Fort Mcmurray fond of Mary Walsh
Fort Mcmurray International Film Festival honours Newfoundland actor/comedian/writer
As she has done for so many years, Mary Walsh refused to take no for an answer.
The Newfoundland born-andbred actor/comedian/writer just had to find the right time to resurrect a role she was famous for.
“Ed Mcdonald and I rewrote the script many times over the past 10 years,’’ Walsh said from her St. John’s home Thursday evening.
“We just never gave up. When they came calling looking for a Christmas special, it just so happened we had one in our back pocket,’’ she added.
She said she was really excited to win the award, one she didn’t even know she was up for.
Walsh called the “Hatching, Matching and Dispatching” characters the favourite role of her life and when she had a chance to remount the role of Mamie Lou Fury she jumped at the chance and produced “A Christmas Fury.”
In addition, the Fort Mcmurray International Film Festival honoured her with “Best Performance” for her portrayal of the family matriarch.
“They are such a great cast to work with. They are all such amazing actors and people,’’ she said.
Walsh has been touring nationwide her one-woman show titled “Dancing with Rage” in which she showcases 4
½-minute video of clips from “Hatching, Matching and Dispatching” which still resonates with audiences 10 years removed from the television series.
Walsh said ‘A Christmas Fury’ is very special for her as it took years to make happen.
“I loved reprising the role of Mamie Lou Fury, and bringing back the “Hatching, Matching and Dispatching” family to television. So many holiday films are over-the-top perfect,” she said.
“I wanted to create something that really resonated with the reality of how imperfect, dysfunctional, and magical Christmas can be. And I’m delighted that audiences loved it,” she added.
“A Christmas Fury” originally aired on CBC-TV in December 2017 and is back by popular demand just in time for the holiday season on CBC Nov. 25 at 8:30 p.m. NT. In addition, anyone who is in St. John’s on Dec. 11 at 8 p.m. is welcome to attend a special “meet the cast and director” screening of “A Christmas Fury” at the LSPU Hall, an event which will raise money for the St. John’s International Women’s Film Festival.
“A Christmas Fury” will be screening in Berlin at the Weih na ch ts film festival International Festival of Unconventional Christmas Film son Dec. 24. And if this festival is anything like the one in Fort Mcmurray, the cast will once again draw accolades and reviews that draw attention to the quality of work done by the cast, many of them from Newfoundland and Labrador.
“I don’t think you need to look too hard to realize that Newfoundlanders lift above our weight class in this country when it comes to performing,” she said.