Meghan McCain Shares Why Producing a Movie Was the Best Thing for Her After 'The View' (Exclusive)

ET spoke with McCain about producing the movie, 'Don't Sweat the Small Stuff.'

Meghan McCain knew producing a movie was the best thing for her after leaving The View.

McCain left the daytime talk show in August, taking a job as a columnist for DailyMail.com. She executive produced Don't Sweat the Small Stuff, a Lifetime movie starring Heather Locklear.

The film tells the real-life story of Kristine Carlson, a woman whose husband dies and must navigate the hardships of being a single mother while also dealing with the pressure of becoming the new face and voice of the Don't Sweat the Small Stuff brand.

"I’d always been a fan of the book, Don't Sweat the Small Stuff," McCain told ET's Lauren Zima. "It has always resonated with me. My mom read it when I was younger and I remember seeing the book, which has kind of an iconic cover now, on a nightstand. I rediscovered it after my dad died. And when I found out that there was a possibility that it was going to be turned into a movie, I thought A, incredible. I’m going to watch it no matter what because I’m such a fan. And B, it's something I would really love to be a part of."

The project, she said, came to her when she was still on The View. "But it has been serendipitous that this is my first project out of the gate because - I love politics and I will always do things in politics - but I also one of my goals right now is to start creating content or being a part of content and projects where anybody, it doesn't matter your political affiliation can consume it," she explained.

"It's been amazing to be able to be a part of something that I think can actually bring a lot of healing to a lot of people," she added.

McCain rediscovered the book after the death of her father, Senator John McCain. After Googling books on grief and healing, Don't Sweat the Small Stuff was one of the first that popped up.

"Kristine's story in particular is one that, for me, I found very hopeful," she noted. "And I think sometimes when you're in the depths and spirals of deep grief it feels like you're going to drown and you're not going to come out of it. I think her story is very inspiring for those of us who still struggle with grief, but are coming out the other side."

Don't Sweat the Small Stuff is Locklear's first role in four years. McCain shared that she has been a fan of Locklear's for many years and knew she'd be the perfect fit.

"She's taken a break from acting and she's gone through struggles of her own. I thought that her rawness and openness with her struggles would be something that would be great for the movie," McCain expressed about Locklear. "She kinda looks like Kristine, so I thought that was great too."

Don't Sweat the Small Stuff premieres Oct. 16 on Lifetime.

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