BY SIMONE J. SMITH
Yes! It is that time of year again. Christmas is upon us and people around the world are busy with their preparations for their own version of a Christmas. It is a time for family reunions, for family bonding, renewing friendships, exchanging gifts, and going on holidays. It is also about that time for Christmas music, and of course some of our favourite Christmas movies. Christmas is a time to celebrate, and for Caribbeans who live in North America, this year we have something truly special to celebrate.
One of Toronto’s very own starlets Lisa Michelle Cornelius: actor, singer, and filmmaker based in Toronto, Canada will be starring in her first leading role in the new feature film “A Sisterly Christmas,” coming to the OWN Network on Wednesday, December 7th, 2021. Her artistic career has expanded beyond performance to include filmmaking and serving her artistic community.
At the young age of fourteen, her life changed while on a class trip. Do you remember the musical production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat starring Donnie Osmond? For Lisa Michelle, it was a foreshadowing of life to come, and that feeling, that passion, began to burn. That very day, she made a decision to pursue a career in the arts.
She has trail-blazed her way in the entertainment industry, and some may not know this, but Lisa Michelle’s character was the first Black “Trill” humanoid species in the Star Trek franchise history. Alongside, that success, Lisa has amassed a significant body of work including her first professional on-camera role alongside Taye Diggs in the television series Kevin Hill (UPN), The Handmaid’s Tale (Hulu), American Gothic (CBS), Black Mirror (Netflix), How to Buy a Baby (CBC), 12 Monkeys (Syfy), Chucky (Syfy), A Christmas Carousel (Hallmark), Color of Love (Lifetime), and The Parker Andersons (Super Channel).
Her big break came when she was cast as Chloe in Band Ladies (Highball TV). That role got her nominated for a 2021 Canadian Screen Award. She also appeared in Star Trek: Short Treks (CBS) as Lt. Sarah alongside H. Jon Benjamin and Rosa Salazar.
Lisa Michelle is one of the founding members of Canadian Black Entertainment (CBE) and serves as an elected ACTRA Toronto and National Councillor. She was also Co-Chair of ACTRA Toronto’s Diversity and Inclusion Committee for three years, where she co-created and hosted numerous initiatives, events, workshops, and panels focused on illuminating diverse on-camera performers.
I was at a family birthday party when Lisa Michelle told me the exciting news. She was going to be in a movie alongside one of her favourite actresses Deborah Joy Winans. She briefly filled me in on the plot of the movie; her character Vicky, and her sister Kristina (Deborah Joy Winans) receive an early Christmas gift—a luxurious vacation at an exclusive resort from their Aunt Debbie (Marium Carvell). What the aunt hopes to do is bring them together, because they had grown apart since their mother’s death.
Interestingly, Lisa tells me that the sisters are less than thrilled by the idea of spending time together: Vicky loves Christmas, whereas Kristina no longer enjoys the holiday without their mom. With strong convincing from Aunt Debbie, the sisters reluctantly accept her gift. Once they arrive at the resort, Kristina and Vicky run into Reginé (Kyana Teresa), a famous singer and one-time best friend who left them behind when fame came calling. She left it there. Of course, she couldn’t give up all of the tea.
I had a chance to speak with Lisa again last week, and she shared a little bit more with me about her character, and what it was like working with Deborah Joy Winans
“My character Vicky Marshall,” Lisa shares, “has dreams of becoming a professional soap and lotion-maker after living in Harlem all her life. Vicky embodies the Christmas spirit and is always looking for a reason to live in the now.
I really loved getting to stay in character for more than a few weeks. I stayed in that character day in and day out until I became Vicky. To top it all off, I was given the opportunity to work with the beautiful and talented Deborah, someone who I am a huge fan of. I went from being a fan to being friends. It is so crazy!”
Now that the movie will be premiering on December 7th, 2021, at 9:00 pm on OWN, and replaying on December 11th, and December 25th, 2021, I was curious about how she felt, and what it was like making the movie.
“I have to say this,” she tells me. “shooting this movie did have its challenges. The hours were very long 12 -15 hours. Then I would have to go home, get prepared for the next day, and then be up bright and early in the morning. Mind you, even though I was shooting I was still auditioning for future roles. It is a lot, and sometimes overwhelming, but despite it all: I would not enjoy anything thing else the way I enjoy doing this. Plus, my family is super excited for me. They had a Zoom family party on the completion of the project. This movie is a testament to the fact that dreams do come true.”
This Wednesday, December 7th, 2021 let’s support one of our very own superstars, Mrs. Lisa Michelle Cornelius as she lights up the world on OWN. You can see A Sisterly Christmas trailer at the link below
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