Jana Kramer Says Her Role In ‘The Christmas Ring’ Helped Her See The Beauty In Healing [Exclusive]

Actress and country singer Jana Kramer is returning to the big screen with a starring role in Karen Kingsbury’s The Christmas Ring, which hits theaters on November 6.

Kramer, no stranger to acting with credits including One Tree Hill, Entourage, and Friday Night Lights, attended the film’s red carpet premiere Tuesday evening in Franklin, Tennessee. Accompanied by her husband, Allan Russell, and children, Jolie and Jace, she spoke with Country Now about taking on the role of Vanessa Mayfield in the film. 

“I love, obviously, Christmas movies. They’re so great, but Karen Kingsbury just adds a beautiful element to it,” Kramer said. “She’s an amazing author, and just the fact that it’s a timeless piece and I love how she intertwines her faith in there. It’s really beautiful.”

The Christmas Ring is based on the No. 1 New York Times bestseller by author and filmmaker Karen Kingsbury. In the film, Kramer portrays the role of Vanessa, a military widow who is on a quest to find her family’s long-lost heirloom ring, who crosses paths with a soulful antique dealer. Their connection quickly blossoms into a meaningful friendship that hints at something deeper…until unexpected news just before Christmas changes everything.

Kramer says she was able to relate to her character and hopes viewers will as well. 

“I think we have all dealt with loss in one way or another, and I think my character has a hard decision to say goodbye and to find hope and healing through that, and I think that’s a beautiful thing that we all get to experience in life,” she explained. 

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Kramer stars in the film alongside Kelsey Grammer, Debbie Winans, Benjamin Hollingsworth, and her good friend Jessie James Decker. 

That same night, Decker opened up about Kramer’s role in helping her land an audition for the film, which marks her feature film debut. 

“Well, I’ve always been interested in acting. It’s something I’ve never done before, and Jana is one of my best friends and she asked if I wanted to try out or an audition to play one of her best friends, and so I did it and I got the part and I loved every bit of it,” Decker revealed. 

Author and filmmaker Karen Kingsbury has sold over 25 million copies of her award-winning books, making her one of most successful authors in inspirational fiction. While many of her stories have already been adapted for film and television — including Like Dandelion Dust, The Bridge, The Baxters, and A Thousand Tomorrows — she took creative control in 2022 by launching Karen Kingsbury Productions. Working alongside her husband and several family members, Kingsbury produced the self-funded and financially successful Someone Like You. Her latest project, The Christmas Ring, follows in those same footsteps as another independently funded film.

Kingsbury hopes The Christmas Ring will became a fan-favorite for many years to come. 

“I’ve always loved the Christmas classic movies – While You Were Sleeping and Miracle on 34th Street, The Holiday and You’ve Got Mail.” Kingsbury said. “It’s time to give people an unforgettable Christmas love story in theaters. This is one they will want to watch every year.”

For showtimes and more, click HERE.