Trevor Donovan & Danica McKellar on Returning to ‘DWTS’ & Hosting MovieGuide Awards
Preview
Awards show emcees aren’t required to know how to dance but Trevor Donovan and Danica McKellar certainly are ready to trip the light fantastic on March 7 as hosts of the 31st Annual MovieGuide Awards. The two are past contenders for Mirrorball glory on Dancing With the Stars. She competed in Season 18 and came in sixth place; more recently, he competed in Season 31 and also came in sixth place.
“I’m honored and flattered that they asked me to host because this isn’t in my wheelhouse,” Donovan tells TV Insider. “I’ve never hosted anything. I’m a little nervous, but we rehearsed and I’m excited to see how it goes.”
McKellar brings some hosting experience to the 31st MovieGuide Awards. “I’ve hosted the National Inventors Hall of Fame Awards in Washington D.C.,” she says. “It’s a huge event, but it’s not televised. I do love entertaining audiences. I have made my whole career about doing positive, family-friendly, uplifting entertainment.”
A dozen awards are set to be handed out in categories including “Most Inspiring Movie,” “Most Inspiring TV Program,” “Best Movie for Families,” “Best Movie for Mature Audiences,” and “Grace Award for Most Inspiring Performance for Movies.”
McKellar had two movies for Great American Family in 2023. She starred in Swinging Romance, which featured DWTS pro Gleb Savchenko. “I got to do two dances with Gleb,” McKellar says, “and I was also in A Royal Date for Christmas.”
© New World Television/courtesy Everett Collection
The actress says there were preliminary discussions of her guesting on the reboot of The Wonder Years (she played Winnie in the OG version) but, alas, the show was canceled before anything could be finalized. “It would have been nice,” she says with a smile. “I would have had to have played someone else, but we talked about it.”
Donovan also had two films for GAF in 2023 – ’Twas the Text Before Christmas and A Harvest Homecoming. He’s set to appear next in Reagan, starring Dennis Quaid (Far From Heaven) in the title role. The movie tells the story of the late U.S. President from childhood to his time in the Oval Office. Donovan plays John Barletta, a real-life Secret Service Agent, who passed away in 2018.
The actor says he’ll be as surprised as viewers will be, in some ways, when the movie premieres. “I didn’t really get to read the whole script,” he says. “I did get to learn about my character and his relationship with the Secret Service. His whole life story is very interesting.”
Coming in sixth place on a competitive show like DWTS is no easy feat. Would McKellar and Donovan be open to popping in as a guest judge like past contestant Niecy Nash did last season?
“I love that show,” McKellar responds. “I’d do a guest dance or be a guest judge – whatever. If they wanted me, I’d go back.” A bonus would be getting to see her pro dance partner, Valentin Chmerkovskiy. “Val and Jenna [Johnson Chmerkovskiy] are really good parents. [Their son] Rome is the cutest.”
“I’d definitely consider coming back as a guest judge,” says Donovan says about returning to the DWTS ballroom, wryly adding, “As long as they know I don’t know what I’m doing!” Pshaw. Donovan and pro partner Emma Slater were genuine contenders in a highly competitive season. “I’d definitely entertain the idea,” he adds.
The 31st MovieGuide Awards, Thursday, March 7, 8/7c, Great American Family
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