Interview: Kyle Dean Massey & Taylor Frey Talk Starring in A CHRISTMAS TO TREASURE Together

Broadway couple Kyle Dean Massey and Taylor Frey are getting into the holiday spirit by starring in their first film together, Lifetime's A Christmas to Treasure.

In the film, the passing of beloved old neighbor, Ms. Marley, reunites six estranged friends for one final hometown holiday treasure hunt. As the search unfolds and fond childhood memories are relived, sparks fly once again between brand strategist Austin Craig (Frey) and his former best friend Everett Matthews (Massey).

Will the gang find the hidden treasure before the city has the chance to turn the Marley's house into a holiday resort? Will a blossoming holiday romance between Austin and Everett turn out to be the greatest Christmastime treasure of all? Viewers will have to tune-in to find out tonight at 8/7c on Lifetime.

BroadwayWorld caught up with the pair to discuss filming the movie together, streotypes about gay couples in film, and more.

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It must have been so much fun to film this movie together. What was it like?

Taylor Frey: Obviously we see a lot of couples that get the opportunity to play opposite with each other, especially if they're a straight couple. There's just so many of those stories that are being made. So we feel really lucky that this is a gay storyline with two male leads and we got the opportunity to jump in these shoes and play opposite each other because we know that that's rare.

It's so exciting to see the LGBTQ+ representation, which is something that we don't normally get to see enough of in these holiday films. What was it like to bring that to a Lifetime Christmas movie?

Kyle Dean Massey: You know, it felt really normal for us. That's the thing. To us, it was just kind of like an extension of what our life is like, which is pretty normal. But then, I have to remind myself of what it was like as a young kid and having zero representation out there. So that's not lost on us either. The fact that this is gonna go out nationwide and show a love story with two men I know is a very powerful thing and it was proud to be a part of that.

Frey: Especially now with Candace Cameron Bure, saying the comment about Christmas basically being reserved for "traditional couples." It's an exciting time for people like us to throw a little spice in the mix and do this story.

I like that you say that it's normal. We've had so many movies where the big storyline is coming out, but it can just be a normal thing to have in a movie like this.

Massey: I think that's right on the nose. The whole idea that gay characters can be more than just coming out stories or some inner turmoil about their sexuality. It's so tired. It's not representative of what life is like for people who are part of this community.

So what else can audiences expect from the movie?

Frey: They can honestly expect a little bit of the real Taylor and a little bit of the real Kyle to be put into these roles. Everett is a little more straight-laced, by the book, super thoughtful. Austin is ambitious, a little looser tongue, excited about everything, wants to fall in love. So yeah, you'll get a little bit peek into the real relationship that we share and that has created magic in our real lives, on screen.

Massey: I mean, at the end of the day it's like a heartwarming, Lifetime Christmas movie, it's meant to just make you feel the Christmas feels. It's a story about friends kind of getting back together after many years apart and embracing Christmas traditions from the past.

Many holiday films are filmed earlier in the year so how did you stay festive on set and get into the holiday spirit?

Frey: Well, we filmed in March and so it still felt kind of winter-y. It was still cold. And we were living in a cabin up in Big Bear, California to shoot and the set is just completely decked out with Christmas. There was still some snow on the ground. So Ninth House and Jake, our director, Jake Helgren, he does a pretty good job at creating a cozy atmosphere. So it was, it was easy to get in and feel Christmas and I'm so obsessed with Christmas as it is, so to kind of get to Christmases last year was pretty fantastic.

Massey: We live in the desert, so it's kind of always summer where we are and just going up into the mountain to shoot this movie, even though we shot in March, there was snow on the ground. I mean it was definitely the end of the snow season but we got into the spirit for sure.

What do you hope that families and people watching the movie take away from it?

Frey: I hope they take away from it that we share so many more similarities than differences. That the cliche of what everybody says, "Love is love." It's cool that in this movie we get to honor someone that we love from our community who passes away and who, ultimately, brings us back together.

If anything, now that I'm a father and Rafa is one years old, I am seeing how quickly time goes and how fast this life really passes. Each day is truly such a gift and none of it is a guarantee that we're gonna get the next day. So I hope people take away from it that it's an important time to love one another, if I quote my Mormon upbringing. I think everyone in the world right now, with the madness going on, going into 2023, I think we could just use a lot more love in general.

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Watch the trailer for the new film here:

Courtesy of Lifetime