While I am aware of the fact that some online reviewers were not overly enthused with the Hallmark original film Entertaining Christmas that premiered on the network this past holiday season, my mom and I thoroughly enjoyed every aspect of this fun holiday flick. In fact, it was this movie that made me aware of the talented young actress named Tamara Almeida. Almost immediately after watching the movie, I reached out to her for an interview, and even though the holiday season is past, I am thrilled to share this remarkable actress with my readers today.
RH: What inspired you to pursue a career in the entertainment industry?
TA: It all happened once I saw The Phantom of the Opera. I was six. I remember that moment so vividly. I saw it with my father, and I couldn’t believe the magic. Since that day, I remember being obsessed and trying to convince my younger brother to get up on tables (our stage) and sing duets, re-enact scenes from plays/films/TVwe’d watched, and even grabbing the clunky camera and trying to make our own films. I’ve always loved the art of storytelling, so once I got older and could pursue it, I did.
I understand you were in a different field until you decided to come back to the arts. Why did you decide to come back to acting as a profession?
There was always a void when thinking about what I’d been doing with my life. I loved my job, the people I worked with, and the skills I’d acquired, but it was just that bit of magic that I’d been missing. It wasn’t an easy switch, but once I knew I wanted to act, I decided to turn my life around and try. It may sound a bit cliché, but life is short and I really wanted to focus on doing what I loved rather than always wondering.
What was your first professional TV/film role? What are your memories of that role and being on set?
My first professional TV/Film role was for a film called The Best Man Holiday. My scene was with Terrence Howard and I was nervous and all over the place. I didn’t yet know how to improvise and had no idea how to recover when things went off course. It was a bit disastrous to be honest–LOL! My scene was cut from the film. I’m grateful. I learned a lot about how to roll with the punches and ground myself.
Robocop
What was your experience like filming Robocop?
A set of that magnitude, and with those incredible actors, I was in awe the entire time. I had a tiny role, but everyone was so nice and I left that set very inspired. It was amazing.
I believe your first experience with Hallmark was on Good Witch. What had been your exposure to the Hallmark network before that time? What was that experience like for you on Good Witch?
I love Hallmark everything! The films, the shows, especially the Christmas movies. We get it all a bit later in Canada, typically waiting for the W Network to bring them to air. So, lots of patience from us folks up north.
It was a dream come true to be on Good Witch. I wish I would’ve had a scene with Catherine Bell (huge fan!), but even without that, it was wonderful. The director, Cal Coons, was lovely, making it really memorable. The actors were all very kind, and I have enjoyed watching many friends on the show over the years.
The ’94 Club
What are some of your other memorable shows/films before this year?
I worked on two plays this last year (The ’94 Club and The Girl in the Photograph), both original works from up and coming playwrights here in Toronto. I’d say this was a definite highlight, getting to work with new actors and directors, learning from them daily. It was also an immense pleasure to work in English and in Spanish for TGIP, as Spanish was my first language growing up.
Please tell us about what it was like working on A Puppy For Christmas.
A Puppy For Christmas
A Puppy for Christmas was a lot fun, and our scenes involved playing with a puppy so it was nothing short of heaven!
But Entertaining Christmas definitely felt more like my first Christmas movie and I hope I get a chance to do more of them. It was an unforgettable experience. Jodie {Sweetin} is incredible (on so many fronts), and I learned so much from getting the chance to work with her and the rest of the cast and crew. The set felt pretty special, and we all caught ourselves saying that over and over again. It was a great time and when I finally saw the film, it brought back those really great memories. Best first Christmas movie experience ever!
Entertaining Christmas
Since you brought up Entertaining Christmas, please tell us about your character and what you appreciated about playing Anna in that movie. Any favorite behind-the-scenes moments? And since Robin Dunne, a Hallmark favorite directed this movie, what was it like working with him?
I love Anna! She’s an undeniable cheerleader, passionate about her job, and always hoping for the best outcome. I also think Anna was secretly very “Liz Livingstone” underneath it all. I would wager that if we saw her apartment, it would smell like cookies and nothing would be out of place. She’s a little type-A, but I’m okay with that! My favourite thing about Anna is that her heart is always in the right place. And she knows how to navigate/use social media much better than I do.
Entertaining Christmas
Favourite behind the scenes moment? Trying to make snowflake pancakes! Watching Jane Moffat deliver the monologue at the Christmas party, and everyone trying to deliver lines that had “Cedar Falls Gazette” in it without breaking out into laughter. Why that was so funny, no clue!
Entertaining Christmas
Working with Robin was the best. THE BEST! He and Rob (our EP) were hilarious, super efficient, and made it welcoming for every person on set. Robin is super talented and it was really nice to work with a director who is also an actor. Can’t say enough about the experience.
Any other upcoming works you can mention?
I lend my voice to a cartoon named Let’s Go Luna that started airing in late November on PBS Kids. It’s an educational show for pre-schoolers, introducing them to cultures from around the world. It’s another feel-good show and I’m really excited to be a part of it!
Do you have any special goals/dreams you would like to share for 2019?
I’m very excited for 2019! Here are the goals I have up on my wall:
- Get my first puppy.
- I’ve written my own sci-fi show and want to bring it to life. This year!
- I hope to get other opportunities to act on stage/film/TV, and ideally, do another Christmas movie before the year ends!
Robin Cimitruk Photography
One of the things I appreciate about Hallmark is that they regularly introduce actors to me of whom I was previously unaware, and this is exactly the case with Tamara. While her body of work may not be as well-known as some of her contemporaries, regardless, she is definitely a gem of an artist with plenty to offer in the way of talent, beauty, and charm. And in addition to all of those characteristics, she possesses a drive to continue to challenge herself to accomplish her goals all while maintaining a positive outlook and a humble spirit. I hope that everyone makes it a point to visit her links below and possibly look up her past works while anticipating her future endeavors. I adore the fact that she hopes to do more Christmas movies in the future, and her sci-fi series sounds like it could be something with great promise. Here’s hoping that in December of 2019 I am able to conduct a follow-up interview in order to celebrate her many accomplishments that I sense are headed her way this year!
FOLLOW TAMARA
