I know I might sound like a broken record, but I simply adore the fact that Hallmark consistently introduces new talent to its audiences. However, had it not been for another fan alerting me to Rob Figueroa and his inclusion in the Hallmark Christmas movie Last Vermont Christmas, I may have overlooked this talented fellow. Recently, he and I chatted about this film as well as his career as a whole, and in light of the fact that his film premiered earlier this evening (11/19) on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries, I am pleased to share it with my readers now!
RH: Rob, so good to chat with you today, and welcome to the Hallmark family.
RF: Thank you, Ruth, I’m very happy to be here.
So, Rob, how did you get started in acting?
I guess I’ve always loved acting. I would always go to the plays alone, sit there and watch. I was theatrically trained; I didn’t start off in TV and film. But it wasn’t until my senior year when I decided I wanted to be an actor. I changed from pre-med to theater. Then I took a year off and auditioned to get into another school, and I got in. And it just went on from there.
Since you started out in theater, what was your first film or television work?
The first television I ever did was on As the World Turns. I was a background actor at a police station, and then they decided to give me lines. In acting, the minute they give you lines, everything changes. Your pay scale changes. You’re not a background actor anymore. And so from that point on, I didn’t want to do anymore background acting. I like talking instead of just walking in the background. And that was around 1998.
That’s a great way to start. I know of a lot of successful actors who began on soap operas.
Now, I did take eight years off of acting. In fact, I just got back into it in 2014. I took those eight years off because of where I was working and because of my children. I was far from the city, but in 2014, I made the decision to return because life was leading me back to New York City. And in the last year and a half, things have really picked up for me.
Before we discuss your upcoming Hallmark movie debut, were you a fan of Hallmark movies before you booked this role?
Well, I love Christmas. Of all the holidays, Christmas is my favorite. One of my all-time favorite movies is a Christmas movie, though it’s not a Hallmark movie. It’s A Wonderful Life. I just love that movie. I love romantic comedy. I love movies like Serendipity. I know it’s not a Christmas movie, but it has Christmas in it. And in the last year, I’ve seen a few Christmas movies on Netflix too. So while I wasn’t a really big Hallmark movie fan, I’ve always been one that couldn’t wait for the Christmas season to come so I could watch the classics, like Miracle On 34th Street, The Santa Clause. Along with It’s A Wonderful Life, those are all my go-to’s.
Tonight, Hallmark fans got to see you in your first movie with the network, Last Vermont Christmas. Now, I know that a lot of these films are filmed in Canada, but this one wasn’t filmed in Canada, was it?
Cast of Last Vermont Christmas
No, it was not. And it’s interesting. I didn’t know too much about Hallmark and where they filmed their movies. And when we started shooting this film, I learned so much about the process. And yeah, do they film a lot in Canada. But this one was filmed in New York. It was not filmed in Vermont, but it was filmed in Kingston and Rhinebeck, New York.
What can you tell us about your role in this movie and how it relates to the overall story?
In the movie, my wife’s parents have a tradition where we visit them every year for Christmas. She has two sisters, so there are three sisters and the grandparents who get together for Christmas. This year during dinner, the grandparents announce that they are selling the house and moving and Christmases might not be the same anymore. So I play the husband of Bethany, played by Rachel Rhodes-Devey, and we’re pretty much city folk. My character, George, is a college professor. Through the course of the film, every one of us goes through a transition. And like with all Hallmark movies–I can’t remember ever having an unhappy ending–this one, of course, has a happy ending. But it’s nice seeing the journey we all take to get there.
Were you familiar with the main cast before you started shooting the film?
Rob Figueroa, Justin Bruening, Catherine Corcoran, Jim O’Hare, lan Pontes, Erin Cahill, Ann Osmond Credit: ©2018 Crown Media United States LLC/Photographer: Courtesy of Mar Vista Entertainment
I didn’t know anyone except the actor who played the father, Jim O’Hare. He and I did a short film together that actually just got accepted into a film festival here in New York City. I auditioned for two Christmas movies in May, and of course, I booked this one. Jim had auditioned for the father role in this same movie, and I immediately messaged him and said, “I just found out that I got the part of George.” And he was like, “Oh my gosh, so amazing! Congratulations!” And then a minute later, he sent me a message saying, “I just got the part of the dad!” So he’s the only one that I knew, which was nice. Most of the time, you get on set and you don’t know anyone. But then, of course, being on there, we all became friends. I learned about Justin {Bruening} and all his Grey’s Anatomy episodes and that he did the remake of Knight Rider. And I learned about Erin {Cahill} and her story. You spend three weeks with these people, and you learn a lot about them.
Are there any special behind-the-scenes moments or memories from set that you’d like to share?
Rachel Rhodes-Devey, Rob Figueroa, Samarah Conley, Justin Bruening, Erin Cahill Credit: ©2018 Crown Media United States LLC/Photographer: Courtesy of Mar Vista Entertainment
Oh, so many. Lunch on a film set is always four hours after your call time. So if the cast has to be on set at three o’clock in the afternoon, lunch is at seven o’clock at night. So at one of the lunches, the cast and crew were sitting down, and we all started doing some activity where…one of the actors or crew members made some claim that men could not bend over a chair against the wall and lift the chair while their head is pressed against the wall. Sort of like you’re creating a table with the chair underneath them. All of the women could bend over easily, put their head on the wall, and lift the chair up that’s underneath them. None of the men could do it. It was very bizarre. So it was great seeing the director get involved along with all of the actors and crew. And as silly as that may sound, it was a great moment to show that we were bonding. We were spending time together on set for three weeks, and we were able to have fun doing something kind of ridiculous together.
And of course, there’s also a scene where we have a snowball fight in the middle of May. They actually brought in real snow for the fight, which was really cool, because there’s no snow in May. And as you can imagine, when the camera was cut, we sort of wanted to keep throwing the snowballs. So that was fun.
Rob Figueroa, Rachel Rhodes-Devey Credit: ©2018 Crown Media United States LLC/Photographer: Courtesy of Mar Vista Entertainment
It’s so good to hear how well you all bonded. I hear about that happening on Hallmark films quite often. So during the premieres, I noticed you were live-tweeting.
Yes, I was. I’ve never done anything like that, but this is the first time where I have a reason to live tweet. So I was willing to give it a try. I can’t go watch with the other actors since most of them live in LA or New York. My problem is that I live about an hour and a half north of New York City. So while I could have made the trip to New York, I chose to stay home and watch the movie with my kids. I’ve also invited friends and family here to watch it. But the other actors and I have a whole text message conversation going, so we were still in contact with each other throughout the premiere.
Rob Figueroa, Samarah Conley, Justin Bruening, Erin Cahill Credit: ©2018 Crown Media United States LLC/Photographer: Courtesy of Mar Vista Entertainment
I hope that everyone makes sure that they’re following me because I had some special pictures and details I shares from the movie during the premiere. It was my first time doing anything like this, and I was very excited to see the film, do some live tweeting and connect with the fans. I tried to respond to the fans as much as I could, and if people have questions, they can feel free to ask and I’ll try to answer.
In addition to Last Vermont Christmas, is there anything else upcoming that you can mention?
Rob and his daughter with Josh Hutcherson
Yes, next year I’m in a film called Skin. That’s a pretty big deal. It was shown at the Toronto Film Festival. That film was purchased for distribution, and next year, that film will be in theaters all across the country. I have a very small role. Jamie Bell is the lead actor in that one.
Then I’m also in another film that my daughter, Victoria , and I auditioned for, and we got it. We have a nice scene with Josh Hutcherson, from The Hunger Games.
And I just finished shooting a nice short film about two weeks ago that is a wonderful love story, and that is now in post-production. And hopefully, that one will be hitting the film festival circuit next year.
Next year, I should also have two other feature films coming out. One is a film I did last year, and it should come out next year. It’s called Fabled, and it was directed by Jennifer Morrison, from Once Upon A Time. It was great working with her. So next year should be a really exciting time for me.
That is fantastic, Rob! Thank you for spending time chatting with me today, and I think all of us enjoyed seeing you in Last Vermont Christmas.
Thank you, Ruth, for reaching out. I’m so glad people watched, and I can hardly wait to see what the fans think.
As I watched Last Vermont Christmas tonight, I could not help but notice how perfectly cast Rob was in the role of George. From the moment he appeared on screen until his last scene on camera, there was no doubt that he had thoroughly embraced his role and presented George as a likable, funny, believable character. It’s always a joy to support people who are pursuing their passions, and it brightened my heart to witness Rob thriving in a role where he definitely belonged. While I am unfamiliar with his other works, if this movie is indicative of his talent, I believe Rob is well on the path to more solid work and maybe even another Hallmark movie in the near future. Moreover, Rob was quite engaging with the fans (even though this was his first real live-tweet session), and for me, that is one of the most vital things about acting today. If an industry professional can go out of his/her own way to make a connection with the viewer, that is something that is long-remembered and inspires the viewers to keep abreast of the actor’s career.
If you missed the premiere of Last Vermont Christmas on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries on November 19th, I invite you to check your schedule for the next airing as it is bound to replay again fairly soon. If you are in Canada, however, there do not appear to be any showings of this Christmas film as of yet. Additionally, I entreat you to visit all of Rob’s links below and consider following him where applicable. While I am well aware of the criticisms that are often hurled at Hallmark for being too predictable and not edgy enough, I know that I have them to thank for the marvelous introduction to the gifted Rob Figueroa, and as my readers know, I take great delectation in highlighting the supporting cast. My unswerving gratitude goes out to Hallmark for stretching above and beyond what most networks do in terms of casting, fan interactions and more. I wholeheartedly wish Rob every blessing under the sun, for he has definitely earned all of the recognition that he is now enjoying. In my humble opinion, as long as he remains true to his values and ideals, I tend to be convinced that this will not be the last time we see him on Hallmark (and elsewhere). And I, for one, am ecstatic to help Rob in any way that I can so that he can accomplish every dream and vision within his heart.
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