I hope that all the Hearties are enjoying the new spinoff show, When Hope Calls, that is currently airing on Hallmark Movies Now and Super Channel Heart & Home. Every Friday, a new episode drops, and many of the actors involved in the series are not Hallmark regulars. After all, this is filmed in Ontario as opposed to British Columbia. However, it just so happens you may recognize the young man who portrays Vincent because he has been in two previous Hallmark productions. Liam MacDonald and I originally did an interview about a year and a half ago, shortly after Christmas Next Door premiered on the Hallmark Channel and right before the season four finale of Good Witch. When I noticed his name attached to When Hope Calls, I knew that I wanted to feature him in another interview, to which he and his mother agreed rather quickly. It is my joy and honor to share our recent chat with my readers today!
RH: So nice to chat with you again, Liam.
LM: Always nice to chat with you too, Ruth.
You sound older than the last time I chatted with you.
It has been a while, hasn’t it? It was after I did Christmas Next Door, right?
Good Witch
Yes, that’s right. It has been a while. And that film is still a favorite here amongst Hallmark fans. And also since the last time we talked, we saw you in the season four finale of Good Witch.
That’s right! It was just last season, wasn’t it?
What are your memories of working on Good Witch?
Well, it was my first experience on a TV series. It was super cool to see how all that works and to see how that part of the industry moves because I had never got to do that before. And how nice it was to meet James Denton and Catherine Bell. They were so nice and down-to-earth. I remember that during one of the breaks, I sat with them, and James took me aside. He talked to me about how you always have to stay down-to-earth and be kind to everyone and how you never know what kind of opportunities may come your way because of meeting somebody. So it was really nice to just sit down and talk with them. They’re really nice people. I got to see it air on TV too, and that was a lot of fun.
That’s so cool that you had that experience with James. I bet that will always be a special memory.
And like my mom reminded me, it was a time on set when it was just Catherine, James and me on set. That whole environment sort of lent itself to us just sitting and chatting. There wasn’t any other cast there; it was a really quiet day. And as we were chatting, we found out that we had some people in common that we had worked with… Jesse Metcalfe and others. James was really great. He gave me all sorts of advice about auditioning and being prepared on set. He also complimented me a lot, which was cool. Oh, and the boy who played my little brother was there too–Cody Black.
That’s just so cool, Liam. I’m glad you had that experience. Now, I think you’ve also done some live theater, if I remember right.
Fun Home
Yeah, that’s right. About a year and a half ago, I did a theater production in Toronto–Fun Home. And then this past Christmas, I was in another theater production. I played Ralphie in A Christmas Story. I was actually nominated for a Dora Award, a Canadian theater award for Fun House.
I think I remember you telling me about that. I’ve only ever been to one award show–the Joey Awards in Vancouver a few years ago.
I actually won a Joey Award this past year for best actor in a commercial age 12-19. I was unable to attend the ceremony because I was in the middle of my theater production.
Now I do remember last Christmas–even though it was not Hallmark–you were in a Christmas movie on Up called Christmas With A Prince. I actually saw that one and thought it was cute.
Nick Hounslow and Liam MacDonald in Christmas with a Prince
Yeah, I filmed that last summer. That was with Brain Power Studios.
Right. I remember watching it because it ended up being a different kind of story than I expected. I went into it thinking it was just gonna be one of those prince/princess movies. But it had so much more to it.
That’s great to hear. And you know what? There just might be a sequel out to it next Christmas, so be sure to watch for that.
Now, that would be cool. I could see that one being a sequel. So maybe we’ll get to see you again if everything works out for next year.
Yeah, they will probably get married in the sequel, and I think all the kids should come back for that.
Ready Or Not premiere
I also understand that one of the movies that is out now in the theater–Ready Or Not–you were also a part of that movie.
Yes, it came out the 21st of August. So it’s still out in theaters. That was my first feature film. It’s definitely no Hallmark movie.
I know it’s a big movie with several Canadians in it, so that’s cool.
Behind the scenes of Ready or Not with Kristian Bruun and Melanie Scrofano
It was such a wonderful cast. They are all really kind people. It was fun to work on.
Since it’s a horror film, I probably won’t be seeing it, but it does look rather interesting. And that’s great that you got to be on it too, Liam. But speaking of Hallmark, the big thing for us now is When Hope Calls.
Yes, that has been pretty cool to be a part of!
I know that in the U.S., we can see When Hope Calls on Hallmark Movies Now, and in Canada, it’s on Super Channel Heart & Home. I have seen three episodes so far, and I love it! Now, did you know about When Calls the Heart before you booked this series?
When Hope Calls
Well, I had recognized the name and had seen advertising for it, but I’d never seen an episode up until about a month ago. When my agent sent me the breakdown for this role on When Hope Calls, we researched and found out it was a spinoff of When Calls the Heart. I had heard of the show, and I had been following the careers of a lot of the kids on the show.
I have been watching When Calls the Heart from the beginning, and the fans were introduced to Grace and Lillian in last year’s Christmas movie. In fact, Jocelyn {Hudon} came back and did another few episodes during the sixth season of When Calls the Heart. So the fans are well aware of the two sisters. But now we are getting introduced to the other characters of Brookfield. And you, Liam, happen to be one of them.
Yes, I play Vincent, one of the kids in the orphanage.
Had you worked on a period piece before When Hope Calls?
No, this is my first. Everything I have done has been modern. So it was very cool to see how they built the set. And to see the costumes from back then and get to wear them. It was unlike anything I’d ever seen before because I’ve never lived in 1910!
Without giving anything away, what can you tell us about Vincent and how he fits into the show?
Vincent is one of the older orphans in the orphanage. You really don’t get to see or hear about his backstory, but since he’s one of the older orphans, I think he definitely tries to prove himself to everybody that he’s not just some older kid without parents. He’s pretty clever and smart and he can have fun too. I think you will see him helping to solve problems, and I think the viewers will see his character develop over the course of the season.
Do you have any special memories from filming the show?
Sure. We filmed the show about three hours north of where I live. I started filming up in May, and the show just wrapped for the season in early September. There’s some wonderful people connected with the show. I spent a lot of time with the kids on set, and I made some new great friends there that I will talk to for years, I’m sure. The leads of the show and everyone else have just been so amazing. We had a lot of late-night shoots where everyone kind of goes crazy. All the dinners we enjoyed together. The times we all went to dinner together after shooting. Staying at the hotels. I think there are definitely a lot of memories that I can recall from shooting and hopefully more to be made in the future.
I know we don’t know for sure if there will be any more episodes after this season, but we assume there will be more than one season. They probably won’t officially announce anything till much later on. But we’re certainly going to ask and hope for many more seasons. Now, this is the first show that Hallmark has ever put exclusively on their streaming app. That is super exciting for us in the States. I know it’s a bit different up in Canada.
It was cool to be in the first show that did something special like that. I’m sure going to love watching this first season of When Hope Calls. It’s a great story and super exciting. And I’m glad we can see it on Super Channel Heart & Home up here in Canada.
Have you had any interactions with the Hearties yet?
Yes, as we’ve been filming this first season, we have gotten to see some of the fan reactions. We saw a lot of the things the fans were saying on Facebook and it was cool to see their reactions. I love the fact that the fans are so excited about When Hope Calls. Especially since I got to be a part of the show.
I’m sure you’ve read and participated in the live-tweeting they have been doing on Friday nights when a new episode comes out.
Oh, yeah, we have been trying to participate. I think we got a bit of a taste of that when I was first in Christmas Next Door. It’s great to see the fans sharing their own experience with the show on Twitter and elsewhere. You don’t always get that with other shows and movies.
Speaking of my part in the show, I think the fans are going to love the orphans in the orphanage. Most of my interactions were with Jocelyn and Morgan {Kohan} as well as the other orphans. It really is a talented group of kids out there, and there’s quite an age range at the orphanage as you have probably seen. The chemistry we have is something I hope comes through on film because as my mom would say, that chemistry is genuine. We kids really loved being with each other, and we became like family. From what I understand, that doesn’t always happen with shows. Especially when there is such a difference in ages and backgrounds. Luckily, it happened for us.
Ready Or Not premiere with Andie MacDowell
That’s great, Liam. So do you have anything else coming up that you can mention?
Yes, there is an FX series coming up sometime soon called Mrs. America. There’s no release date announced yet, but I got to film an episode of it. Hopefully, it will be coming within the next year. I got to play Cate Blanchett’s son on that. I also got to have some good experiences with the kids who played my brothers and sisters.
That looks like quite a series, so I’ll definitely be watching for it. Now remind me of how school works for you, Liam.
I got to a public school, and I’m starting grade nine. We just started back on September 3rd as a matter of fact.
still from Ready Or Not
That’s just great, Liam. You are certainly talented, and it’s great to see things going so well for you.
Thank you so much. It’s still kind of unreal for me. Summer went by in a blink, and I’m amazed that all these opportunities have come up for me. I feel very privileged to be able to do what I’ve been doing in the acting world.
Thank you so much. Liam–to you and to your mom. I so appreciate you taking the time to chat with me. And we will definitely look forward to seeing more of When Hope Calls.
Thank you, Ruth. It was great to get caught up with you too. Thank you to all the fans for all your support.
Cast of Ready Or Not
If you are all caught up on When Hope Calls, you are probably keenly aware of the significance of Vincent’s character in the first three episodes. (In case you are behind, I won’t spoil the action for you). It was such a thrill to connect with Liam yet again and witness the success he is having within his career. No matter your views on his current feature film, Ready Or Not, there is no doubt that this film is a game-changer for him, and I tend to think his career is going to continue its upward spiral as a result. Moreover, we Hallmark fans are unequivocally blessed to celebrate the indisputable giftedness of this young man in such quality Hallmark productions, and it gratifies me to no end to imagine the possibilities for Liam in the near and distant future. As far as I’m concerned, Liam is the wave of the future in film and television, and I am inclined to think that even more prominent things are in store for him on the horizon.
If you have access to Hallmark Movies Now and/or Super Channel Heart & Home, I am certain you are watching When Hope Calls right along with us every Friday night. However, if you live in the U.S. or Canada, there is still time for you to catch up and delight in all of the extraordinary storylines, intriguing mystery, and sweet romance included in this wonderful new series. Additionally, if you are so inclined, I invite you to check out Liam’s links below and consider following him where applicable. While nothing is guaranteed in this world, I am firmly convinced that as long as Liam proceeds on his prevailing path and remains grounded and grateful for every job he books, I believe that his career will develop steadily with every passing year. Moreover, I am confident that more amazing opportunities will come his way as long as he remains true to the reasons he became an actor in the first place. Not for fame and fortune but because he has a passion for bringing stories to life through his unique skills and dynamic flair for character portrayal.
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