Holiday Heart
- Directed by: Robert Townsend
- Starring: Ving Rhames, Alfre Woodard, Jessika Quynn Reynolds, Mykelti Williamson, Johnathan Wallace, Phillip Maurice Hayes, Blu Mankuma, Lorena Gale, James Kidnie, Benz Antoinee
- Genre: Dramas
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Rating:
- Video Release: 05/29/2001
- Run Time: 1hr 37min
Synopsis
Filmmaker Robert Townsend directs a tenderly tearful story about love, discrimination, and survival with HOLIDAY HEART. The movie stars Ving Rhames as the title character, Holiday--a church-loving, flamboyant gay drag queen with a heart of gold. After Holiday's long-time lover, Fisher (Benz Antoine), passes away, Holiday is left alone and grieving. So when a homeless drug addict, Wanda (Alfre Woodard), and her young daughter, Niki (Jessika Quynn Reynolds), unexpectantly fall in need of Holiday's help, he moves them into the apartment next door to his own. The three form an unconventional family. That is, until Wanda brings home a new boyfriend, drug dealer Silas (Mykelti Williamson), and changes everything for the worse. Wanda's inability to avoid drugs threatens to further break the trio apart and Niki suffers and she watches her dream of a normal, stable family life dissolve. Playwright Cheryl L. West adapted her original play, HOLIDAY HEART, into a screenplay for this original Showtime movie.
Filmmaker Robert Townsend directs a tenderly tearful story about love, discrimination, and survival with HOLIDAY HEART. The movie stars Ving Rhames as the title character, Holiday--a church-loving, flamboyant gay drag queen with a heart of gold. After Holiday's long-time lover, Fisher (Benz Antoine), passes away, Holiday is left alone and grieving. So when a homeless drug addict, Wanda (Alfre Woodard), and her young daughter, Niki (Jessika Quynn Reynolds), unexpectantly fall in need of Holiday's help, he moves them into the apartment next door to his own. The three form an unconventional family. That is, until Wanda brings home a new boyfriend, drug dealer Silas (Mykelti Williamson), and changes everything for the worse. Wanda's inability to avoid drugs threatens to further break the trio apart and Niki suffers and she watches her dream of a normal, stable family life dissolve. Playwright Cheryl L. West adapted her original play, HOLIDAY HEART, into a screenplay for this original Showtime movie.
Production Notes
Cable television release: December 10, 2000 (Showtime)
HOLIDAY HEART was filmed on location in Vancouver, British Columbia.
Robert Townsend has directed other films for Showtime including LOVE LETTERS and the documentary ROBERT TOWNSEND ON SEX IN THE 20TH CENTURY: FROM BEHIND CLOSED DOORS.
Robert DeNiro and his Tribeca Productions partners, Jane Rosenthal and Brad Epstein, were the executive producers of HOLIDAY HEART.
Cheryl West's play HOLIDAY HEART made its New York premiere at the Manhattan Theater Club.
HOLIDAY HEART is the film debut for young actress Jessika Quynn Reynolds. Alfre Woodard met Jessika when the girl was walking to class and helped arrange an audition for her for the role of Niki in the film. Jessika's twin sister was chosen to be her stand-in.
Alfre Woodard was nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Performance by an Actress in a Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television for her role in HOLIDAY HEART.
Cable television release: December 10, 2000 (Showtime)
HOLIDAY HEART was filmed on location in Vancouver, British Columbia.
Robert Townsend has directed other films for Showtime including LOVE LETTERS and the documentary ROBERT TOWNSEND ON SEX IN THE 20TH CENTURY: FROM BEHIND CLOSED DOORS.
Robert DeNiro and his Tribeca Productions partners, Jane Rosenthal and Brad Epstein, were the executive producers of HOLIDAY HEART.
Cheryl West's play HOLIDAY HEART made its New York premiere at the Manhattan Theater Club.
HOLIDAY HEART is the film debut for young actress Jessika Quynn Reynolds. Alfre Woodard met Jessika when the girl was walking to class and helped arrange an audition for her for the role of Niki in the film. Jessika's twin sister was chosen to be her stand-in.
Alfre Woodard was nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Performance by an Actress in a Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television for her role in HOLIDAY HEART.
Reviews
"...Rhames transcends his manly-man looks to develop a credible glam persona..." (Entertainment Weekly)
"...Rhames transcends his manly-man looks to develop a credible glam persona..." (Entertainment Weekly)
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