EXCLUSIVE: Jen Lilley Talks New Book, New Feature Film, Christmas Movies and More

Jen Lilley is the kind of versatile creative force who makes you wonder if there’s anything she can’t do. This chameleon not only does it all, she does it all well, extremely well.

The award-winning actress, singer, producer, podcast host, philanthropist, and now author, known for Days of Our Lives, General Hospital, the Academy Award–winning The Artist, her leading roles on Hallmark Channel and Great American Family, and so much more, recently spoke with Soap Opera News.

We took a trip down “holiday musical lane,”  learned about her new Holiday film, A Christmas Mystery, the upcoming feature, Jimmy, and her role in the film, her new book, Wake Up Your Faith, and so much more! We love chatting it up with Jen!

Jen Lilley Talks Career

SON: Hi Jen! Thank you so much for speaking with us. We miss you in daytime! You have a full career — a full life, really — tv shows, films, books, advocacy, husband, four kids. You are busy. If we can zone in on 2025, as it starts to wind down, how has this year been for you?

Jen: 2025 has been one of the odyssey years of my life, honestly. It’s been very fruitful, but it’s definitely been full of mountains and valleys. I keep describing it as a season of pruning in some areas and a season of cultivating more fruit in others. It’s been an adventure, that’s for sure.

Music

SON: Sounds like growth, which is always a plus! We want to hear all about your current and upcoming work. But please humor me first. I love music, and with the holidays around the corner, can we revisit “Baby, It’s Cold Outside,” your duet with Eric  Martsolf (Brady, Days of Our Lives)?

Jen: Absolutely! I love that you love music. I actually grew up leading worship for my church youth group in high school, so music has always been a big part of my life. I wanted to record “Baby, It’s Cold Outside” with Eric. We recorded that around 2014 with Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra’s actual musicians, drummer Gregg Field and bassist Chuck Berghofer.

Our duet was a big hit, so the next year we thought, ‘Why not do a whole Christmas album?’ We recorded Tinsel Time at Capitol Records, in the same booth and on the same mic Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra used, with many of the same musicians. If you can believe it, I had laryngitis while we were recording. I leaned in with a whispery, fun tone and went with what I had in that moment. And somehow, with all of that, Tinsel Time went to number one on Amazon’s jazz charts and actually outperformed Dean Martin, Louis Armstrong, Harry Connick Jr., and Frank Sinatra’s albums for a bit. It was wild and such a surreal and wonderful experience.

Fast forward to now. I would love to sing in a movie, and I still sing for charity—music is not my major focus at this time, but it is still in me.

Let’s Talk Christmas Movies

SON: Staying in the vein of the Holidays. Fans love your Christmas movies. Tell us about your new one, A Christmas Mystery.

Jen: Holiday movies are my favorite projects. I’m so grateful I get to be part of people’s Christmas traditions. That said, I want to lovingly warn my Christmas movie fans: A Christmas Mystery is not your typical Hallmark-style film. It’s clean and heartfelt, but it’s not Christmas in every single scene, and it’s definitely not a traditional formula.

I describe it as if The Grinch, Napoleon Dynamite, and the cleanest scenes of a soap opera had a Christmas movie baby. It’s quirky, offbeat, emotional—you’ll laugh, you’ll cry, and you’ll say “Wait, what?” at least once. For daytime fans, I’ll explain it like this: think Theresa from Days as a cop at Christmas.

JImmy

SON: Ha! Visual received! Sounds like one to watch! You’ve also got a huge project on the horizon, the feature film—Jimmy, about the Hollywood icon, Jimmy Stewart. What can you share about that?

Jen: It has been one of the biggest “mountain moments” of 2025 for me. I get to play Jimmy’s wife, Gloria Stewart, who was an incredible woman. It’s a huge honor. We all know Jimmy Stewart as this iconic, Academy Award–winning actor, but his life offscreen is incredibly human and relatable. He served in World War II, came back with severe PTSD, and was even accused of dodging the draft, which he didn’t.

Jimmy releases on November 6, 2026, and I truly believe this movie can unify audiences. You’d think a film about an Oscar-winning actor might feel distant, but I think most people will see themselves somewhere in his story.

There’s already some awards buzz, which is exciting. I was in The Artist before General Hospital, so this feels like a full-circle moment—with the possibility of being a part of another Academy Award–winning film. I’m thrilled.

Wake Up Your Faith

SON: Let’s talk about your new book, Wake Up Your Faith.  What inspired you to want to write this particular book?

Jen: I was actually asked to write this book—it wasn’t on my radar at all. I didn’t consider myself an author. I thought, “I’m not a writer. I’m kind of a hot mess. I speak in my own quirky way, like jazz. I word things awkwardly.” But I said yes, and now I look at my copy and it literally has tear stains on it. I really feel like I wrote it with the Lord. It’s more profound and smarter than I am on my own.

SON:  A person plus God is always the better and smarter collaboration. Why, that title?

Jen: The title is inspired by the book of James in the Bible. James talks about seeing someone who is cold and hungry and says, “Be filled and be warm,” without actually giving them food or clothing. Then he (James) says, “Faith without works is dead.” I truly believe that when you encounter God’s love for yourself, then you will naturally start loving people in tangible ways. So many people’s impression of Christians is religion without love. We have to do better and be better, all of us.

Jen Lilley Talks God’s Love

SON: Amen! I always say, that becoming a mom shifted and expanded my understanding of and my capacity to receive God’s love. Did motherhood do the same for you?

Jen: A hundred percent. I agree with you so much. When you become a mom, you get this tiny glimpse of the depth of love God has for us. It elevated my relationship with Him to new heights and depths. Motherhood constantly reveals where I need more of God. It refines you. It tests every part of you. But in doing that, it draws you closer to Him.

A Message for the Readers

SON:  What do you want readers to come away with?

Jen: My number one goal is for people to radically encounter love. And when I say love, I mean God Himself—because He describes Himself as love.  If anyone feels they are spiritually dry just going through the motions, trying to survive— I understand. I’ve been there too. Life is hard. Life throws curveballs. I want this book to be like Ezekiel’s vision, where dry bones get flesh and a soft, beating heart again.

If someone closes the book and knows in their bones, I am so seen. I am so known. I am so valued. I am so loved, then I’ve accomplished what I set out to do. I want readers to feel empowered, seen, known, loved, and energized to keep going—and then to go love others.

We don’t need more division. Biologically, humans are 99.9% the same, and yet we spend so much time fighting over the tiny fraction that makes us unique. There is room for everyone at the table. I truly believe the only way to heal all this division is love.

Thank you, Jen!

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