There is an undeniable magic between Danica McKellar and Neal Bledsoe.

“Well, this is the third movie we've done together, so you really get to build that chemistry,” explains McKellar in an interview with Taste of Country about her new Great American Family movie Christmas at the Drive-In, in which she co-stars once again alongside Bledsoe. “We had a great time shooting this movie and we just have a great time working together.”

In fact, the two also worked together earlier in 2022 on the Great American Family movie The Winter Palace. This time around, McKellar not only stars in the movie, but she also serves as an executive producer.

“I loved being able to say to Neal, ‘Let's improv, let's try some things,’ during the course of the shoot,” says McKellar, who plays the role of Sadie Walker, a lawyer who returns to her hometown to become a law professor, but also ends up reconnecting with her childhood sweetheart. “And then, some of that stuff gets to go into the movie.”

Indeed, it’s those parts of the movie that came rather naturally that McKellar now says turned into the most endearing pieces of Christmas at the Drive-In for her.

“One of the beautiful things about acting is getting in touch with real feelings,” says McKellar, who delighted millions playing the role of Winnie Cooper in the much-loved sitcom The Wonder Years. “Being a part of this movie gave me a beautiful and wonderful opportunity to get to be in touch with feelings of joy and wonder. That's why we're doing these movies, you know? It's fun for us, but these movies are about so much more than just an escape. It gives people the chance to look at what they see us feeling and then hopefully, they feel it too.”

And in a world filled with far too much turmoil, McKellar believes that movies such as Christmas at the Drive-In can also infuse so much good into the world.

“I love making movies like this,” says McKellar, who also co-starred alongside Dolly Parton in the 2019 Hallmark movie Christmas at Dollywood. “I want to bring joy to people. It’s the best part of my job.”

When she is not working, McKellar is now spending much time at her new home, located just outside of Nashville.

“I've never been in a place with seasons,” she gushes. “I have lived in Southern California my whole life. So, watching the leaves change was just magical."

She pauses.

"I had so many people tell me that they thought I would never move out of Los Angeles. So yes, it's liberating to kind of feel like a real grownup. I feel like I decided where to live…and I just love it.”

Top 22 Country Songs of 2022, Ranked

There are plenty of feel-good country jams on this list of the top country songs of 2022, but the No. 1 song is one of the best love songs of the decade. These 22 songs are ranked by critical acclaim, radio and sales success, and importance to the genre.

Seven of the 22 artists made our Top Country Songs list from 2021 as well, but there are no repeats. If a song made a previous list or didn't spend most of its time on the charts in 2022, it's not eligible. So, before you ask where your favorite song is (i.e. Cody Johnson, "'Til You Can't), be sure the miss isn't just a technicality.

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