Again, last year’s Hallmark Christmas movies definitely introduced me to some incredible talent, and Mélanie St-Pierre happens to be one of those new faces (at least, new to me). I first saw her as Samantha Cross in Christmas Encore, and after requesting an interview, I discovered so much more about her and her solid body of work. Yet again, I have the honor of sharing a lovely, vibrant, gifted woman with all of my readers!
RH: How did you get started as an actress? What kind of training have you had?
MS: I first got started in film when I was thirteen years old. At the time I was performing contortion with a circus troupe in Toronto and was offered a role in HBO’s Rescuer’s: Stories of Courage, starring Darryl Hannah. I fell in love with being on set right then and there, it was magical! A few years later, I studied the Meisner Technique (made famous at the Neighborhood Playhouse in NYC)
and started auditioning for film and TV roles in Montreal, Quebec.
What was your first professional job in the business and what are your memories of it?
After shooting Rescuers, the first gig I landed was a music video for “Pictures” by The Boomtang Boys, a Canadian pop band. It was a completely zany music video about a girl that falls in love with a cardboard cut-out at her local record shop and steals it to take it on dates around the city. Once the team learned that I was a former circus performer, they rewrote some of the video to include some acrobatics. The director of the video was incredible, she really inspired me with her creativity and passion, and when we were done shooting, she made some calls and got me signed with a Toronto agency. I’m still forever grateful to her!
I see that you guest-starred on the show Sophie. What are your memories of being on that show?
Sophie was another very special set that I worked on in Montreal. The cast and crew were so kind. Director Stefan Pleszczynski brought me on board for Sophie after we worked together on a Lifetime film called A Life Interrupted. Stefan is always incredible to work with, he has a very nurturing and supportive demeanor, but he always makes things fun. Natalie Brown is an absolute sweetheart and such a lovely actress, she’s always a pleasure to work with. We actually trained in Meisner Technique together years ago!
I notice you’ve done some work for the video game Assassin’s Creed. How did you get involved with that project? What was it like doing that job as opposed to traditional TV/film jobs?
Working for the Assassin’s Creed franchise was an absolute blast! I first got involved with it because I am really proficient with dialects and accents. The project needed voices for various characters and recording it was a process that I thoroughly enjoyed… it’s very different from anything I had done before! Going into the studio to record lines in Italian and Spanish accents was a blast, but the funniest (and sometimes most challenging parts) were the different sound effects we did. It’s not every day that your job is to record “gurgling death from slashed throat” and things like that.
Last year, we saw you in two Christmas films. One was Christmas Wedding Planner {Veronica} and the other was Hallmark’s Christmas Encore. Any special memories from either?
I really enjoyed shooting both Christmas films, and one big reason is something that both shoots
had in common: the crews involved in each were like a family. There is something magical that happens when a crew gets to stick together for more than one film. The camaraderie that they
get is truly special and it’s a real treat to be accepted into the fold the way I was on both projects. Brennan Elliot is so talented and absolutely fantastic to work with, I hope to do it again sometime!
Now that you’ve done your first Hallmark movie (correct me if I’m wrong–I think Christmas Encore was your first) what do you like about working for Hallmark?
Christmas Encore was indeed my first Hallmark movie, but not the first time I’ve worked for Hallmark! I also work occasionally as an audition reader for a Toronto casting director, and I have to say that audition sessions for Hallmark movies are particularly fun. I always go home with cramps in my cheeks from smiling so much! The really interesting thing about being a reader for auditions is that you get to embody characters that you’d never get to play under other circumstances. And with Hallmark auditions, I really get to run the gamut of types of roles, and every time I go home feeling wonderful. I’ve always really adored watching Hallmark movies… I’m a sucker for a good romance!
Photo by Danilo Ursini
Any other upcoming works you can mention?
I’ve got a couple projects on the horizon that I’m not allowed to talk about quite yet! Among them is another great little Christmas movie in which I make an appearance, I’m very excited to be telling everyone more about it soon! It’s called Christmas With a View}.
Do you have any aspirations to write/direct/produce?
I am currently writing two screenplays, one romantic comedy and one horror/thriller film! I would absolutely love to get into directing as well, it’s something I’ve always been really drawn to. I think that these days, with new media and Netflix, Amazon, etc, the face of film and television is changing and growing. It’s a really interesting time for a lot of new talent to emerge in writing, producing and directing, and I would love to be a part of it. And who knows, maybe someday soon I’ll be on the other side of the camera for a Hallmark film!
If you were going to binge-watch a show, what are one or two you’d like to binge?
I have a pretty eclectic taste in shows, and with this winter being as long and cold as it was, I did my fair share of binge-watching! I just finished the second season of Jessica Jones, and I really love it: a show with intriguing, layered, flawed female leads is something I find very inspiring.
Another show that I couldn’t get enough of was American Gods. I think I watched the first season in two days! Another show I would recommend is the sci-fi Travelers on Netflix! It is an exciting show with a stellar cast and most definitely binge-worthy.
While I acknowledge the fact that Melanie has only appeared officially in one Hallmark film (and therefore may not be known by the Hallmark fans as a whole), there is no doubt that she possesses talent, beauty, and a passion for the industry as well as a marked affinity for the Hallmark brand. Her skills reach far beyond the typical abilities of a rom-com actress; this woman is physically, mentally, and emotionally strong while being quite an invigorating addition to the network family. Undoubtedly, she is a collaborative artist who connects easily with the cast and crew and does whatever is necessary to assist in the creation of a dynamic work of art for viewers just like us to savor. In light of these facts, I sincerely hope that Melanie will grace our screens again soon and possibly seize her opportunity to work behind the camera as well. Until that time, I invite everyone to check out all of Melanie’s links below and follow her on social media so that you won’t miss her important updates (after all, she is in an upcoming Christmas film!).
As a woman in this world who has witnessed the ongoing difficulty of others to embrace the glory of women as a whole, I am convinced the best way to enact lasting change is to permit that change to begin with you. And what better way than to support the career of a woman like Melanie, who is not content to merely coast through the universe of entertainment without making a significant contribution along the way. Indeed, Melanie is the very epitome of the stalwart women who are slowly but surely making a difference in this world, and I excitedly applaud all of her current and future endeavors to do just that!
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