Candace Cameron Bure is the undisputed “Queen of Christmas Movies” but at home, she calls “cut” on kissing scenes out of respect for her husband Val Bure.
“My husband and I watched ‘Home Sweet Christmas’ together last night,” Candace, 48, tells TODAY.com about her new movie airing on the Great American Family channel. “We sat on the couch, just the two of us, and watched the whole movie. Right at the end … I was like, ‘Oh, OK, it’s over!’ and I switched the channel right before the kiss.”
Candace, who also stars in the network’s “A Christmas Less Traveled” clicked off the movie because Val isn’t crazy about his wife kissing her co-stars — which she does in both films.
The Bures, who got married in 1996, share daughter Natasha, 26, and sons Lev, 24, and Maksim, 22.
It came to a point where he said, ‘I can handle it and I don’t want you to give up your entire career.’”
Candace Cameron Bure on how her husband made peace with her kissing scenes
Many years ago, Val told his wife that watching her romantic scenes made him uncomfortable, Candace recalled during a November episode of “The Candace Cameron Bure Podcast.”
“Val was like, “I don’t even really like watching you — regardless of a kiss at the end — I really don’t like watching you being close to someone else,” Candace said on the podcast. “I get that, so we’ve had those struggles and a lot of conversation and prayer.”
Candace said Val changed his mind after she decided to reject roles with kissing scenes.
“I think the reality of that took a spin and a turn for Val in his heart … but then it came to a point where he said, ‘I can handle it and I don’t want you to give up your entire career,’” Candace said in the episode.
The couple collectively agreed that Candace would not accept film roles that require anything “more than a kiss” — and they joke about it today.
“He is so proud and supportive,” Candace tells TODAY.com. “It’s just one of those things where we don’t have to watch the last three seconds of the movie.”
According to Candace, her fans turned on Val when a portion of that podcast conversation about her acting roles was recently posted on TikTok. It’s been deleted.
“I got so many messages from that and it was so disappointing too because people were talking poorly about my husband,” Candace tells TODAY.com. “I was like, ‘No, no … it was actually a really beautiful conversation and it’s a way to talk about marriage and how we worked through what both of us were feeling and came to a really good conclusion that now — another 10 years later — we’re both really happy with.”
Candace says as empty nesters and “teammates,” she and Val “keep getting closer” in ways she didn’t expect.
“A decision you make when the kids are gone is, ‘Are you going to relearn your spouse and be interested in the things that they’re interested in or try doing new things together?’” says Candace, adding, “We became best friends again.”
With her children pursuing their own goals Candace sometimes misses having a “Full House.”
“It’s sad when you have a hustling, bustling home and there are always voices and activity going on, to it being quiet,” says Candace. “It can feel sad and lonely.”
I love my daughter-in-law. She’s so wonderful. I don’t want to be pushy or put pressure on anyone. I just want to be here to encourage, support and love.”
Candace Cameron Bure on how she wants to be a ‘Mother-In-Love’
She adds, “While our house can be empty at times, our house is still very full because my adult children are here all the time — they choose to hang out with us and they like coming over for dinner or going out together.”
Candace now has another “kid” to call her mom: Her daughter-in-law Elliott, wife to Lev Bure.
“I strive to be a mother-in-love,” says Candace. “I very much want to be a complement to my children’s marriages. We always hear, ‘Ugh, the mother-in-law’ and we roll our eyes. Mothers-in-laws get a bad rap — and there’s a lot of bad mother-in-laws out there!”
Candace adds, “I love my daughter-in-law. She’s so wonderful. I don’t want to be pushy or put pressure on anyone. I just want to be here to encourage, support and love. And hopefully, if or when they have kids, to be a great, helpful grandmother.”
Candace wants her future grandchildren to call her “Candy Gram” — but the name isn’t approved yet.