BET Plus Original Film Love After Holidays
- Jennifer Diaby
- 6 days ago
- 6 min read
BET+ Original Holiday Drama Film "Love After Holidays"
Film Description
Love After Holidays is a BET+ original holiday drama that follows Janeen, a once beloved talk show host whose life is unraveling as she battles alcohol addiction and deep personal wounds. After losing her faith, her career, and custody of her daughter, she is forced to confront the truth about her past and the pain she has tried to numb for years. On the road to recovery, Janeen must repair broken relationships, rediscover her purpose, and trust God again so she can truly heal and experience real love after the holidays. The film stars Jacinth Headlam, Jeremy Meeks, Malik Yoba, Trina, and Amia Brock, and is created by Antoine Allen and Jacinth Headlam, directed by Antoine Allen, and written by Jacinth Headlam and Maurice McCallum. (Paramount Press Express)
Jacinth Headlam as Janeen
Please introduce and tell the readers about yourself.
My name is Jacinth Headlam. I am an actress, filmmaker, author, and the founder of InnaStar Inc and Jacinth Media Productions. I was born in Jamaica, raised in Brooklyn, and now live in Pennsylvania, where I pour my heart into storytelling through books or filmmaking that helps heal, challenge, and inspire others.
Over the years I have worn many hats on and off screen, but at the core I am a storyteller and mentor. I use film, books, and live events to help people reconnect with their identity, their faith, and their voice. My nonprofit InnaStar is a “Home of the Creative” for youth and adults, and my production company partners with other visionaries to bring powerful stories like Love After Holidays to the world.
What inspired the concept or story behind this film Love After Holidays, and what made you want to bring it to life?
Love After Holidays was birthed out of my own “after” season. After heartbreak. After loss. After Setbacks. After feeling like life did not look at all like the vision I once had. I have seen up close how addiction, hidden pain, and unhealed trauma can quietly destroy families and futures, especially in communities that look like mine.
I wanted to tell a Christmas story that was honest and grounded because I had a love hate relationship with the holidays because of when I hit rock bottom and lost everything. Not just the pretty tree and matching pajamas, but the messy living room of life, where faith feels shaky and you are trying to rebuild from the ground up. Our main character Janeen is a successful talk show host whose battle with alcohol and her own inner demons costs her everything she loves. Watching her fight for her sobriety, her daughter, and her purpose is my love letter to everyone who has ever wondered if there is still life after their worst season. (Paramount Press Express)
Jacinth Headlam as Janeen-A Successful Talk Show Host
What was the most challenging part of producing this film, and how did you overcome it?
The most challenging part was holding a very big vision inside a very real independent film budget and schedule. We were telling a layered story about addiction, motherhood, faith, and redemption, while also coordinating a strong ensemble cast, multiple locations, and a holiday world that had to feel rich and lived in.
There were days when it felt like we did not have enough hours, enough resources, or enough energy. What carried us was faith, teamwork, and community. We had an incredible cast and crew who believed in the story and showed up with their full hearts and resilience. We also tapped into local talent and locations, especially in the Lehigh Valley area, which embraced the film and made the world feel authentic.
Prayer, planning, and flexibility became our superpowers. Every obstacle became a chance to lean on each other and get creative rather than give up.
What were some of the toughest decisions you had to make during production?
Some of the hardest decisions were around what to leave out. When you are dealing with addiction, family trauma, and spiritual awakening, there are so many powerful moments you want to show. We had to constantly ask, “Does this serve Janeen’s journey” and “Does this move the story forward” rather than just including scenes because they were emotional.
There were also tough calls about how raw to be. We wanted to honor the reality of alcohol addiction and the pain it causes without being gratuitous. Balancing truth and sensitivity, especially for viewers who may see themselves in Janeen or her daughter, required a lot of discernment, care, and conversation with our team.
How did you approach casting, and what made the chosen actors right for their roles?
Casting Love After Holidays was about more than talent, it was about spirit, alignment, and relationship. We knew we needed actors who could carry both the glamour and the brokenness of these characters.
Playing Janeen, I had to tap into my own vulnerability and lived experience, allowing myself to be stripped down emotionally. Jeremy Meeks brought a grounded strength and quiet intensity to Stephan that made their connection feel real and earned.
Jeremy Meeks as Stephan
Malik Yoba as Dr. Cunningham brought the steady, wise presence we needed as a therapist figure and anchor. Trina as Minerva and Amia Brock as Sky added heart, edge, and authenticity to the world of the film. (Paramount Press Express)
Each actor understood that we were not just making a holiday movie. We were telling a story about healing. Their willingness to go deep and surrender to that process is what made them perfect for these roles.
Malik Yoba as Dr. Cunningham
Can you talk about one moment on set that truly changed or shaped the film?
There is a scene where Janeen finally breaks down and admits the truth about her addiction and how much she has lost. On paper it was already powerful. On set, something spiritual happened.
As we filmed, the room got very quiet. The crew was still, the actors were locked in, and I felt God pulling up memories and emotions from my own life that I thought I had already moved past. I allowed myself to go there. When the scene ended, there were tears behind the camera as well.
That moment shaped the film because it reminded all of us that this project was ministry as much as it was entertainment. We were not just performing, we were releasing something for people who need to know they are not alone.
What will the viewers learn from watching your film Love After Holidays?
Viewers will see that addiction does not always look like the stereotype. It can live behind a flawless face, a successful career, and an Instagram perfect image. They will learn that shame thrives in silence, and that the real miracle often happens when we finally tell the truth.
The film also teaches that God does not waste pain. When we confront our past, make amends, and commit to healing, even our most broken chapters can become part of a testimony that sets others free. And for families watching, they will learn how important it is to see the person behind the behavior, not just their mistakes.
What do you hope audiences take away from this film after watching it?
I hope audiences walk away feeling seen and hopeful. I want them to know that it is never too late to start over, to ask for help, to go to therapy, to go back to God, or to rebuild a relationship that had seemed destroyed.
I hope those who are secretly struggling with addiction or depression feel less alone and more willing to reach out. I also hope loved ones of people battling addiction gain empathy and language for what that journey can look like.
Most of all, I want viewers to feel that even after the holidays, after the parties and pictures, there can still be “love after” if we are willing to do the work of healing.
Where can GWBN Magazine readers tune in to watch your film, Love After Holidays?
Love After Holidays is streaming exclusively on BET+. The film premieres on Thursday December 4, 2025. Readers can watch it directly on the BET+ app or website, and also through BET+ as an add on channel via Prime Video or through providers such as DirecTV Stream, depending on their subscription. (Paramount Press Express)
Do you have any upcoming films?
Yes. I have several projects in motion. I recently worked on a powerful drama titled Redeemed, filmed in Jamaica, which explores faith, forgiveness, and second chances. I am also developing a psychological drama film inspired by real events, that deals with fight for justice and the hidden trauma children carry.
Alongside the films, I continue to create stories through my youth filmmaking programs and to adapt some of my book projects for the screen. My heart is to keep building a body of work that entertains but also heals, challenges, and uplifts our communities.
Thank you so much Jacinth Headlam for your time to do the interview. I have really enjoyed learning more about your film "Love After Holidays." It is an honor and pleasure to feature your amazing film on GWBN Magazine blog.
Love After Holidays
Director: Antoine Allen
Writers: Jacinth Headlam and Maurice McCallum
Film Casts: Jacinth Headlam, Jeremy Meeks, Malik Yoba, Trina, Amia Brock
Watch Love After Holidays trailer here:
Interviewed By:
Jennifer Diaby is an International Bestselling Author, Founder/CEO/Editor In Chief/Publisher of Growth Women's Business Networks Magazine
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