The Good Witch

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A Conversation With “The Good Witch” Star Catherine Bell

Catherine Bell, star of the Hallmark Original Movie “The Good Witch,” considers herself to be “a feet-on-the-ground hopeless romantic.”  To her way of thinking, it is absolutely possible to have it both ways.

Bell, formerly of the long-running military/courtroom drama “JAG” and now starring in the rookie cable hit “Army Wives,” explains:  “I’m a big believer in romance.  I’ve been with my husband for 15 years.  We’re best friends and I adore him more now than ever.  But I also know that, to make it an ongoing romance, you have to work at it constantly.  So I’m practical when it comes to matters of the heart.  I work hard at our relationship and it’s beautiful because of that work.”

Bell’s character in “The Good Witch,” Cassandra Nightingale, probably would approve.  After all, Cassie -- who seems to dabble in witchcraft, yet uses her abilities only for good -– knows a thing or two about adding a little magic to any relationship.  “Part of what attracts one person to another is purely chemical,” Bell notes.  “But love -- true love -- is something you create.”

What first attracted you to this movie and the role of Cassie?

“It’s funny, because most people don’t usually think of me as the romantic comedy type.  But that’s actually more my personality: kind of silly, a little goofy, definitely of a lighter spirit than most of the characters I play.  I love what I’m doing on ‘Army Wives.’  But I want to do it all, every kind of character, every genre.  I want to keep growing.  I think if you don’t improve in life, you tend to do worse, because things never really stay the same in nature.  They either get better or they get worse.  So I like to aim for better in career, better in life, better as a person, better in relationships, better in all things.  I’m always working on that and I believe that this fun, light, carefree movie is part of the equation.”

Are you a fan of this genre: the light, sexy romantic comedy with the deliriously happy ending?

“I am.  I love them.  One of my favorites is ‘Pretty Woman.’  It’s kind of an unusual one, but still it’s great and Julia Roberts is just so adorable.  I think when they’re done right and when it’s a good script like this is, they’re so much fun to watch.”

What are some of the things that you like most about Cassie, the woman who might or might not be an honest-to-goodness witch?

“I loved the character.  She’s fun, she’s playful, she’s got a love of life that I think is great and inspiring.  And I do think she has some magical abilities, which I believe everyone has.  We all have a lot more abilities -– that’s what I’ll call them, whether you call it magic or whatever -– than we’re aware of sometimes.  Sometimes you have an instinct about something and, if you follow it, it’s usually right.  Those are qualities we all have.  Just some of us are better at tapping into it than others.  I love that she is like that.  And that she’s able to make others look inside and find that in themselves.”

So what do you say? Is Cassie a witch or is she not?

“Oh, I think I’d rather leave that up to the viewer to decide.  And that’s one of the things I love about the script.  There’s this whole ‘is she or isn’t she?’ dynamic.  And just when you think there’s a rational explanation for everything, that broom of hers shows up again!”

You spoke of putting in extra work to keep the magic in a romance.  Any specific tips that you’d care to share?

“It doesn’t have to be anything elaborate.  Like, my husband and I will plan a romantic night and have my mother watch our daughter so we can go out.  You have to remember to do those things.  You have to remember to write the little love notes, the same way you did during the first few months of the relationship.  You have to remember to dress up a little more, put a little lipstick on when he’s coming home.  My mom actually taught me that.  Still, to this day, and she’s been married for years and years, she still makes sure she looks fresh when he’s coming home.  And I think that’s neat.”

Given that there’s a Halloween element to the story, what’s the best Halloween costume you wore or the best Halloween character you became?

“I haven’t done Halloween costumes as much lately as when I was a kid.  But now I have a daughter, so it’s really fun to get her dressed up.  Probably my favorite Halloween costume was Wonder Woman.  When ‘Wonder Woman’ was the hottest TV show around, I had the full get-up.  And that was a blast.”

What do you hope viewers will get out of the movie?  Do you simply want them to be entertained?  Or do you think they can get something more from it?

“It is very entertaining, but I think there’s a great message in it too, which is what we were saying about the character, that she inspires others to find the magic within themselves.  That’s what I like about it.  It’s a light message.  It’s nothing heavyhanded.  But it’s something that you can go, ‘Oh, cool, maybe I can do with some of that!’”

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