Jennifer Love Hewitt recently shared emotional details about her late mother, Patricia Mae, and how her passing influenced her upcoming projects. At a book event for Inheriting Magic and her Lifetime holiday movie The Holiday Junkie, the actress revealed that the press knew about her mother’s death before she did.
Patricia passed from cancer in 2012 while Hewitt was on a flight returning from the Monte Carlo TV Film Festival. Hewitt reflected on the strange feeling of everyone knowing such a personal event before she had learned of it herself.
Her new book and film, both releasing this December, are tributes to Patricia. The 9-1-1 actress shared how her mother used Christmas lights to lift spirits on bad days, an inspiration for The Holiday Junkie, which she directed and stars in. Hewitt also dedicated the film to departed loved ones, including those of her cast and crew, creating a collective memorial on set. She described the experience as “a journey for everyone,” highlighting how grief and joy intertwine during the holidays.
