A couple of years ago, I had the honor of highlighting Jason McKinnon in an interview here on my site. At that time, Hallmark fans knew him mainly as the “bad guy” in a few of the network’s movies and even the popular When Calls the Heart show. Jason has continued to portray a wide variety of characters across a whole host of networks, but I tend to think Hallmarkies have not “forgiven” him for the way his character treated Lacey Chabert in A Wish For Christmas. Thankfully, all of that is about to change this Christmas in light of the fact that he has recently finished filming a special Christmas movie with Erin Krakow. However, before that happens, he will be featured in tonight’s (August 11) premiere of Aurora Teagarden: An Inheritance To Die For on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries. It is my joy to present our recent interview to my readers today.
Photo by Desy Cheng
RH: Jason, it’s just so great to chat with you again. It’s been quite a while.
JM: Thank you, Ruth, nice to chat with you again as well. And how fantastic to see you doing so well.
Thank you, Jason, it looks like things have gotten pretty busy for you lately too.
Yeah, it’s been pretty busy. And I see that you’ve interviewed a lot of my friends in the biz. Always great to see that.
It’s been a couple years since you and I chatted, and since the Christmas season is upon us very soon–Christmas in July recently finished–I figured it was a good time to chat.
Yeah, always great to chat with you, Ruth.
And I think you’re gonna be in one of the new Aurora Teagarden movies too, right?
Yes, I am. Originally, that movie was going to air in September, but they moved it up to August.
If I remember right, you were also in a couple of Christmas movies for Lifetime last year, isn’t that right?
Yes, I was. Every Day Is Christmas and A Twist of Christmas.
I happened to see both of those movies last year, and I truly enjoyed them. In fact, when I started watching Every Day Is Christmas, I thought at first that I might not like that one. I was thinking, “Oh no, it’s just another ‘Christmas Carol’ retelling.” But oh my goodness, it was really good! It far exceeded my expectations.
That’s cool, Ruth. That was the one with Toni Braxton.
A Twist of Christmas
Yes, and it was nothing against her, but sometimes with these movies, I feel like, “You’ve seen one, you’ve seen them all.” But my mom and I both watched this one, and we were pleasantly surprised. And then with A Twist of Christmas, I had already planned on watching that one. I never miss a movie directed by David Winning.
That one was a lot of fun. In fact, Brendon {Zub} and I hit it off pretty well. We became friends, and he’s a fellow hockey player. We haven’t had a chance to get out on the ice together yet, but that would be cool. And Vanessa Lachey–I thought she was hilarious. She was totally down-to-earth, no ego whatsoever. She was just so funny.
That’s great to hear, Jason. And usually, Lifetime will replay those Christmas movies when they start their holiday programming, just like Hallmark does. So if people didn’t get to see them, they should look those movies up.
Yeah, I hope people do. They were fun movies to be a part of.
And, of course, you are always remembered on Hallmark from A Wish For Christmas.
with Paul Greene
{laughing} Oh, yes.
They just replayed that one last month, and I’m sure they will replay it when Countdown To Christmas starts up. I am always reminded every time I see your rather unsavory character that you are a much nicer person than that!
{laughs} Yeah, I know. He’s not the greatest. I’ve seen some screen captures online of my character in that movie, and he just looks like he hates everything! Of course, those roles are fun to play. Hearties might remember me from When Calls the Heart when I played the character that messed with Elizabeth back in season four. Remember Thomas Higgins?
Oh, yeah, that’s right!
But I recently filmed a Christmas movie with Erin Krakow.
Really? Oh, that’s great news, Jason!
Yes, I am very happy to be in this movie. I play the family lawyer. Erin and Kimberley Sustad both play sisters in this movie. And David Winning is the director.
Oh my goodness, Jason, you’re in the big Christmas movie with Erin! I think it’s called Sense, Sensibility & Snowmen!
That is the one.
Sense, Sensibility & Snowmen
I am so excited for that movie, Jason. So many Hallmark favorites in that one, including you.
It was a great movie to work on. I got to meet Luke McFarlane. I had never gotten to meet him before. He’s a good, ol’ Canadian boy.
And of course, he’s very well-loved by the fans too.
I am so glad it worked out for me with this movie. I had been on hold for Erin’s last movie that comes out this month. But I lost out that role to Geoff Gustafson, I believe. David Winning directed that one, too, and I so wanted to work with David again. But not long after, this one came along, and I was so glad to book this one and work with David and Erin again!
We will definitely look forward to this movie, Jason. It sounds like you’re playing a nicer character that you sometimes do.
Yes, that is true. In fact, this is the biggest role I’ve had with Hallmark, I believe. I am more of a supporting lead and the sub love interest. I mean, obviously, the two leads of the movie are the main love interest.
Sense, Sensibility & Snowmen
Well, congratulations on that, Jason. I know you always do well with the smaller roles, but it’s nice that you get a more significant role this time. Now, onto Aurora Teagarden. I know you’ve been on other mystery films.
Yes, I’ve been on Murder, She Baked.
That’s right. And tonight we’ll see you on Aurora Teagarden: An Inheritance To Do For. And this one has such a great cast.
That’s right. Another Albertan in there–Niall Matter–whom I’ve known for almost fifteen years. He’s a very good friend. He was a lot of fun to work with.
Well, in this household, Aurora Teagarden is a favorite. And along with him, you’ve got Candace Cameron Bure, Matreya Scarrwener–I’ve got an interview coming up with her soon.
Oh, yeah, she was great!
So I know you usually can’t reveal too much with these mystery films. But what can you tell us about your character without spoiling anything?
Well, he’s basically a head chef…he was the personal chef for the person who passes. So as you can imagine, he becomes one of the suspects. I can’t tell you how it plays out, but he’s on the hit list. So I got to do a few scenes with Candace. And I hate to tell you, but he’s not the nicest guy. {laughs}
Well, here’s hoping that I did not interview the murderer, Jason. I don’t have a good track record in that area.
Marilu Henner was in the movie too. I totally forgot during the time that we were filming that she has this unbelievable memory. For anyone who may not know, she can tell you on any date you choose what happened, what year…it’s just amazing! I’ve never seen anything like it.
I know what you mean. Until she started making these Aurora Teagarden films, I didn’t know she had that skill. But she is amazing. And it’s not like she goes around broadcasting her talent or anything. She seems really normal and down-to-earth.
Yeah, exactly.
Well, we will look forward to seeing you in tonight’s premiere.
Thank you. And you know, I should also mention Peter Benson and Miranda Frigon. They are friends of mine I’ve known almost twenty years. It was so cool to work with them.
Photo by Desy Cheng
I love those two! And I’m so glad they are recurring characters on that series. I would hope something like that comes your way too, Jason. I know that recently happened to Preston Vanderslice.
Oh yeah, Preston was in this movie too. It was nice to work with another friend. It was a sort of reunion for me with all these friends.
Preston’s story is similar to yours, Jason, although he’s a bit younger. He started in very small roles, and he has finally worked his way up to recurring character on the Mystery 101 series. So hopefully the fact that you have paid your dues for quite a while, Jason, things like that will start happening for you too.
You know, I’ve been doing this for twenty years now. Back when I was first starting out and I was like nineteen or twenty, I had a baby face. And I remember being told that it’s almost like I had to catch up to my senses. So I feel like it’s been weird the past ten years being in my thirties, but not necessarily looking like I’m in my thirties. There’s just been this funny thing of being in an in-between stage where you’re too old to play college-age or young people, but you’re not exactly old enough to play the wise, been-around-the-block kind of guy. But I notice now that my roles are starting to pick up more in that sense. I think I’m probably looking more my age.
Photo by Desy Cheng
I know exactly what you’re talking about, Jason. Many young guys whom I have interviewed struggle like because they look so young. They get cast as the high school or college guy, but eventually, they get the more serious roles. That in-between time can be kinda tough.
And don’t get me wrong. I don’t mind the fact that I don’t look my age. I’m not complaining. Recently, I did a commercial shoot for a Pampers campaign. The campaign is that they are putting eight hundred changing tables in the men’s washrooms…apparently, that’s a thing. It has traditionally been that most of those changing tables are in the women’s washrooms.
Actually, that’s kind of cool. There are a lot of single dads out there who can benefit from that campaign, I think. Or maybe if they are a stay-at-home dad or whatever, this can also help them out too.
Yeah, it was interesting to book this role on a commercial. It was my first “dad” role that I’ve ever booked. But I say if Father Time is good to you, I’m fine with that.
I notice you are also a part of this show I am not all caught up with as of yet. You did a couple of episodes of Legends Of Tomorrow.
Legends Of Tomorrow
Yes, that was very cool. I got to play F. Scott Fitzgerald. It was me and Zelda, played by Meganne Young. Zelda is the woman he was gallivanting around Paris and New York with. The characters go back to the 1920s. All those guys were very cool to work with. But the coolest thing about it was working with Tom Wilson, the guy who played Biff Tannen in Back To the Future. I’m a huge fan of Back To the Future. Apparently, this guy has been a comedian for twenty-five years, and I had no idea. But that was really cool. I also got to work with another friend, Daniel Cudmore. He’s one who has done a lot of stunt work as well. He played the Minotaur, as you do, in any sci-fi movie or show. He’s a bigger guy, like six-six.
But it was so cool to be on Legends Of Tomorrow. They had all these old-school characters like F. Scott, Salvador Dali, and Ernest Hemingway. Hemingway was played by Andrew Lees, an Aussie who lives up in Vancouver but was playing an American. Kind of interesting. And then they ended up bringing my character back where this character is a shape shifter, and she’s glitching and going through these different characters. And F. Scott happened to be one of those characters. Any time I get to do these comic book pieces, it’s always a blessing.
I definitely need to go back and watch this show from the beginning. I actually know who F. Scott Fitzgerald was, and it would be fun to see you portray him.
It was cool. There have been quite a few people who have portrayed him over the years in many different projects. I watched all the different movies, like Midnight In Paris, where he’s played by Tom Hiddleston. And then I watched Z: The Beginning Of Everything, a series where Zelda was played by Christina Ricci. So I got to watch a lot and learn about him. Actually, there was only one audio recording of his voice, and it was quite interesting to hear the cadence and tone of his voice and how they spoke back then. I did search quite a bit to find that one.
Photo by Desy Cheng
Jason, that is so cool that you did all that research. I know a lot of actors research their characters, but it’s always nice to hear of an actor doing that for his role, even if it’s not a major role.
I truly found it interesting how people had invested a lot of time and written a lot about F. Scott Fitzgerald. I felt it was important to play this character as authentically as possible. I mean, The Great Gatsby was huge, and to a lot of people, he was very important. But looking back, it’s really quite unfortunate. There was a lot of alcohol consumption and partying, and sadly, he had some self-destructive tendencies. I’m sure we all do that on some level or degree. But it’s interesting that when you see a character in movies like that, you don’t always see the negative things.
I noticed you were also a part of Wonder. That was a movie my whole family saw and enjoyed. I know that there were a lot of Vancouver actors involved with this production, but it was just so amazing.
That was a fantastic movie to be a part of. Great message too.
You were also a part of Benchwarmers 2. I haven’t gotten to see that one yet.
That movie was a lot of fun! It was with Jon Rosenbaum, who I’ve worked with about five times now. He just let me do my thing. I got to work with Chris Klein of American Pie fame. He was a super nice guy, and he kept telling me, “You gotta get a doula, man!” As some of you may know, my wife and I just had a baby.
Yes, I saw that. Congratulations to you both.
Thank you. So that movie was fun to do. There’s a couple others coming out soon too. There’s a movie called 2 Hearts and at least one other movie that are supposed to be coming out later this year.
That’s just great, Jason. And it sounds like you were a fabulous support to your wife while she was pregnant. And now you have a wonderful little boy.
I hope I was. I tried to be there for her. My wife and I have been married for about twelve years now, and we’ve gone through all those things where you get to know each other and the little idiosyncrasies and all that. We’re pretty happy, and even though we don’t know exactly what to expect and how our child will change things, we’re pretty confident that we will continue to have each other’s backs.
That’s the most important thing, Jason. It seems like you both have worked through issues before and that you will continue to do so, no matter what.
I’m happy to help her out whenever I can. I try to help with doing the little chores and tasks, even though that hasn’t always been my forte. But I’ve been getting better, and I realize she needs me for these little things. I’ve become the designated chauffeur, which I kind of like because I enjoy driving. But it’s been a simple trade-off during her pregnancy since she was the one who carried our future child for nine months. My parents were a pretty good example for me, and I think they just celebrated their fortieth wedding anniversary, if I remember right.
Thank you for sharing, Jason. It’s nice to hear about a happy marriage this day and age, especially in the entertainment world. It’s also nice to hear about the fact that you are a normal, down-to-earth, regular person and not just an actor.
You know, when it comes to acting, it’s good to remember that there really is no overnight success. I used to drive cars for this company. I would start my shift at 11 P.M. after being up all day working another job from 6 A.M. Then I would try to sleep somewhere along the way. I had lots of odd jobs as well. I think sometimes that people forget that, and they see someone who is succeeding, and they’re like, “They didn’t deserve that.” And I’d like to remind them, “Well, what kind of work did they have to do to get here? And how long did it take?”
Exactly! Very few overnight success stories ever do occur. And if they do happen, they don’t last long. Lots of times, those people aren’t prepared to deal with all the stuff that is being thrown at them. But you, Jason, have gone through all the hard work to get where you are. You worked through lots of struggles and hard times, and you’re certainly not gonna sit back and say, “I’ve arrived.”
No, obviously, I’m not going to quit working to get better and improve myself.
And that’s why you’re still doing so well, Jason. Thank you so much for sharing with us. Very excited for all the things coming up for you. And congrats as you make the adjustment to parenthood.
Thank you, Ruth. I hope everyone enjoys Aurora Teagarden and the Christmas movie. And many more things coming out very soon as well!
The fact that Jason has not given up on his career, even though he’s not booking the leading roles after all this time is a testament to who he is as an artist and as a human being. There is no doubt in my mind that he entered the world of acting for the correct reasons. He doesn’t have delusions of fame and fortune; he continues to persevere, booking whatever jobs he can as he seeks the desires of his heart. And no matter what, he refuses to stop being the kind of man and partner his wife genuinely needs. Moreover, as he and his wife embark on this new life journey known as “parenthood,” I have nothing but joy, admiration, faith and hope that they will continue to be a dynamic, supportive couple who has their priorities straight. Additionally, I tend to believe that Jason’s best days are in the future, and I look forward to supporting him in every role he is granted, regardless of the size and scope of the character.
I hope that everyone will tune in tonight (August 11th) in the U.S. to Hallmark Movies & Mysteries for the highly-anticipated premiere Aurora Teagarden: An Inheritance To Die For. (Canadians, keep your eyes peeled for when it may be headed your way!) Furthermore, as we support him in this new mystery film, be sure to visit all his links below and consider following him where applicable. No matter what Jason’s future holds for him and his family, I have no doubt that he is on the verge of booking some of the most exceptional roles of his career. Of course, he’s already booked the career of a lifetime as he and his wife raise this precious child that has been entrusted to their care. Whether it’s his personal or professional life, I anticipate nothing but ultimate success for this grounded gentleman, and I hope that the Hallmarkies come out in full force to support Jason in all of his endeavors.
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