In spring of this year, an incredible ABC show officially introduced me to the wonder that is Bailey Skodje, and while The Crossing was ultimately canceled by the network, the opportunities for this amazing young actress continue to steadily come her way. In the third of my interviews featuring cast and crew connected with Truly, Madly, Sweetly, I am thrilled to highlight the engaging Bailey as she will be portraying the adorable Lily in the Hallmark movie premiere this weekend (September 22nd) that will kick off the Fall Harvest network programming.
Photo: Bailey Skodje Credit: ©2018 Crown Media United States LLC/Photographer: Ryan Plummer
RH: Bailey, it’s so nice to chat with you again.
BS: Hi, Ruth, it’s nice to talk with you again too.
Last time we talked, you were on The Crossing. You did such a great job on that show. I was so sad when they canceled it.
Yeah, we were sad too.
Did you have a favorite scene from The Crossing?
Probably all the water scenes.
The Crossing
Oh yes, I remember all that swimming and how much you said you enjoyed it.
But I do have a really great memory from The Crossing that I’d like to share. There was this time when I was on the beach pretending to be asleep, and this wave came crashing over me. The director, Rob Bowman, was so happy with me because instead of jumping up when the wave came, I just kept laying there real quiet until he said “cut!” I remember he came running over to me and yelled, “Oh Bailey, you’re such a good little actress!” And he helped me get up. But the weird part is that I didn’t even know that a wave came over me!
Wow, Bailey, what a professional you are! So the main thing coming up for you is premiering this weekend on Hallmark–Truly, Madly, Sweetly. I’ve talked to some of your co-stars, Dylan {Neal}, Nikki {DeLoach}, and Alison {Wandzura} and they have all said what a wonderful actress you are.
That’s really nice of them. I loved working with all of them.
I know we talked a little bit last time about this movie, but why don’t you remind us of your character and the storyline.
My character’s name is Lily, and I play Dylan’s daughter. His character’s name is Eric. Of course, I want my dad to be happy again and get together with Natalie, who’s played by Nikki. And the movie has cupcakes in it. Something really special I got to do was eat an Oreo cupcake from the bakery in the movie. Now, it wasn’t a real bakery, but the cupcake was real!
Photo: Dalias Blake, Bailey Skodje Credit: ©2018 Crown Media United States LLC/Photographer: Ryan Plummer
Was that one of the best cupcakes you’d ever had in your life?
Yes, I love Oreo stuff! In fact, I wanted to have Oreo cheesecake for my birthday, but at least I got an Oreo cake! My mom said she’ll get me an Oreo cheesecake later.
Oh, cool! My daughter and I both love cheesecake too. Now, can you tell us your favorite scene in Truly, Madly, Sweetly?
Probably the tasting scene at the bakery. And then we clean up the bakery too.
Okay, we’ll know to watch for that scene. So who were the main people you worked with in this movie?
Mainly I worked with Dylan and Nikki in the cast. But in the crew, I worked with the director, Ron Oliver, quite a bit. He is such a fun guy. In between scenes, he would play music, and it was really crazy fun.
I’ve heard about how much fun Ron Oliver’s sets are. Had you worked with him before this movie?
I never had worked with Ron Oliver before this movie. It was my first time working with him, and we had a blast.
Truly, Madly, Sweetly
That’s cool! I know he’s a very popular director, especially at the Hallmark network.
As my mom says, Ron Oliver is definitely one of the most entertaining directors she’s ever seen, and I agree. In fact, my mom says that the crew loves Ron too. Like the hair and make-up people think he is the greatest. He is just so funny though! I think Ron Oliver is one of the nicest directors I’ve ever worked with, and Truly, Madly, Sweetly was one of the most fun sets I’ve ever been on!
So in addition to Truly, Madly, Sweetly, do you have anything else coming up that you can mention, Bailey?
Well, my mom wants me to remind everyone that they can watch me in The Crossing either on Hulu and other streaming services. I don’t think it’s on Netflix, but that might change. Even though it was only one season, it’s there and I loved filming it!
You can also see me in The Miracle Season that was in theaters earlier this year, but now you can watch it on lots of streaming sites and buy the DVD. Be sure you look it up!
But my mom told me also that Dance With A Demon, the short film I did with Marcus Rosner and Heather Morris, is going to be going to film festivals this fall. I think it’s been to some festivals already, but I’m not sure.
with Marcus Rosner
That is one I’m very excited to see. I talked with Marcus about it, and I’ve talked with you about it. It is something I really want to see, and I really like the message of it.
My mom says it’s going to be amazing, and I want to see it too!
As far as anything else, there’s nothing else I can talk about right now. So just stay tuned for more information.
I really, really hope you get to be in a Christmas movie this year, Bailey. That would be so much fun for the fans and us.
Well, nothing yet, but we can keep hoping! We’re very excited to see Truly, Madly, Sweetly. Even though my acting teacher Julian LeBlanc and I didn’t have scenes together, this was the first time he was in the same movie as one of his students! We hope to get to watch the movie together.
I hope so too! How cool is that? I want to thank you yet again, Bailey, for taking some time to chat with me.
Ruth, thank you too. My mom and I are so excited to see the movie, and we really hope everyone likes it.
Photo: Dylan Neal, Bailey Skodje, Karen Holness, Nikki DeLoach Credit: ©2018 Crown Media United States LLC/Photographer: Ryan Plummer
At this point in my journalistic career, I have interviewed a wide range of young people in the industry, and those interviews will always be some of my choicest memories. While the talent pool in Vancouver seems to be bursting at the seams with incredibly gifted young people, I always maintain that Hallmark finds the best child actors for each of their productions that have the privilege of featuring children. Moreover, the atmosphere that Hallmark creates for their young actors is consistently family-friendly and welcoming, and that is why Bailey’s mom (who has other children in the business as well) is always overjoyed when Bailey is cast in a Hallmark movie. Not only does Bailey get to shine in a role that she can readily share with all of her friends and family, but she has the opportunity to work with some of the most qualified professionals in the business, cast and crew alike. While Bailey is still very much a kid and relishes all the “normal” things that kids enjoy, she is a true professional who regularly interacts with adults and gives performances that meet and/or exceed expectations. Bailey seems to have an innate sense of when it’s time to work (coupled with a mother who ensures a child-friendly experience for her on every set), and with her mom’s support, Bailey continues to sparkle on screen as she hones her skills in all realms of acting and performing arts.
I hope that everyone will make a concerted effort to tune into the Hallmark Channel this Saturday, September 22nd, and savor the romance of Truly, Madly, Sweetly as the gifted and vivacious Bailey irradiates the screen with her youth and vitality. Additionally, please consider following her at the links below and keep a keen eye for upcoming news that may shed light on her next project. (I have been led to believe there is something in the pipeline, and based on Bailey’s current level of enthusiasm, I tend to think an exciting announcement may be forthcoming.) As Bailey recently turned the big 1-0, I have a sense that her mother will proceed to keep her on the correct path as Bailey pursues and relishes those things that are near and dear to her heart. And while I cannot foretell the future, I tend to think we viewers may be watching the skills of Bailey on our television screens for many years to come.
FOLLOW BAILEY
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1 Comment
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What a lovely young lady. I enjoyed her performance in the movie.
