Tammy Gillis is one of those actresses that you never tire of seeing on your screen, and she is particularly versatile in that you might see her in a variety of things without realizing that it is her. I was thrilled to discover that she is appearing in the next Murder, She Baked installment (that will air on Sunday, March 26th), and I am delighted that she made some time for us to “chat” again about what has occupied her time since the last time we spoke.
Photo Credit: Simon Photo
RH: You have been incredibly busy since we last spoke! Wow! I remember you were filming Thirty-Seventeen. What can you tell us about your role in that film? Any updates on when we might be able to see that film?
TG: Thank you! It’s been a really great year! Last I heard, they were locking the final edit of the movie. No word yet on a screening date. The film follows tech billionaire Adam Vine as he attends his twentieth high school reunion. Convinced that he and his classmates have unfinished business that dates back to 1997, he uses his immense cash flow to buy the impossible: a brief return to high school for all of them. I play Claire in the film, one of the popular girls in high school who wants to relive her youth by getting wild at the reunion party. She is a bit of a mean girl, so that was a lot of fun.
Your current film focus has been Menorca. What can you tell us about your involvement in that film, and why it is so special? I know it has made the film festival rounds and won many awards, but the last I heard, it wasn’t available in the U.S. yet. Any updates on when it might be?
I play the lead role of Claire, a hedonistic soccer mom that embarks on a strange journey of self-discovery and seeks to reconnect with her estranged son by returning his pet rock back to the island of Menorca, Spain. It’s a weirdly dark drama that we shot on location in Manitoba and Menorca, Spain. I think it’s a special film because it tells a brave story about a very unhappy woman who is a mother and a wife and isn’t good at either. I believe that more stories like this should be told so women know that there are other women that have felt like this. They don’t have to the be the “perfect mom” or the “perfect wife” and being messed up sometimes is okay. I’m not saying women should go down Claire’s path, but being able to talk about how they are feeling without being ashamed is really important. It was a really challenging role for me as I wanted to make sure the audience understood how miserable Claire really was and that she needed to do anything to feel alive. The film has played in select AMC theatres in the US already, but I’ve heard rumours that it will probably hit video-on-demand at some point in the future.
You will also be appearing in the upcoming series The Arrangement. What can you tell us about your role in that production? There has been a lot of buzz about the show so, in your opinion, why do you think this show is expected to do well and become so popular amongst the viewers?
I play an actress on the show who follows fellow actress Megan (Christine Evangelista), who is desperate for that really big break. Megan lands the role of a lifetime, quickly winning the affections of her A-list co-star-to-be, the fabulously successful and wealthy Kyle West (Josh Henderson). However, her world is rocked when she is presented with a life-changing “arrangement”, for which she will be compensated lavishly.
I think it has a really tremendous cast and production team involved. And people love a show about inside the entertainment industry, seeing “behind the scenes”. It looks really incredible and it’s fun and sexy. Christine and Josh have a really great chemistry together on camera which makes it even more exciting to watch.
You recently finished filming the next Murder, She Baked film. How did you get that role? What can you tell us about your role in that film without spoiling the storyline?
I auditioned for the role with casting and Kristopher Tabori, the director. I play Michelle Bishop, the coach’s wife, on the series, which follows crime-solving baker Hannah Swensen’s first-ever televised bake-off competition gone horribly wrong.
What was it like filming with the cast of that film series? Any special behind-the-scenes moments you can share?
The cast is really incredible and very welcoming. I am in awe of Alison {Sweeney} – she is a force! It’s so inspiring. She is such an amazing and strong woman. She is one of the executive producers of the show, involved in everything, plus she is the star – working every single day, as well as an author and does a million other amazing things. And while we were shooting, she was on crutches the whole time because she had torn her ACL. She is really incredible. Cameron {Mathison} has to be one of the nicest and most hilarious people I have ever met. He can go from joking around (behind the scenes) to being dead serious (on camera) in seconds! I had a lot of fun working with them both and was really inspired by how hard they both work.
With Francia Raisa
With Jesse Hutch and Matt Bellefleur
Any other upcoming works you can mention?
I just recently finished shooting a thriller called Tiny House of Terror in Kelowna. The film stars Francia Raisa, Nasneen Contractor and Jesse Hutch. I play Francia’s best friend. I’ve already seen some of the footage which looks amazing and really scary!
I know you were also involved in the series The Support Group last year. What were your specific roles in that series? If we didn’t see the series, is there a place online or elsewhere where we can get caught up? Any plans to do any more episodes?
I directed, produced and edited the series and ended up acting in it as well. It was a HUGE learning curve for me as it was the first project I ever directed and edited. You can watch it online on YouTube! There was talk of a second season, but I’m not sure where the girls, Sydney Doberstein, Laura Carly Miller and Lily Zarif, (the stars, creators, writers and producers) are at with it at this point.
You can watch the series here: http://www.thesupportgrouptheseries.com
As the wife of an actor, how do you balance your personal life and professional life?
Honestly, we work at it. We are very supportive of one another and are lucky to have achieved some sort of balance that works for us. It can definitely be challenging, but I think the key really is how you deal with it all.
If someone were to make a movie of your life:
–What network do you think would be the best fit for it?
—Who would play you? Who would play your husband? Why?
Interesting question!
A movie of my life would probably be on HBO or Bravo. Haha! The stories I could tell…
Who would play me?? That’s a tough one–we need someone sassy, spunky, a bit of a tomboy and hilarious. Maybe I could just play me and have some really good makeup. And my husband, especially if I’m in it, let’s go with Charlie Hunnam ’cause he is my actor crush at the moment.
Thanks for the great and fun interview Ruth! Appreciate your support always!! xo
Tammy is one of those exceptional artists who seem to thrive on work. If she is not filming a movie or a show, she is preparing to do so. Or perhaps she is devoting time to one of her passion projects. Or perchance she is preparing for an audition. Or maybe–well, you get the idea. When Tammy is laboring within her chosen profession, she appears to have limitless energy, she savors every moment, and she always looks absolutely gorgeous no matter the occasion (check out her pictures on social media, and you will see that a bad picture DOES NOT exist of this glorious beauty). Hallmark adores utilizing her in a veritable smorgasbord of their projects, and it’s similarly magnificent that they appreciate her husband, Jim Thorburn, as well. I continuously maintain that Hallmark supports family values by employing several couples within their network in various capacities, and it gives me a sublime feeling to witness Hallmark’s dedication to family in that fashion. While Tammy is a highly esteemed supporting actress within the realm of this splendid network, she has not yet appeared as a leading lady, and her husband has not appeared as a leading man. I still am hopeful that one day Hallmark will cast them both as leads and build an entire film based around the undeniable and incredible talents of this fantastic couple. However, until that day, Tammy will carry on as she always has, content to be a working actor, but always reaching for the next opportunity that is sent her way as she continues on her steady but sometimes circuitous road to attain every goal and dream within her heart and mind. Please tune in to Hallmark Movies & Mysteries Network on Sunday, March 26th to watch her in Murder, She Baked: Just Desserts, as it will be a virtual treat to witness her prowess once again in one of the more beloved mystery series in recent times. Also, be sure to follow her on social media at the links below as she is circumspect in keeping her fans up-to-date with her latest projects and approaching events. In the world of social media fog, inflated egos, and precocious prima donnas, Tammy is a genuinely kind, benevolent, gifted, and humble woman who only wishes to give the very best of herself every time she is in front of a camera and entrusted with a character in which she uniquely immerses herself.
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