Courtesy of TJ Maxx
Since wrapping starring roles in Pretty Little Liars and To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before, Janel Parrish has become something of a Christmas authority. She’s starred in a succession of holiday films for Hallmark (the newest of which, Christmas on Duty, is out now) that not only tap into our innermost homecoming fantasies but seem to be single-handedly saving rom coms.
Parrish caught up with us while prepping for the holidays (which, as a TJ Maxx partner, includes store hopping aboard a double-decker bus) to share her latest obsessions, including Galinda’s high notes and a sentimental Stranger Things connection.
“I'm a musical theater girly and Wicked is the Holy Grail of theater. I could talk to you about Wicked for hours. I’ve seen the film five times since it came out and I’ve cried five times. We all either want to be a Galinda or we want to be an Elphaba. I’ve had different eras of my life where I've wanted to be both. Right now I'm in my Galinda era. So whenever I am blasting the soundtrack, I'm trying to hit the notes that Ariana Grande is hitting. The music is so powerful, the story is so beautiful and the performances are incredible — it just brings me so much joy. And every time I rewatch it, I discover something new that I love about it. Jon Chu, as an AAPI filmmaker is paving the way for Asian American filmmakers. I just am so in awe of him, and would love to work with him one day.”
“My musical taste is kind of all over the place. I listen to a lot of musical theater, but I also love a pop moment, so I'm listening to all the pop divas. I just love anything with a good beat. I’ve been singing this song at the top of my lungs while touring TJ Maxx. I think Sabrina is so smart, so witty, and her voice is beautiful. Her lyrics are funny, but also have such emotionality tied to them. She's so fun, and I feel like she's so authentically herself, and I really, really love that, and think that’s such an important message to send.”
“I went to see this musical and found the music to be like poetry, with the most beautiful lyrics you've ever heard. The orchestration of the music is just so powerful and stunning. It’s a singer's dream to sing, and the way that it's staged is just so moving. I would love to be a part of it one day — it’s a dream piece for me.”
My 21st Century Blues by Raye
“Her voice is so powerful and her songwriting is so raw and honest, it's like reading her diary. I feel like she's so vulnerable, and she just lets the audience in so you get to go on an emotional journey with her. You can rock out to this album if you're feeling sassy. You could also cry to her song, “Ice Cream Man.” It's such a beautiful ballad about what it means to be a strong woman — and I love that.”
“This is such a fun show. I was part of the To All The Boys I've Loved Before movies on Netflix, but the spin-off features my on-screen little sister, Anna Cathcart, and I'm just so proud of her, she's such an amazing lead. This show still very much gives a To All The Boys I've Loved Before feeling. I got to go do a cameo in season two in Korea, which was so much fun. But I also am genuinely such a fan. I have to keep watching to find out what's going on and who's dating who. It's just joyful.”
“Oh, I have to mention Stranger Things. I had just started dating my husband when the show first came out and it's a big part of our love story. I think we were on our third date, and I was like, ‘have you watched Stranger Things yet?’ He hadn't and I got to show him season one. We remember those early dating years, snuggling up on the couch and watching Stranger Things together. Recently, I've been away filming in Canada, and my husband has been waiting for me to come home to watch the newest season together. We will be binge watching that immediately when I get home tonight, I love that!”
What else is Janel Parrish into? Get real-time updates at shelf.im/janelparrish.
