Inside Shenae Grimes' Terrifying Hallmark Experience
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Hallmark's Shenae Grimes is no stranger to interesting filming experiences. The actor got her big break on the "Beverly Hills, 90210" reboot, "90210," airing from 2008 to 2013. Grimes had multiple fender benders while starring on the show, proving her (or her car's, at least) resilience even before she became a major star.
Even as she transitioned to roles in Hallmark movies, the actor continued to face anxiety-inducing episodes on set. Interestingly, she had one particularly terrifying experience while shooting a holiday romance, the 2023 movie "Time for Her to Come Home for Christmas." The sixth movie in the popular Hallmark franchise, "Time for Me to Come Home," marked another first for Grimes, as the actor had to deliver a real-life musical performance in front of the cast and crew. Grimes took to her Instagram page to describe the nerve-wracking moment, writing: "For real, though, this scene was absolutely terrifying to film. Never have I ever really sung in front of people." Adding to the pressure, she had to perform "Time for Me to Come Home," a song by Blake Shelton, who also served as an executive producer on the Hallmark project.
Shenae Grimes was most nervous about Blake Shelton hearing her perform his song
In "Time for Her to Come Home for Christmas," Shenae Grimes portrays Carly, a music teacher who lends her expertise to a small-town church choir preparing for a Christmas Eve performance. What many may not realize is that Blake Shelton produced all six films in the Hallmark series, with the Easter Egg that connects all of them being the song Grimes had to perform in the particular scene she was nervous to do. In her Instagram post, Grimes admitted that Shelton hearing her sing "Time for Me to Come Home" was her biggest concern during filming, yet it turned out wonderfully.
Before the song in question became a cornerstone of the six Hallmark holiday movies, it inspired a book written by Shelton's mother, Dorothy Shackleford. In 2013, Shackleford penned "Time for Me to Come Home," a novel sparking the beginning of the beloved Hallmark franchise that continues to grow. "We had no idea it was going to end up turning into a book deal for my mom," Shelton said of the track during a conversation on the "From Apple Music With Love" podcast. He added, "It's amazing what they're able to do [at Hallmark], but it's been a cool experience to have that with my mom."
In retrospect, the scene was a full-circle moment for the actor
Despite it being nerve-wracking to perform in public for the first time and having the author of the title listen to her sing, Shenae Grimes' musical background set her up for success in "Time for Her to Come Home for Christmas." During an interview with the "Hallmarkies Podcast," Grimes shared that she had always had a passion for performing and music. "I was always that kid who loved to be front and center," the actor explained. She also revealed that she attended a musical theater program when she was just 12 years old, meaning that she likely already had the early experience of performing in front of peers.
While performing for your friends as a child definitely isn't the same as appearing in a Hallmark Channel movie, the musical theater program essentially pushed Grimes into the entertainment industry. Notably, after her final program recital at age 13, Grimes' agent approached her and offered her services. Looking back, Grimes' on-screen rendition of "Time for Me to Come Home" likely held personal significance for the star as a full-circle moment. When promoting the movie's release in December 2023, the actor penned a sweet note to her Hallmark family on Instagram, writing, "Thank you from the bottom of my heart for getting this mama back on the horse and always creating an environment on your projects that I truly enjoy and am so grateful to be a part of."