Lovers of feel-good holiday movies are in for a real treat this season, courtesy legendary Gospel music artist BeBe Winans. A six-time Grammy Award winner, Winans also has acted, produced, and just in time for the holidays, he is now going to star in the new Lifetime move "We Three Kings,” which Winans also executive produced.
BeBe plays Lincoln, a retired musician turned record store owner, and proud father to the three King sisters, Lydia (Lisa Berry), Gracie (Faith Wright) and Abigail (Bethany Brown). For the first time since their mother’s death, the three estranged King sisters return home for the holidays. Lincoln hatches a plan with family friend, Genelle (Deborah Joy Winans) to bring his girls back together again this Christmas. Living under the same roof and hearing their father sing joyful Christmas melodies sparks old family memories. Holiday love songs and mistletoe are found around every corner, and the sisters end up finding love in the very town they tried so hard to leave behind. It isn't long before the sisters face the facts; life's better when they are together.
BeBe says this latest project came at the perfect time in his life, both mentally and spiritually, and he is excited to present it to the world.
BeBe: “I think it speaks to the reality of family. And sometimes people think when you're a family you don't have any drama. And that's totally crazy. There's drama in every family, whether you are Christian or not. The storyline is very familiar, where there are siblings that have grown apart. I have three daughters in the movie and that's why it’s called 'We Three Kings.' They have drifted apart because of their mother's passing. And so, I find a way, or God makes a way for them to come back together for the first time, and spend Christmas at the home that they were raised in. So, it's a wonderful story.”
Crystal: This being your first leading role as an actor, what was that experience like for you?
BeBe: “When I read the script, everybody fell in love with it. I just didn't see myself playing Lincoln, their father. But Lifetime had a different plan under their sleeves. <laugh>, I accepted the role, and I'm so glad I did. It's been a wonderful experience. I've been in a movie here and there, but this is my first leading role, and so it's like, oh, I gotta kind of carry this movie. It was a great experience, and I am excited for people to see it.”
Crystal: What is it that you like about acting that may have surprised you versus singing?
BeBe: “I think it's easier when you dismiss the fear and allow yourself to be confident in an arena that you haven't lived in. You must become confident and becoming confident is to first accept you belong here. I have been very comfortable in music, because I was raised in music. It's been a part of most of my life, so I learned to become comfortable in that space, and very confident in that space. That doesn't mean you don't make mistakes, that you don't have butterflies, but it does mean when I get to that position, that I become confident in the gift that God gave me. And I have perfected that gift. So, it's the same thing. I'm accepting that I belong in this arena. I've had friends who've been in this arena for a long time that told me I needed to be in this space. And I said, 'That’s crazy.' Surprisingly, I have surprised myself in the ability to retain the script and allow myself to deliver what's on the script, but also let it be at the same time me. And just allow me to do it without worrying if the director's going to like it or not. If he doesn't, we can take another take.”
Hear the complete conversation between Crystal Thornton and BeBe Winans below.
Crystal: With this new holiday movie, we would expect nothing less than new music performed by you as well.
BeBe: “There are two songs I am singing in the movie. One of the songs I wrote is called 'Wishing You a Merry Christmas,' which will be out very soon for this season. But also, a song that was on my first and only Christmas CD, which was entitled 'My Christmas Prayer,' in which I did a duet with Rob Thomas. But in the movie, I'm performing this song with my niece, so that became very special. So, my 'Christmas Prayer' and 'Wishing You a Merry Christmas,' are the two tracks that are in the movie and will be available on all downloads."
Crystal: What are the things that you look forward to as the holiday season approaches?
BeBe: “When it comes to the holidays for my family, the Winans family, it is a very exciting, restful time. We were raised in a household where we didn't have a Christmas tree. It wasn't about gifts to us. My father would say, 'It ain't your birthday. This is Jesus' birthday. We focus on his gift to us.' And so, as an adult, I'm just the same way. So, buying gifts and all those pressures, not here. <laugh> not in my family. We don't go broke on Christmas. It is truly about Jesus and about the gift that he gave us, and friends, and taking it easy, and really being grateful from Thanksgiving on. It's just a celebration of family, of Christ, of friends, and food, but not too much.”
Crystal: I know fitness is an important part of your lifestyle. You run at 4am. I got a little inside scoop that you run 8-miles a day. Is that right?
BeBe: Yes, eight plus. It's so important that we understand we only have one body. That's it. So, we should love and take care of ourselves. I learned that lesson at the ripe age of 33. And I've never stopped. And its therapeutic. Exercise and movement are therapeutic. I have found that when things happen, when I'm just overwhelmed, I get in those streets, and I run. I read something today, which I always knew, but it's always good to remind yourself, and that is, ‘in the time of trouble, just call,' and he'll be right there. So, I am excited about what God is doing.
Speaking of running, I must continue to tell myself, ‘Young man, you are an inventor now, too.’ God is the giver of ideas. While I was running, he dropped something in my heart. I now have a mirror running glove. It happened three years ago during a run. When I got home, I jumped into my car, and I went to buy fabrics. I bought articles and this and that and came home. My mom was in town, and I went over to my sister Angie's house, where my mother and I, like she taught us years ago, we're sowing together the idea that God had dropped into my heart, and now it is available on Amazon, a mirror glove. You can type it in girl. Just type in 'the mirror glove.'”
Crystal: So, its purpose is to check and see if someone's behind you?
BeBe: “Yes, because I run in the streets and some of the streets don’t have a sidewalk. I used to turn around to see if a car was coming, but by doing that, you could step into a pothole and twist your ankle. Now, I don't have to turn around. I can just lift the glove and look in it, and I can see if it's a car coming, a bike, or a bear <laugh>, and it is on the market now! I really do rejoice, and it's not just for those who run. My mom said, 'Baby, when I'm at the grocery store, I can just wear this so I can see if there's somebody walking behind me.' So, there's an element of safety in this product. I'm very excited. There's a lot that has been going on!”
Crystal: Including a new Album. When is your new album expected to come out?
BeBe: “Soon, the first single is doing very well on gospel radio, which is ‘Father In Heaven Right Now.’ The name of the album is, 'I Don't Want To Be Wrong Today.' I wrote this song years ago, because sometimes that's what you do if you're inspired, like I am as a writer, I can write something and then there's a piece missing and I'll just put it on the shelf until that comes back. And it did, and I finished the song. You don't know what tomorrow's gonna bring. So, don't worry about tomorrow, because God has what we need for tomorrow, and then we forget those things behind us. So, what I've done in the past, wrong, forget that. But today, I make up my mind every day on today, I'm gonna serve the Lord with all my heart, with all my soul, with all my mind, and with all my strength. So, in choosing that, I'm choosing not to do wrong. I don't want to be wrong today, <laugh>.
New music, and a new movie, “We Three Kings" can be seen November 30th on Lifetime.