Autumn Reeser Reveals Why New Hallmark Movie ‘Junebug’ Couldn’t ‘Have Been Made Before Now’

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Junebug is a movie that’s been five years in the making, and the story is near and dear to star Autumn Reeser’s heart. The actress spoke with TV Insider about bringing Junebug to Hallmark and reconnecting with her eight-year-old self.

“It was a Christmas movie initially,” Reeser revealed. However, after “listening to these characters and listening to the story,” Junebug moved outside the holiday space. For Reeser, Junebug’s summer release is “perfect timing.”

She continued, “There’s this deep dive within the collective, into the archetype of the inner child, and connecting with this deep part of ourselves again and keep diving into these core wounds and these poor places that are ready to come up to be healed. To me, that’s the deeper theme of the movie, so it’s coming at a perfect time. It couldn’t have been made before now.”

In the film, Reeser plays Juniper, a book editor turning 40 who realizes her life is not what she hoped it would be as a child. When she starts to see the eight-year-old version of herself (Mila Jones), Juniper goes on a personal journey of self-discovery.

“I think it’s something we all go through and should go through, pausing and saying, ‘Am I on track? Is this where I want to be? How do I feel about this?’” she noted. “I think one of the beautiful messages of the movie, and a message that I’ve been championing for a long time, is it’s never too late. It is always the present moment, so you’re always on time. So many people don’t take a stand for themselves and for their hearts and give up on themselves. I think it’s worth noting that following your dreams can happen in small doses.”

Mila Jones as young Juniper/Junebug in ‘Junebug.’ (Hugh Tull / Hallmark Media)

Reeser and Jones have incredible chemistry playing different versions of Juniper. However, casting young Juniper (known affectionately as Junebug) happened at the very last minute. “It was down to the wire,” Reeser revealed. “It was the Friday before we started shooting that we cast her. I had to be in such deep faith that we were going to find the perfect Junebug because I knew we did not have a movie if we didn’t get the right Junebug. This movie hinges on having someone who can play quite young, assertive but not precocious, and just authentic. Mila hit the nail on the head.”

As Juniper decides what she really wants in life, she meets a dashing artist named Alex (Aaron O’Connell). Sparks fly immediately between these two as they begin to figure out their futures.

“In Alex, you have a character who has gone for his dreams and has achieved what he wanted in childhood, but then was burned by the judgment of the world,” Reeser pointed out. “That’s a very real experience that a lot of people go through, too. It’s a different way in which we decide to self-sabotage as a way to protect ourselves. We wanted to explore that from two different perspectives, so that they had something to learn from each other and that they each expand through the other’s journeys.”

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Real life began to imitate art for Reeser as she filmed the Hallmark movie. “It’s really interesting that what Juniper reclaims over the course of this story is her dreams and voice as a writer. That has been something that I have been personally reluctant to claim because I’ve had so many writers in my life,” she admitted. “I think a lot of us do this, particularly in families, right? Oh no, that’s what my sibling does, or that’s what my husband does.”

She added, “We give somebody else the jurisdiction over a certain kind of art or a certain thing. All things are available to hold people in terms of artistic expression. I think it’s interesting to me that I’m making this movie about a character who’s returning to her dreams of being a writer as I am accepting myself as a writer as well. I’m allowing myself to bring that part of who I am forward and release my imposter syndrome around it. It seems like perfect timing to me, so I think that’s been a really beautiful parallel.”

Junebug, Movie Premiere, August 3, 8/7c, Hallmark Channel