Christmas is closer than you think and the perfect holiday film is arriving very soon as well! BET is bringing viewers a heartwarming Christmas movie that promises to be filled with laughter, love, and a touch of magic with BET+'s Brewster's Millions: Christmas, starring China Anne McClain and Romeo Miller.
The film is centered around Monica Brewster, a wealthy heiress who is about to inherit her uncle Monty Brewster’s grandfather's fortune. While the opportunity seems to fall in her lap, she must learn the true meaning of Christmas and embracing the love, faith, and family by giving instead of receiving. The cast includes McClain as Monica Brewster, Miller as Andrew, Rain Pryor as Opal, Richard Pryor as Uncle Monty Brewster, Thelma Hopkins as Aunty Brewster, Tequan Richmond as Big Ty, and Sierra McClain as Tanya.
Brewster's Millions: Christmas is produced by Matthew Nasser, Durey Shevar, Nicholas Nasser, Danial Nasser, written by Patricia Cuffie-Jones and Joseph Nasser, and directed by Jones. McClain serves as an executive producer.
Culturess sat down with Rain Pryor and Richard Pryor Jr, children of legendary comedian and actor Richard Pryor to talk about the film. Read on as we dive into what it was like for them to say yes to acting in a Christmas movie, the behind-the-scenes magic, and how their personal holiday traditions played a part in preparing for their role So, grab your hot cocoa and settle in as we chat with the duo about this unforgettable holiday film!
Since this is the sequel of the 1985 film, Brewster's Millions, what drew you to taking on roles in the film and specifically for these characters?
Rain Pryor: They asked! I read the script and was like, 'Oh, I can step into this. This is all right.' It felt wholesome, and it felt like something I could share with my daughter and I could feel good about being a part of.
Richard Pryor Jr.: It was stepping into the role that my dad actually played and portrayed the character. It was a wonderful feeling, wonderful opportunity. Being able to just stand there and know this is his legacy I'm standing in. Rain and I talked about it, it was full circle walking into those roles, we were part of Brewster's Millions. Our dad was Brewster's Millions. It's a wonderful feeling and it's a wonderful opportunity. My stage of my life is grab on what I can grab on to and just roll with it and enjoy it.
Rain, as you portrayed Opal, I loved seeing the emotional moments, specifically between you and China, who plays Morgan. What was it like on set and developing that relationship with each other?
RP: China is the easiest person to feel warm and fuzzy around. She embraced me from the minute I walked in the door in the makeup area, she just was like, 'Come here!' As an actor, you tap into your bag of your emotions and how to show up and be authentic. My whole thing is: How do I bring authenticity to Opal, portraying this character with China, and not fan girling because I've watched all the Disney stuff China did, with my daughter. How do I just bring the authentic Opal to create this magic with such a giving and loving young lady as China is?
Like you said, there's a legacy attached to this. I want to acknowledge that this is a holiday film, and a lot of Black representation in holiday films has been very slim. As you were working on this film, what were you thinking of in terms of how we can continue on and give people more opportunities to be in holiday films as Black people?
RP: I think we have to just keep writing them, keep writing them, keep producing them, keep showing up, whether it's independent, whether it's through BET+ Paramount. We need to keep writing our stories. Nobody's going to write them for us. Nobody knows our stories. We know our stories.
You characters are both very important and very crucial to the story. Growing up, did you have other family members who felt like that those pillars of comfort?
RPJ: Oh, my God. That's all we were surrounded right now by growing up; Uncle Dickey, Aunt Maxine, Grandma, and my mom.
RP: My grandparents on my other side. There are people that influence us, and we carry that legacy. We carry that ancestral DNA into the work that we do to show up, to be present and accounted for, and Brewster's Millions: Christmas is a way for us to honor our dad's legacy, but also to honor that which we are, the DNA of his life.
RPJ: Yes. It's a beautiful feeling.
When I was watching, I thought of my family traditions and what we do during the holidays. As I get older, sometimes those traditions fall off. Do you have any memories from your youth of celebrating the holidays and that you've transitioned over into your adult life?
RPJ: When we were younger, we lived in different areas of the country and everything. The holidays and summers, we always spent with dad. The three of us that are older, Elizabeth, Rain and myself, we would always be with dad during the holidays.
RPJ: Whether it's going to London, Paris. Paris or Hawaii. It was just a great thing. I remember when we did, I think it was '93, we were adults. All of us came together at dad's, and I remember going out to the store and buying all the food and making all the dishes that dad loved. He wouldn't eat leftovers. We knew he had eaten that one time, but we made all the stuff. You just had a family thing that we hadn't done in a year.
RP: In a really long time, and it was very nice.
RPJ: Rain and I now continue with that. We spend our Christmases together now for the last six years.
Talking about your own families and their relationship with holiday movies. I don't know if they've seen it yet. Do you plan to sit around and watch the film together?
RP: We're going to the premiere together in LA. Husbands and daughters are coming in, so that's going to be really exciting. Just to know what they think. I know my daughter's more excited to see China and Romeo.
RP: That's what it's like. This is a co-viewing experience. This is for the entire family—all generations to enjoy and to really get into that holiday spirit about giving.
I want to shout out the director, Patricia . Were there any behind the scenes moments when you were shooting where you were like, 'She's really getting this out of us?'
RPJ: Well, I know with myself, for instance, I remember that she allowed me to do what I felt I needed to do for the character. She would allow you to do that and be able to sit back and see and then tell you after that, 'Why don't you try this or let's see what this will work like.' She gave you those opportunities to be your authentic self. It wasn't a thing like you were micromanaged—at all.
RP: Not at all. She really trusts her actors to show up and do the work.
RPJ: As long as you know what you're supposed to be doing and do it, she was on it, on board with it.
RP: If you needed the, 'Hey, you did a great job', she would do that, but that's not who she was. If you weren't doing a good job, you'd have another take or she would talk to you. You started to work in her groove. What an amazing director and writer she is and has a slate at BET. She's very well-accomplished. To work with someone like that was such an honor and a joy and a Black female director in the industry is only a handful. She's one of the greats.
I wanted to acknowledge your outfits , I just noticed that. Who put those together or is it something you two styled?
RPJ: My husband styled me. I look for him, my husband, Curtis, to do me. I trust his instinct because he's a fabulous dresser so whatever he says.
RPJ: I had Tony Scott, who's worked on tons of shows as a stylist. He styled my clothes. I had Camilla do my hair for me and braid it. I had Markeisha Wardell, who was also our makeup person on Brewster's Millions: Christmas, came and gave me glam, glam, glam. Thank you for noticing!
Even if people haven't seen Brewster's Millions, though hopefully they have, what should viewers expect to get out of the movie?
RPJ: For me, it's joy, happiness, and unity, and togetherness, and family, and love.
RP: Staying open to those experiences in your life. When you think sometimes you're going this way to keep open because it may switch and take you on to a better road, that not all the time, the thing you thought you needed is the thing you needed. That's true. Sometimes the miracle is over there.
Want a sneak peek on this future Christmas classic? Watch the trailer here on BET+'s official YouTube channel:
Brewster's Millions: Christmas premieres on streaming service BET+ on Dec. 5