‘Tis the season to indulge in as many Christmas comedies and rom-coms as you can muster. It’s the time to sit by the fireplace with a cup of hot cocoa and take in numerous substantial but festive love stories. It just wouldn’t be the holidays without them. Kicking off the festivities early is the Netflix rom-com (or friend-com, if you will), Best. Christmas. Ever! stars Heather Graham and Brandy Norwood, along with Jason Biggs and Matt Cedaño. Best. Christmas. Ever! is a straight-forward movie that announces the holidays on Netflix. It’s full of great performances, an adorable Santa Claus subplot, and very merry Christmas sing-songs brought to you by the talented, Grammy Award-winning Brandy Norwood.

Best. Christmas. Ever! slightly shakes up the formula by offering a rom-com centered around friendship. It’s a traditionally charming holiday rom-com (a platonic-com, perhaps?) that will fill audiences with warmth, elevating itself above many of Netflix’s previous attempts at the Christmas genre. Movieweb recently sat down with the film’s iconic lead stars, Heather Graham (Boogie Nights, Suitable Flesh) and Brandy Norwood (Roger’s and Hammerstein’s Cinderella, I Still Know What You Did Last Summer) to discuss their new film.

Why Best. Christmas. Ever?
Best. Christmas. Ever. Release Date November 16, 2023 Director Mary Lambert Cast Heather Graham, Brandy Norwood, Jason Biggs Rating TV-PG Runtime 1hr 20min Genres Comedy, Romance
Arguably, a script is the most important part of any ‘regular’ movie. Not only does it lay the groundwork for what the film is, but it also helps sell actors on potentially starring in that movie. Upon reading the script for Best. Christmas. Ever!, both Norwood and Graham adored the story, finding an instant connection with their characters, with Norwood commenting:

“Well, I absolutely loved the script as a movie, and what it was about: family, reconnecting with friends, and spending the holidays with people that you love. I absolutely love my character. She has a bubbly, positive outlook on life, and just tries to find the good in everything.”

Counteracting Norwood’s ebullient, Christmas-loving character, Graham plays Charlotte, a character who, much like Graham, isn’t a huge fan of Christmas. “I related to the story in that I don’t really like Christmas,” exclaimed Graham. “I’m kind of a Scrooge and I find Christmas annoying.”

Graham continued by talking about her character’s relatable insecurities and satisfying journey of self-discovery, love, and finally taking in the festive spirit. “I can relate to my character comparing herself to other people and being hard on herself. I always aspire to have a more positive attitude like Brandy’s character, but I’m not always 100% successful with that,” continued Graham. “I love the journey that she goes on and the end [where she lets] go of her negativity to really embrace all the good things in her life.”

Related: 9 Christmas Movies to Watch on Netflix This Winter

Starring in Their First Festive Flick (in March)
Netflix

While the two stars have been in numerous films and TV shows before, Best. Christmas. Ever! is their first time starring in a Christmas movie. “Christmas was just different,” commented Norwood on how Christmas movies compare to other films and TV shows she’s starred in. “It just had a different vibe to it. It was the fake snow. It was, for me, recording a holiday album in the middle of the summer. It just felt a little bit different.”

Shooting a Christmas movie in the middle of March is sure to throw anyone’s year out of order. Especially if you’re a “Christmas girl” like Brandy Norwood. “It was magical,” exclaimed Graham on filming a Christmas movie in the summer. Graham continued:

“The decorations were so over-the-top amazing. When you drive into Brandy’s [character’s] house, there were trees with all these crazy lights. I mean, to have that amount of Christmas decorations, like not that many people could ever really celebrate Christmas on the kind of huge level that [Brandy’s] character does.”

“She put me to shame. And I love Christmas,” laughed Norwood about her character.

Related: Underrated Christmas Movies You Should Watch

Brandy Norwood and Heather Graham’s Instant Friendship
Netflix

It’s important, specifically in a ‘friend-com’ like this, that the two leads share an authentic bond with one another, which is one of the major highlights of Best. Christmas. Ever! Speaking on their immediate friendship, Norwood commented:

I just absolutely love [Heather’s] spirit and just how positive [she is] and how [she] came in with all these compliments towards me. And I just appreciate working with someone that lovely, because [not] everybody gives you great energy.

Graham quickly returned the compliment by praising Norwood’s heart and kind spirit. “[Brandy gives her] whole heart,” said Graham, “really gives [her] whole soul and spirit and everything to the movie. And I really felt that.”. Graham went on to praise how Best. Christmas. Ever! diverges from the traditional rom-com formula, and instead celebrates female friendship. “I love that there’s romantic comedies about a woman falling in love with a man, but I love that [Best. Christmas. Ever! is] a friendship story,” said Graham. “Because in my life, my friends have been so important to me. […] I think friendship is so important. And I love that it celebrated female friendship.”

Continuing to give praise to one another, Norwood and Graham soon went on to comment on their favorite scenes they shot together. “We have so many great scenes,” said Norwood. “We were just talking about the balloon scene, and just how much time we spent in the air together. And [we had] a lot of laughs and a lot of great moments in there.”

Graham replied:

“The funny moments are the most fun. Just having Matt [Cedaño] and Jason [Biggs] around, just doing silly things, and all of us reacting. And when Brandy’s like, ‘It’s gonna be the best Christmas ever!’ And I’m just like, ‘Eh’. That was a funny moment, because she’s so happy. And I’m like, ‘No, I don’t want to do this.'”

If you fancy getting into the Christmas spirit with this light-hearted rom-com about friendship, then Best. Christmas. Ever! is now available to stream on Netflix. Follow the link below, and check out the trailer:

Watch on Netflix