OWN is back with its annual holiday program. And leading the charge in his second holiday film on the network is Etienne Maurice in the debut holiday film of the season with Fake Yourself a Merry Little Christmas, which is centered on a darling plot reminiscent of the classic rom-com, While You Were Sleeping. The new film kicks off the season, premiering on Nov. 29.
The film stars Kiki Layne as Maya, who pretends an unconscious stranger is her boyfriend, and she gets entangled with his family’s Christmas plans while developing feelings for his doctor, who happens to be her ex, Daniel, played by Maurice.
Blavity’s Shadow and Act spoke with Maurice about his budding career as an actor, and how he’s balancing it all with his nonprofit, WalkGoodLA, which he formed during the Black Lives Matter movement, which turned into a safe space for the community to heal in hard times. He also dished on what new holiday traditions he has started with his wife and family.
This movie’s plot is something that we have seen a play on, this idea with holiday films, where someone fakes being in a relationship to avoid criticism of some sort about being single during the holidays. Why do you think that this theme registers so much and continues to be recreated?
Because we’ve all been placed in real awkward and uncomfortable positions, and how we respond to those uncomfortable and awkward experiences, you might tell a little white lie. In Maya’s case, played by the wonderful Kiki Layne, she kind of takes it too far, and it ends up with her bumping into her ex-boyfriend, who is the doctor to my patient.
I play Dr. Daniel, and my patient is the boyfriend of Maya. And so, you can only imagine how much more awkward it gets throughout the film. But I think people resonate with that because we’ve all told a little white lie. Maybe not so far to the extent of Maya’s case, but I think it’s gonna — it’s a lot of fun. The movie is exciting, it has a lot of heart, but also has a message to it. There are second chances, and you are worthy of those second chances, but tell the truth.
Yes, tell the truth, shame the devil. Telling the truth gets you way farther. In what way do you feel like you can relate to your character, Daniel?
Just by being a workaholic. If you know me and the work that I do, whether being an actor or an entrepreneur with my nonprofit WalkGoodLA, I have my hand in so many different things, and sometimes when you focus so much on the work, you kind of miss out on the things that really matter.
I just got married this last year to my beautiful wife, Stephanie Maurice. And it’s interesting. Pnce I got married, I realized, “Oh, I have to prioritize just a little bit differently.” I wouldn’t even call it a work-life balance but a work-life marriage. And in the film, Daniel has a really difficult time being able to find that balance with the people he loves and his work, which he loves passionately. But I think for me personally, it’s something that I work on every single day. But I’m more aware of those areas that I could work on.
This film is on OWN, which means it’ll probably run annually and always be available on streaming. So talk to me about the tradition that holiday movies allow for, in terms of them lasting generations, and what that means to you, and how do you feel about having a project on OWN?
I feel amazing having not just one, but two projects on the Oprah Winfrey Network. Last year, we had Mistletoe and Matrimony, where I played a photographer, and in this one I play a doctor. So I just think it goes to show you the different types of life that OWN is showcasing through these holiday films, and the fact that people can go on HBO Max at any given time and watch me in a Christmas movie — I’m thrilled. Actors work so long to get to that point in their career, and I’m so grateful that OWN has given me the opportunity to showcase myself as an actor, as a leading man.
One of my favorite films growing up — one of my favorite Christmas films growing up — is The Preacher’s Wife. Seeing Courtney B. Vance and Denzel Washington and Whitney Houston — they were my inspiration and still are my inspiration. So the fact that now, as I’m building my own career as an actor, I’m just glad that I have two Christmas movies under my belt that I’m very, very, very proud of.
Well, as you should be. Now, let’s get into some family and holiday stuff. In terms of your family dynamic, you’re really creating this whole entertainment dynasty over there. We know who your mother is: iconic Emmy Award–winning actress (Sheryl Lee Ralph). Your sister is a model and a creative. And you’re a filmmaker, activist, and you’re also carving out your own lane in this acting world. What advice do you feel as if you have gotten from your mother and her peers in terms of sustaining a career in Hollywood?
Be kind to as many people as you can for as long as you can. Because the same butt you kick today is gonna be the same one you might have to kiss tomorrow. I think that has always stuck with me. Ever since I was a child, my mom has told me that. And I really pride myself on being kind, being honest, being genuine with anybody who I cross paths with. I always shake people’s hands, give people hugs, and smile, because first of all, I love people — I am very passionate about people. I wouldn’t be doing the work that I’m doing if I didn’t care about people. I’m also very passionate about community.
A funny story — I haven’t spoken about this with anyone — about how I even got cast in this film. Three years ago, we started FilmGood. It’s our film and wellness festival with WalkGoodLA, my nonprofit, and we highlight underrepresented filmmakers, and we host wellness activations for artists and creators to take care of themselves during the process of creation. And our first one, we honored and presented and showcased Kelly Fyffe Marshall, who is the director of Fake Yourself a Merry Little Christmas. And Kelly has been a dear friend of mine ever since then, and when she got the opportunity to direct this film, she had me in mind for the role of Daniel. And that wouldn’t have happened if I didn’t give her the opportunity to showcase her work in our film festival. She’s a talented director, and I saw her talent, and we were able to introduce her to a new audience here in Los Angeles with my organization.
So me being a part of this film was definitely full circle. But it was also an example of what it means to showcase those who are deserving of showcasing their work. It’s an example of being kind and being genuine and building and fostering relationships with other creatives, because that’s how I ended up in this position in the first place.
Do you feel any pressure with the family that you do come from to always make sure that you’re killing it out here in the game?
I don’t feel no pressure. As long as I am having fun and I’m enjoying what I’m doing, that’s all that matters. I think too many of us get caught up in the pressures of life instead of just living life. I’ve stopped thinking, which is something that I would do often — I would think and overthink, which didn’t allow me to really process and feel my emotions — and right now I feel happy, I feel excited.
And my mom and my sister, my whole family — they encourage me to find joy in the process, because there’s no use in being depressed and wallowing in pain and suffering. You can acknowledge the pain and suffering, but also acknowledge that there’s a light at the end of the tunnel. Life is meant to be lived, and you should do that with your family.
Now, speaking of family and circling back to Christmas and family, what are some of your favorite holiday traditions growing up? And I know that you guys have Jamaican roots, so talk to us a little bit about those two cultures mixing and mingling during the holidays and all that good food that I know you’re eating.
I love that you brought that up, because actually, Daniel is of Jamaican descent in Fake Yourself a Merry Little Christmas. There’s a little nugget that you’ll see in the film. And I’ll give you a hint — it’s during my shirtless scene. It’s my first shirtless scene, so I’m very excited that a brother gets to show off his muscles that he’s been working on for so long.
But there’s a Christmas tradition that we used to have growing up, and that was going to Jamaica and spending time with my grandmother, and I really do miss those days. Jamaicans take Christmas very seriously — so much that we don’t even just celebrate Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, we also celebrate Boxing Day, which is the day after Christmas, so it’s an extra special holiday. And in terms of Christmas traditions, it’s really the food. I love me some oxtail, some rice and peas, and some callaloo. I really miss my grandmother when she used to make it for me, so now I use her recipe. She used to make the best lemonade, so now I have to take that recipe too.
Outside of that, we didn’t have any other traditions. We never did a Secret Santa, we never stuffed stockings, but my wife’s family — they do those traditions, so I’m glad that I have a new family to celebrate new Christmas traditions with.
Now, speaking of new traditions, you are newly married. What holiday traditions have you implemented with your wife?
The new tradition for us is the stuffing of the stockings. I don’t even know how to explain it.
You put stocking stuffers, which is typically something that is a meaningful trinket that you put into a stocking for your loved one.
Those are new traditions that I’m still getting accustomed to. Also, putting little Christmas ornaments on the tree. And this year, I want to get an actual tree. My wife loves the fake tree that smells like a real tree; I want to get the real deal and make that part of our holiday traditions. I’m a novice to many of the holiday traditions, but I am happily building them and new memories as I get older and settled.
You’ve also done a great job at merging art and activism. Talk to us about the importance of the intersectionality between art and activism, as nowadays, there’s a handful of artists who do that, but many celebrities or public figures do kind of steer away from activism because of fear of how it can impact their career.
I think for anybody that is an artist, that is creative, I would encourage them to make service a part of your pillar — part of the reason why you build a business or show up for community. At the end of the day, people need people. And when I started my nonprofit, I was gonna give up acting. I was just all in the nonprofit space. But I think God really showed me that I had way more to offer than just building the community. I had to show my talent as a creative, as an actor. God was reminding me not to give up on my dreams.
And so, I feel like really, the Oprah Winfrey Network reminded me that I had much more to offer this world as an actor. I say that all to say that, you know, it’s easy to focus on one thing and then move on to the next, but if you’re able to really pay attention to those signs, you’re always gonna get brought back to where you always wanted to be, and I know I’m exactly where I’m at because I’m dedicated to community service.
When I was younger, I used to think community service was such a bore, and you had to do it just to get into college or just to get some extra credit. As I have aged, community service became one of my core experiences in building the life that I’ve always wanted. I think activism and creation go hand in hand because you are offering a service — whether it’s a yoga class, whether it’s a TV show — you’re offering experiences to people to feel better about themselves, but most importantly to make an impact. And that’s what I want to do through my work as an organizer with WalkGoodLA and as an actor with Fake Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.