
little Britney spears those days of past, but I don't
normally go like, oh yeah, I could see it. I've
never seen the Britney thing. But when she showed me
a picture, I was like, well, this is like a
little eerie and she said it's mannerisms too on the show.
(19:41):
And so I'm wondering, do you think that we are sisters?
Speaker 4 (19:44):
Yeah, but you're further back. I need a close above you.
But yeah, First of all, I wish I looked like
you you're stunning.
Speaker 1 (19:49):
Oh oh, we'll say, but yes, I see it, you are.
Speaker 4 (19:54):
I would like that's the thing.
Speaker 1 (19:55):
I look at you and I'm like, she's stunning, and
the ones I feel the same way about you, like
you're just gorgeous and your energy is beautiful, and so
I'm like, wish we were sisters and we are in
my comedy Tennessee. Is it you are? It's happening. You
have a change of addresses.
Speaker 2 (20:12):
We're going to do in Tennessee. We're gonna play pickleball
because I'm putting one in my backyard. We're doing a
pickleball court in our backyard. Eventually you love it. I
love pickleball. I love tennis.
Speaker 1 (20:23):
Okay, so you like the racket sports.
Speaker 2 (20:25):
And I love ping pong. So like blending the two
together are is a love language to me.
Speaker 3 (20:30):
It's a little like Gollilocks and the three competitive, like
it's the one that fits just right.
Speaker 1 (20:34):
Yeah, yeah, exactly, not too tiny, not too big.
Speaker 4 (20:37):
I feel like I've said those exact words, including I'm
very competitive, I am up to I'm not I'm very competitive,
I'm not amazing at tennis. I'm really I don't want to.
Speaker 1 (20:48):
I don't want to have a ping pong table in
my garage.
Speaker 2 (20:50):
So when you come, when you move here, when you
move here.
Speaker 1 (20:55):
We will do a competition.
Speaker 2 (20:57):
And I even I haven't played I played ping pong
with my husband, well he wasn't my husband then but
boyfriend at the time.
Speaker 1 (21:02):
In Scotland.
Speaker 2 (21:03):
You know those they have those awesome little cathedral bars
that are just there's a ping pong table in one
of them, and I kicked his ass and it was
good for you.
Speaker 4 (21:10):
Yes, yes, I'm so proud of you. Yes, yes, it's
all like perfect.
Speaker 1 (21:15):
It is a perfect blend.
Speaker 2 (21:17):
And how great is James Lafferty like I had I'll
be honest, when I when I worked on One Tree
Hill for those couple of years he was I was
very intimidated of him, Like we didn't have a lot
of scenes together because my character rarely was in that world.
But he's just he's very stoic, and even when we
(21:38):
like I just saw him in Paris for the One
Tree Hill convention, I'm always like hi James, Like I
don't know, I get like I get nervous around him
or something because he's just he's he's so quiet, but
he's so sweet, and then I I never know what
he's thinking, and then I'm just like, hi, I was
on the show.
Speaker 1 (21:52):
I remember me. That's really weird.
Speaker 4 (21:57):
And why You're like, Okay, I am moving to Tennessee
it's too much.
Speaker 1 (22:01):
No, yes, come on, you're saying.
Speaker 4 (22:04):
The exact feeling I had when we first met. He's right, sic,
And I was like, where do I stand with this bro?
Like does he like are we going to be okay?
Being like love interest? He is kind like to the
core and so non judgmental and shows up for the
work in this really impressive professional way. But yeah, he
doesn't give a lot away. He's not overly. You know,
(22:26):
I just want to you know, I'll mirror somebody like
if you're coming up a big love like, I'll meet
you there. And I was like, I don't know what
you want from me. I'm just gonna be polite and
then let you open up.
Speaker 1 (22:38):
Yeah, we had the best time.
Speaker 4 (22:40):
And by the way, as a result, it meant that
all that work could show up really confidently, like on camera,
because that's where he would really like come alive. And
it just speaks to his professionalism honestly.
Speaker 2 (22:53):
But yeah, not one of those guys over I mean,
I was on the show for three years and I'm
still like, I like, I don't.
Speaker 1 (23:00):
Know, James, it's Janna, you remember, Yeah, I'm.
Speaker 2 (23:03):
Just like I but you know it's but he's so sweet,
you know, and his his wife and like he's so
respectful and like the whole thing, like he's a lovely dude.
But yeah, he's it's very It's I just remember when
Alan came in to Paris.
Speaker 1 (23:16):
I'm like, here's my husband.
Speaker 2 (23:17):
Like I'm like me and my husband talked to him
because and then I am chatting up a bunch.
Speaker 1 (23:21):
Oh they were, Yeah, they chatted about football. I think.
Speaker 4 (23:24):
I honestly, I like brought up my husband like the
like thirty times in the first ten minutes because I
was like, maybe it's just because he wants to be
really respectful and not like be one of those like
actors that makes it seem you know what I mean.
So it's just like just like you know, like I'm like,
I'm not a thirty actress. Like I wasn't sure what
it was.
Speaker 1 (23:42):
Anyway. I love that you're saying that. But yeah, no,
I mean, we love James.
Speaker 2 (23:46):
But when I saw that you two together, I'm like,
I am pumped for a pickup ball Christmas. It's going
to be on Lifetime December twentieth. What is one thing
because this is you know Ben and I always say
this about we're not reinventing the wheel. When it comes
to these Christmas movies, you know, it's like, okay, now
this one's with pickaballs, was ours was a lost ring.
(24:07):
So but what's the one thing that you go, Okay,
this might be this might stand out, or maybe it's
the acting between you two, or like, what is the
one thing that you're like this they can look forward
to this one little nugget.
Speaker 4 (24:18):
I mean, I think there's a lot of witty language
that kind of just rises a little bit above the
formula that we love, like why it's not broke?
Speaker 1 (24:30):
It's great.
Speaker 4 (24:30):
But I actually wrote the writer Blake Rutledge. I hope
I'm saying his name right, And when I first read it,
because I was like, dude, I read these things all
the time. But and the genre is what it is,
but honestly, your writing kind of transcends it. Like I
was laughing out loud, and you know, maybe Lifetime has
had to like sand down some of those more funny edges,
but I think it has like a wit to it
(24:53):
that's really smart and kept us out of falling into
those like super cheesy traps.
Speaker 1 (24:59):
You know, I absolutely like it. I think the cheesiest
thing about it is the.
Speaker 2 (25:02):
Name where I were right, yeah, I mean, but I
mean again, I'm I'm pumped to watch it. I now
love you because you know, obviously I love the Hollingsworths.
So daylor moving here too, because why not add another
little mark on the you know, another little zillow here.
Speaker 1 (25:21):
It's meant to be.
Speaker 4 (25:22):
Well, I'm definitely going to come check it out and
visit Ben Andyila sold me hard on Tennessee. And they
love you so much because I saw them shortly after
we were in Toronto.
Speaker 1 (25:32):
Together and they were just going on and on about
you guys.
Speaker 2 (25:34):
So yeah, well maybe and then we'll hang out in Scotland.
Speaker 1 (25:37):
Like you know, here we go. I feel we have
a lot more to discuss, ladies, So we do, Yeah,
we do. When you come here, it will be easy
to do. We'll just come over. Zibby are the best.
Thank you so much for coming on. Thank you both
for having me.
Host
Jana Kramer
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