Picture this: a household of 11 kids bouncing off the walls during the holidays. Well, in Nickelodeons’ latest original movie, A Loud House Christmas, there is a super mom named Rita Loud (Muretta Moss) that keeps all her children in check while also maintaining the holiday spirit.
Alongside director Jonathan Judge and writer Liz Maccie – Moss was one of many who helped bring the Emmy award-winning The Loud House cartoon to life. The way that Moss tackled her role as Rita Loud elevated the action-packed picture and turned it into a holiday must-watch.
“I’m playing a cartoon character that is really loved and has a great fan base,” shared the talented actress with Celeb Secrets. “So, I wanted to do her justice. When I talked to the director before we started filming, he’s like, ‘you’re not a cartoon… .you’re a real person.’ So, I think that grounded me, knowing that I wasn’t trying to be the cartoon character. I was just trying to be the real-life version,” she adds.
Just in time for the holiday season, the festive film premiered on both Nickelodeon and Paramount+ on Friday, November 26. Throughout the film, movie-goers witness the Loud family adapt to change, as their Christmas plans suddenly alter after Rita’s oldest daughter (Lori Loud) shares with her parents and siblings that she won’t be traveling home from college for the holidays. Her decision had a domino effect, as her sisters Luna (Sophia Woodward) and Luan (Catherine Bradley) backed out of their holiday plans.
Once the three daughters decided to go their own way, the Loud household quickly got twisted upside down, leaving Lincoln Loud (Wolfgang Schaeffer) to call up his best friend Clyde (Jahzir Bruno) to help save Christmas and their long-lasting traditions.
Following a handful of chaotic scenes that displays Lincoln doing whatever it takes to get his family back together again – Rita and her husband (Brian Stepanek) teach their son and the rest of the Loud family a valuable lesson about change and the true meaning of Christmas.
Celeb Secrets sat down (virtually) with Muretta Moss to learn more about her role as Rita Loud in the family-friendly Nickelodeon film. Read the full Q&A below, and don’t forget to let us know what you think of the movie by either leaving a reaction at the bottom of the post or by sending us a tweet at @Celebsecrets.
You can keep up with Muretta Moss by giving her a follow on
Instagram + Twitter + Facebook
Celeb Secrets: This is based on The Loud House cartoon, which is also an Emmy Award-winning animated series – So, what was it like to play a real-life version of Rita Loud?
Muretta Moss: “She’s the mom of 11 kids, she’s got a great husband, and they’re really family-oriented. It’s based on the award-winning The Loud House cartoon. In the cartoon, the parents didn’t come on until maybe the third season… it might have been the second, but she became a whole person in the cartoon. I like her because she’s got 11 kids, but she still has a good sense of humor. She lets all these kids be who they are, which is my favorite part.
It was really fun to play the real-life version of Rita Loud. I’m playing a cartoon character that is really loved and has a great fan base. So, I wanted to do her justice. When I talked to the director before we started filming, he’s like, ‘you’re not a cartoon… .you’re a real person.’ So, I think that grounded me, knowing that I wasn’t trying to be the cartoon character – I was just trying to be the real-life version. The hair, makeup, the costumes, and just the general casting made it so easy for all of us to transform into these characters. Just hats off to all of them because I was able to just look like her from head to toe.”
Celeb Secrets: Did you reach out to Jill Talley, who is the voice-over character in the cartoon series while preparing for the role?
Muretta Moss: “I Instagram messaged her, but I didn’t hear back. I just messaged her, saying, ‘hey, I just want to do you justice. You’re so talented. You took this character and made her full, and I hope that I can just honor you.’ That’s what I really wanted to do because the cartoon is still going strong, and she is doing it. So, it was really fun, and I was honored to play a character that she’s voices cuz she’s so talented.”
CS: Could you walk me through the production process? What was it like to film on set?
Muretta Moss: “Filming in May was really fun because it was in May and June. It was so fun filming in the spring and summertime, and I just had this Christmas cheer. It was just a good time, and it was really fun. Even outside of the mall, which was in Atlanta – was a huge Christmas tree and presents. So, that was always really fun to drive up to. It was so big what we were creating, and as far as the turnaround – they immediately started working on it.”
CS: Do you believe this role elevated your career?
MM: “Being cast in a Nickelodeon film definitely has elevated me. I have always played a mom, I have been doing this for a really long time, but we are all leads here. We were an ensemble cast, but we were all main characters. So, a lot of times, I get to play supporting characters in full-budget films.
I do a lot of indie work and it was just really great, mainly because there’s a fan base. It is just very lovely to have the support, to see people liking the movie. Everyone just wants to level up and create work that they love and enjoy. I just hope that this opens more doors.”
CS: What was it like to work with Brian Stepanek?
MM: “Brian is a really talented director and actor as well. So, he did just a great job. He has worked on so many kid shows and just managing 11 kids. His voice was definitely needed as the dad in the film and also when the cameras weren’t rolling. I think one of the biggest compliments he made was on the first week of shooting. He was like, ‘you sound just like her,’ and I was like, ‘WOW, thank you so much.’ He is so talented and just so funny, especially in physical humor. It was just great watching him and seeing where he went.”
CS: You take part in pretty chaotic scenes. What was your favorite to film and why?
MM: “When Lisa, played by Lexi Janicek, knocks on the car door and says ‘we need to go and follow the sharkodile.’ Also, we were running into the mall in one scene, and it was just chaotic because all these kids have times they have school. So, there are specific times they have to be wrapped up on set. Sometimes we only have one take on a massive scene with everyone there – you always have to be on and just prepared.
I’m just in awe still, the cast is so talented, and they are so smart. These girls are just so good. I can hold my own, but I was like, ‘okay, I can learn some things from you girls.’ Both Charlotte Tucker and Lainey Knowles, who play the Lilies, were the most professional. They advocated for their needs if they needed a juice box, and they were just always ready to go. I’m so excited to see where they go, and I hope that I always get to play their mom. I’m so honored that they think I can be their mom.”
It's time to rock the halls with our favorite fam! ❤️🎸🎶🎄 Celebrate the season with A Loud House Christmas, now streaming on Paramount+! pic.twitter.com/mueNwkdE63
— Paramount+ (@paramountplus) December 24, 2021
CS: What do you hope movie-goers get out of the action-packed film?
MM: “I hope fans feel like they are back in the Loud House and at home. I hope that people who might feel a little on the outside of their families feel at home and like they can turn on the Loud House and feel like that family togetherness, feel good like they have a place. I would say you have a place in the Loud House because we are for everyone, and we love everyone.
Even during Christmas time, we hope that everyone can just crawl up on the couch and enjoy it, and I hope they visit it year after year. It also talks about the change in growing up, and you can’t fight it.”
CS: It’s no secret that Lincoln was doing everything in his power to keep some special Christmas traditions throughout the movie. So, do you have any holiday traditions you do with your family?
MM: “So, I’m not a huge traditionalist. Of course, you have to have the lights, our street is really tight, and they want those Christmas lights.
One of the things that I personally love is my Christmas tree! There’s a skirt underneath the Christmas tree, that you’re supposed to have and my cat does zoomies through the skirt. I’ll wake up in the morning and the Christmas skirt will be in the kitchen. I’m like, ‘I love this! You had the best time.’ I don’t care if there are pine needles everywhere.”
CS: Could movie-goers expect a sequel?
MM: “The family of Loud’s and Clyde, because he is part of the family…we all want it because we want to create this magic again. So, I really hope so!”
CS: Since we are Celeb Secrets – Are there any behind-the-scene moments that would surprise us fans about The Loud House?
MM: “I’m obsessed with these kids! When we’re doing press junkets or something, I just want to be on with them or be on a text chain with them. Instead, I text their moms! That’s probably the biggest secret…of how obsessed I am with them. They are all so awesome!”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1F53mDXlyyc
