A First for Lacey Chabert in her New Made-for-TV Movie

The Hallmark star helped come up with the story and really put her heart "into every facet."

Lacey Chabert and Tyler Hynes in a scene from the movie. Image: Hallmark Channel/Crown Media.

Sweet Carolina, which debuts tonight on the Hallmark Channel, is the 26th movie for Lacey Chabert on the Hallmark family of networks, making her one of their go-to lead actresses. But not only will she star in this one, for the first time ever she is also an executive producer and help create the story.

In the movie, Chabert plays a successful New York marketing executive forced to move back to her home town in North Carolina and become the guardian of her late sister's children. The 38-year-old Christian tells Access Hollywood she is truly looking forward to tonight's debut, having been involved since she and screenwriter Jonathan Prince first came up with the story two and a half years ago.

"It's really exciting to see something from a coffee date where we just had the story idea, creating this whole world, to seeing it now air on someone's TV. And I put my heart into every facet of this movie and every decision about the movie. It's like my little baby and you just feel very protective over it."

Adding that she's "thankful for the chance" to bring the project to fruition, Chabert also enjoyed playing the on-screen role, which is "a bit more dramatic" than her typical parts and involves grieving and tears, something that proved a challenge for her.

The movie also has plenty of comedic moments, though, so it's not depressing and the Mississippi native says she hopes "it brings some joy" to viewers. You can decide for yourself when Sweet Carolina premieres tonight at 9:00 PM EDT/8:00 PM CDT on the Hallmark Channel; it will also replay several more times over the next week. This link to the channel's website has the details and features a trailer.