Caprice Bourret on breaking stereotypes, embracing the festivities and her new feel-good Christmas film
She started her career on the catwalk, but now Caprice Bourret is the queen of Christmas movies. Famous for her lingerie brand and her business empire, Caprice always dreamed of breaking into movies. But when casting directors failed to see past her modelling career, unstoppable Caprice decided to take matters into her own hands and start producing her own films.
“The whole point of me doing this initially was because people would stereotype me and say, ‘She’s a model, she can’t act,’” says Caprice, 54. “That’s OK, I’m not going to play the victim here. I’m so blessed with the career that I have and I’m so grateful. But you know what, sod it! I’ll do it myself. So that’s how it all came about to begin with. I love this whole world of acting.”
Caprice’s new movie is called A Scottish Christmas Secret and airs this festive season on 5. Caprice plays a workaholic publisher called Tiffany who falls for one of her authors, while her close pal Patsy Kensit plays her sister Sophie. “Pats and I had such a giggle,” says Caprice. “She was brilliant. In the film we are sisters and we’re also business partners. She’s the face behind the product and my character does the workload, but they have such an amazing relationship. Patsy is such a great actress.”
Christmas movies are the perfect vehicle for Caprice as she’s obsessed with the festive season and is a lifelong romance fan.
“It looks like a winter wonderland at my house,” grins Caprice. “There is cottony fake snow everywhere. There must be seven Christmas trees all over the place. And I start with Christmas at the end of October. I love it.”
Working on Christmas movies also feeds Caprice’s soul. “What I love about what I’m doing now is that there’s such a feel-good, lighthearted vibe,” says Caprice. “Some of the TV shows that I’ve done in the past, it’s like after you watch them you just have to take a shower. You feel a bit toxic, but this just makes you feel good.”
When Caprice works on her movies, she’s involved in every element, from the script to the styling and the production. And she’s not afraid of hard work.
“I’m a grafter,” says Caprice, who is mum to 12-year-old sons Jett and Jax. “I never had anything on a silver platter, I really had to work hard at it. These days, the kids are losing that work ethic. They want things handed to them. So I have the advantage there because my work ethic is out of this world. Whenever I start a production, I live it, I dream it, I am at it 24/7. I work very, very hard. The harder you work, the luckier you get.”
While the work is a reward in itself, Caprice isn’t ashamed to admit she likes money and what it can buy her.
The film she made last year – A European Christmas – sold to 25 countries and was watched by over 20 million people. “I’m very grateful because it’s such a tough space, even though there’s a lot of demand, but there’s a lot of competition as well,” says Caprice. “I’m really grateful for the response that we had and for the sales that we had. Basically, I love making money. It gives me my independence and it does make me happy.”
Caprice wants to provide a luxurious lifestyle for her children – but also for them to understand the value of hard work. “When I was 17, my mom said, ‘OK, Go get ’em! You’re a smart girl. You can do it.’ I know what it’s like to be living on bagels and cream cheese. And I know what it’s like owning a few houses and being able to not only have a good lifestyle and a good lifestyle for my kids, but also to give back.”
Charity is important at Christmas and Caprice believes in supporting others. She suffered with a benign brain tumour called a meningioma in 2017 and is now a big supporter of Brain Tumour Research. She also backs women’s and children’s charities.
“I believe in God and I’m very religious,” says Caprice. “God has blessed me with this for a reason. Lots of celebrities in my position, they’ll jump on board with the charity, but I actually give my hard-earned money to a lot of the charities that I believe in.”
Caprice hopes her children find her work ethic inspiring. “I want to buy them everything, but I don’t,” says Caprice. “If they want to buy something then they better work harder at their chores. It’s important as well for my kids to see a grafter. And it’s import for them to see the passion that I have for it. The biggest way you inspire them is by who you are.”
Having said that, Caprice is pleased that her twins aren’t leaning towards showbiz. A few days on the set put paid to their acting ambitions.
Caprice, who is married to financier Ty Comfort, reveals how she initially allowed her children to take part in her films. “They’ve even starred in some of my movies,” says Caprice. “They wanted to be actors. And my husband said, ‘Are you crazy?’ and I said, ‘Sweetheart, trust me, there’s a method behind my madness.’”
Caprice’s hunch paid off, after a taste of showbiz, Jett and Jax decided that it wasn’t for them. “They said, ‘Mommy, we can’t stand this!’ And I said to my husband, ‘I told you so.’”
Source: Mirror
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