Personally, this season, I believe Hallmark is rolling out the absolute best offering of Christmas movies in all of their ten years of celebrating “Countdown To Christmas,” and tomorrow night’s premiere Write Before Christmas is bound to be no exception to that rule. I have been breathlessly anticipating this film since I first heard about and watched a preview this summer, and now the time is finally upon us! Recently, I had the awesome opportunity of speaking with one of the cast members of the film who also happens to be new to Hallmark–Kimberley Shoniker. Her story is unique, and her talent is superb. Indeed, I have no doubt she is going to be a welcome addition to the network, and I am quite pleased to share her interview with my readers today!
RH: Kimberley, it’s so nice to chat with you! Thank you for making our interview work out today!
KS: Ruth, my pleasure. I’m happy to chat with you.
So we are about to see you in your very first Hallmark movie.
Yes, that is correct.
While I always love interviewing those actors who are familiar to us, it’s always a treat when I get to chat with those who are new to Hallmark.
I feel so fortunate to be able to do a Hallmark movie. And it’s a Hallmark Christmas movie too.
I know! I mean, what better time of year to do a Hallmark movie than at Christmas?
I really feel very blessed to be able to work with the cast I worked with, and the part that I have…I mean, this being my first experience with Hallmark, I feel pretty jazzed. I really lucked out.
I hear you completely. While I don’t work for Hallmark, I work with them a lot, and they are a fantastic company. And they treat their cast, crew, and fans so very well. So how did you get started in acting?
Well, I was one of those wonderful kids who was as tall as I was round. I had headgear and a palate expander, so I was a little bit of a misfit. I also had this weird sense that there was something more to what life appeared to be on the surface. I was in a dance class with a friend of mine, and I remember it like it was yesterday…being on stage and recognizing what was created between me, my fellow dancers and the audience. There was that sense of elevation that we were experiencing. And I was like, “That’s why I’m here.” So I started early. I think I was either five or six.
I see. So you were involved in all of this while you were growing up?
Dance was my gateway into musical theater. Musical theater is a great form of performance, which has very much that escapism quality, so I dove right into that. I sing as well as dance, and that led me into acting too.
Well, I was a music major–a vocal major–so musical theater was what I thought I would be doing in my life. But I’m glad it didn’t happen the way I thought it would. I don’t think Broadway musical theater was where I was supposed to be.
It’s funny how life lets you know where you are supposed to turn next. When I was graduating from high school, I found myself in the position of either going to study musical theater in New York or going to study classical theater in the UK. I actually decided to switch my trajectory and go the classical theater route because I had this sense of what kind of actor I was. I knew that being more of a character actor, you can get yourself into musical theater by being a chorus member, but that’s not what I wanted to do. My love of acting had really opened up, and it was really shining brighter than my love for dance and singing.
So you went to the UK to study. But where were you born?
I was born in Toronto.
Okay, I figured you were Canadian, but I didn’t know where. That had to be amazing to study theater in the UK.
It was really awesome! I look back on my experiences now, and I was just so lucky. But I was so young, I didn’t recognize how lucky I was. I went to the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama in Glasgow, and we got to work in great theaters while being in school, which is such a gift to a young actor. To actually work at professional theaters! And we also got to understand the history behind the theater traditions as well, which is a great gift.
After that, what was the next step in your journey?
Well, after I graduated, it was the first time in my life that I didn’t have a structure or a plan. So I got a little lost. I knew what I wanted to do, but I didn’t know how to go about it. I had gone to school in a foreign country and was now coming back home to Canada. So I didn’t know how to maneuver around the Toronto scene. So I lived in Toronto for about a year, and then I decided to go back to New York to get my post-grad.
Going back a little bit, for me when I was younger, I personally had wanted to either study in the UK or in the United States because of their traditions in acting and theater. So I thought it was a great idea to go back and get my post-grad. I thought, “What a great idea to have these two balanced worlds as a part of my tool belt.” So I ended up going to the Stella Adler Studio in New York City. I was in their conservatory program.
Wow, Kimberley, you’ve had more training than a lot of actors I’ve talked to. Not to put them down for not having that training, but it’s just pretty impressive that you’ve had that level of training.
Thank you. I’m a ferocious, curious person. I love knowledge and I love learning and I love being challenged. And for me as an actor, I’m really in it for the arts and the love of it. I know a lot of actors who have this idea of a time crunch. For me, that has never really existed. I’m going to hopefully be working like Jessica Tandy until the day I pass away. So the idea that I have a small window to work doesn’t exist. And I think that also gave me the freedom to study as much as I did.
I really like that perspective. I don’t always hear that from actors. I know there are many actors who are focused on time. They have their five-year-plan or their ten-year-plan, and while I’m not saying that’s necessarily a bad idea and it sometimes does work, everybody is different. And I appreciate hearing all sorts of different perspectives from the people I interview. I find your story fascinating, Kimberley, and I love that is it just a little different from the typical story.
Thank you, Ruth.
So I am assuming that you worked in theater in New York?
I was in New York for almost eight years, and I did a lot of touring shows and regional shows…off-Broadway. I think this is probably another reason why age is not something I’m concerned with because in the theater, as long as you can speak and be heard, you’re fine.
I ended up leaving New York because I really realized that I needed to be smarter with some of my career choices. The great thing about my point of view is that I believe I can have a career for as long as I want to be in the business. But the bad thing is that I don’t think of it as the entertainment business. The idea that the way to get on Broadway is to have a celebrity name was something I was slow to understand. It’s the truth! It’s a business, right? Everything does need to have a hook to get the audience in, and that’s when I decided to make a shift and go back to Canada to do film and television to build up my resume. But also just to try a different medium. I knew I loved theater. I was occasionally doing television or independent film, so I decided to try and dig in a little bit more.
That’s wonderful that you’ve had the experience in both worlds. I hear from a lot of actors that they do film and television to pay the bills, but they love getting to do live theater. But they say that theater doesn’t pay as well as film and television.
I believe that you can work in theater; that’s absolutely true. But I also believe that you can have a balanced career. I look at certain actors whose careers I revere–like Mary-Louise Parker or Sarah Paulson or even Laurie Metcalf–these people who have great theater backgrounds or occasionally go do theater, but they also do film and television. I think you can find a way to do both. I don’t think it has to be either/or. I don’t believe you have to look down at one and prop up another.
What was your first on-screen role?
{laughs} I was on the MuchMusic/Citytv classic Electric Circus. It was a music-dance show. I was on that for about a year. There are videos out there of me dancing to early 2000’s music. But as an actor–and I believe this was around the same time–I got a commercial. I think that was my first time on screen.
I know commercials can be a great way to start in this business. And I know they can help with paying the bills.
Yes, absolutely.
I know people can be getting residuals for commercials even years later.
So very true.
As I was looking through your credits, and I notice you were on an episode of Murdoch Mysteries.
Murdoch Mysteries
Yes, that was amazing for me. And it was a really great affirming moment for me. I had just come back from New York. I was just back in Canada. and I was feeling a little bit shaky. I didn’t know if I was making the right decision coming back because eight years is a long time. And I guess also the lore around moving to New York and being an actor and then switching that and deciding to live a different life…I was feeling a little like I was not on solid ground.
Murdoch Mysteries
So when I booked that role–and it was a really great guest star role–I felt like that was a sign saying, “No, you made the right decision.” I have to say at that point, that was one of the most beautiful sets I have ever been on. The costumes were insane, and the hair was amazing. Everything about that show was such great quality. I remember being in awe of that. They really take their time to make sure that every little detail is thought through…even things the viewers probably wouldn’t even notice. My character, Mrs. Roper, had a little house, and the detail and the props were amazing. I wish I could have brought my phone to set just to take pictures.
Murdoch Mysteries
I have heard people talk about that show so many times as “the little show that could” because it started out with a budget of practically nothing. And what Murdoch Mysteries has become is unbelievable. It’s one of those shows that if you are a Canadian actor, you want to be on it. And probably if you’re an actor anywhere in the world, you want to be on it. I’ve actually heard great things from everyone who has ever guest-starred on it.
I completely agree with you! I had an amazing time on that show.
Date My Dad
I noticed you were a part of one of my favorite shows–even though it only lasted one season–Date My Dad.
Yes, Date My Dad! Aw, that one was fun! I oftentimes play….let me say, uh, eager characters?! Characters who really have their eye on a certain prize, whether they’re good or bad, and my character had her eye on the prize of Barry Watson. {laughs} It was really great. I had never worked with that many children, and on this show were three girls playing his daughters. I had never been around school tutors, and just to see how they were treated with respect…that was really lovely to see. I think that was my first experience working with child actors, and I really did love the fact that they were treated as children.
Date My Dad
Absolutely! I love those three young ladies. I have interviewed each of them. In fact, I met one of them just last month–Lilah Fitzgerald. And another person I connected with on that show was Cindy Busby. And I met her this past summer as well.
Oh, how cool!
That show is very special to me, and I was sad that a second season didn’t happen. I’m so glad you had a great experience on it as well.
Date My Dad
I think it all comes from the head on down. I’ve lucked out, and I’ve worked with some great directors. That particular episode was directed by Jonathan Rosenbaum. Working him was absolutely great, and he kept everyone light and focused and kept everyone doing their best. Film and television can sometimes be a time crunch. The fun and the light part of it can sometimes get lost if you don’t have the right director.
I see you were also on a couple episodes of iZombie.
Yes, that was a very interesting experience for me. Mostly because the fear or worry is, “How is that handled on set with all the crew and other cast members?” I’m so glad I had Tessa Blake as my director for the first episode. She was so great, and she made me feel comfortable and made the other actors and crew feel comfortable. It was definitely a different experience for me than I’ve ever had before. And I think for the first time I had one of those out-of-body fan experiences because I got to work with Ken Marino, who’s been in Children’s Hospital, Party Down…he’s a really great comedic actor. I’m a huge fan of his, and I got to work with him. And that was a surreal moment because he’s definitely at the top of my list.
I have only seen a couple of iZombie episodes, but I think I will have to sit down and binge-watch it sometime now that it is over. I know it’s a quirky show, and I know it has a lot of dark humor.
Yes, there’s a lot of quirk to it. You know, there’s trends every once in a while, and we all know about the zombie trend. But iZombie definitely has an irreverent, subversive kind of quirk to it that makes it very different.
Initially, the whole idea of zombies is what kept me from watching the show. But when I gave it a try, I realized it was very different from what I expected. It’s not focused on violence. It’s got a lot of fun elements and interesting characters.
And even thinking about me being cast as a dominatrix…I’m five foot three. I’m not really what one would assume that kind of character would look like. I think there is a light-hearted, fun quality to the show. It’s not HBO, right?
Supernatural
You were in Supernatural as well.
Yes, Supernatural is definitely an example for me of all things aligning right. The episode that I was in was a spin on a Stepford-like community. The original Stepford novella and the 1970’s film is genius. I also love classic television. So combining the dark, eerie core that lies beneath the Stepford world with the Mary Tyler Moore/I Love Lucy sitcom quality that the episode was looking for was heaven to me.
Supernatural
When I walked into the audition, I knew exactly what to do and where to go with it. I knew exactly the tonality they wanted. And then on set, I was given the liberty to act and improv and have fun with it. And working with Jared {Padalecki} and Misha {Collins} was fabulous. I had a ball with the director, Philip Sgriccia, because I think he really enjoyed the fact that I am a person who does know all that classic television stuff, so we really got to play around with my character. Should you watch the episode, you’ll see how it is kind of a nod to all those 1950s, 1960s, maybe early 1970s sitcom heroines. There’s a lot in there.
I did see you in A Mother On the Edge.
{laughs} Oh, that’s awesome!
A Mother On the Edge
I have some really good friends in that movie. Alison Wandzura was in that movie.
Oh, yes, Alison is a dream! She is just wonderful.
Yes, I completely agree. She holds the record for my longest interview ever. We talked like three hours one time. I didn’t include all of our conversation, but we just got to talking, and it was like a big catch-up time for us.
She’s great! She’s one of my favorite people. She was actually my driving buddy to set. We would drive back and forth from set together. It was so great! I loved that experience, and I also enjoy that I walked away with a really great friend.
A Mother On the Edge
That’s cool! And Matt Hamilton was in that one too.
That’s right. And that one was really fun for me. I got to play the evil villain. That was a joy. There was so much to sink my teeth into when it came to the villainous parts. So I got to have a lot of fun playing my character.
I’m just so glad I’ve seen you in things without even realizing it. I don’t even know why I started following you. Someone probably tagged you, and I must have followed you then. And then one of your pictures popped up, and I looked you up, and I saw this Hallmark Christmas movie coming up for you.
A Mother On the Edge
Well, I’m glad you looked me up.
So this takes us to Write Before Christmas which will premiere in the U.S. and Canada this weekend.
That’s right! I’m so excited.
As am I. We got to see a sneak peek of this movie this past July in one of their Christmas preview shows, and from the moment I heard the premise, I knew I was going to be anticipating this one.
Write Before Christmas
I pinch myself, I am so excited about that movie! I’m so happy to be involved with it. But I just think it’s great that Hallmark has so much going on right now. Their standard of quality is high. We’re in a kind of oversaturated time right now. There are so many streaming services, and there’s not necessarily high standards for all the programming that is available on those services. But with every single Hallmark program, there is a standard that they want to adhere to. I think it’s so great that they have this streaming service available in the States because that means that people know they can tune in and find something that they’re gonna love just as much as the last thing they watched.
I agree with you. I have their streaming service, Hallmark Movies Now, and I love it. It’s only available in the U.S. right now, but I think they are trying to expand that. After all, Canada doesn’t have the Hallmark Channel, but they do have a partnership with the W Network, which makes it easier for Canadians to see Hallmark content now. And Super Channel Heart & Home and City TV and other channels pick up their movies too. So before making Write Before Christmas, what was your level of familiarity with Hallmark?
When I was living in New York, I had Time Warner Cable. So I was very familiar with the Hallmark channel. And as a personal taste note, I loved what their channel was doing. I love this idea of art and work being of service and hopefully inspiring people to be better versions of themselves. Also, the sincerity of Hallmark movies and television shows is just amazing. Sometimes you can have all that positive, joy-filled, inspiring stuff, but the sincerity and that genuine quality might not be there so it doesn’t ring true.
So I was very familiar with Hallmark’s work, and I had been auditioning for a few different Hallmark movies. I’m a sucker for comedy; I love comedy. And I also don’t mind being silly or looking like a fool. My character in this movie is definitely fun. Even going in to audition for my character was a great experience.
I just noticed your character’s name. Mimi. Already, that name sets you up.
Oh, you already have a feeling about her!
Well, yeah, you know Mimi is gonna be a fun character! It’s intended to give you that feeling. And even though I don’t know anything about the character, you just seem like you will be a perfect fit. So what else can you tell us about your character, Mimi?
When you watch this movie, you will see that Mimi’s storyline is very much intertwined with the lead storyline. I really got to play yin and yang with Torrey {DeVitto}, who plays the character of Jess. And that was fun for me too to have someone to work off of occasionally and to have that teammate to play with.
If I remember correctly, isn’t there music involved with this movie?
Yes, that is correct. In fact, I will say that Torrey is amazing. I believe she learned how to play the cello for this movie.
That’s my understanding as well.
We were doing a scene, and she was playing with the cello, and so often we actors are musicians. We can play an instrument or sing or play the piano. We’re involved in different avenues with the arts, so I just assumed she could kind of play the cello and they wrote it in. But I remember her telling me that she had learned it. And that is one of the great things about being an actor. Circling back to that thing of learning and being curious…I think that is one of the great gifts of being an actor. Should you choose to, you have an opportunity to really be a student for as long as you want to really learn a new skill or learn about a different historical time or different culture. And Torrey dove into that, and she did it good.
When I was in college, I learned to play the cello. It’s a beautiful instrument, and I learned to play it on an elementary level, but it’s not a super easy instrument to pick up and learn in one day. It takes weeks to begin to master it. Well, I’m looking forward to everything about it, including the premise of the movie. Did you guys film in Vancouver?
We filmed in Vancouver and the environs. Like Maple Ridge and all that. One of the great things that I’m most excited about with this film is its structure which is slightly different from other Hallmark films. You’ll notice how it’s been inspired by Love, Actually just a bit where it follows different storylines and the stories connect and interweave. I don’t think most people have seen a movie quite like that on Hallmark yet, and I think it’s going to be exciting to see the reactions of the viewers to this film.
I think that’s great. I’m really looking forward to this movie, Kimberley.
Thank you, Ruth. Well, I will do my best to do my social media part so that people know this movie is coming. But I’m also very excited about this movie on a personal career level. I feel like this is the first thing I’ve done in film and television that is starting to match my theater resume. Because of the way my character is actually important in the script itself, I’m very excited about the whole project. So you shall see me on social media! I will be posting about Write Before Christmas.
Supernatural
If you are interacting with the fans, they are going to love you, Kimberley.
Oh, I will definitely be promoting the movie and doing everything I can to get the word out about Write Before Christmas.
Well, Kimberley, while I haven’t seen the movie nor your character in action, from everything I’ve seen and heard of you, you seem like a natural fit with Hallmark.
What a nice thing to say, thank you. And thank you for this platform. I grew up in the heyday of soaps, and I remember being in the line at the grocery store with my mom and seeing all these Soap Opera Digest magazines. People were really invested in these soaps, and there were twenty soap operas going on. I believe the audience likes to be a part of the community. It’s much more fun than being isolated and watching the movie by yourself. I think the community aspect of Hallmark makes Hallmark what it is. I think it’s such a great platform for me to speak to you, but it’s also such a great platform for the Hallmark fans who are so invested as well. That’s one of the reasons I plan to promote this movie as much as I can.
Kimberley, after chatting with you today, I can tell your head is in the right place and you’ve got the right mindset. You say you’re feeling blessed, but that feeling comes across without you even saying anything.
Thank you again, Ruth.
Now, is there anything else upcoming that you can mention?
There’s a film that I shot a while ago, and it’s having its premiere in New York City. It’s called When the Moon Was Twice As Big. It’s a feel-good, coming-of-age story. Very alla foresta. Our premiere is set for the beginning of next year.
And then I have a big, fancy project with a whole bunch of NDA’s hopefully coming out towards the end of next year. It’s tied in with a large movie franchise. I’m very excited about it. That’s probably the most I can say about it right now.
That’s just amazing. Of course, we look forward to you doing more Hallmark movies in the future as well.
I would love to do another Hallmark movie. Fingers crossed!
Thank you so much, Kimberley, for taking the time to chat with me today. I really appreciate it.
My pleasure, Ruth. And I really hope everyone loves the movie this weekend!
FOLLOW KIMBERLEY
I don’t know about you, but the moment I spied Kimberley’s picture online, I knew she was going to be an entertaining person with whom to chat and an absolute delight on the screen. Her experience is quite extensive within a broad variety of segments of the artistic community, and while I have seen her act before, this is going to be her first Hallmark movie! I am thrilled that we get to see her effervescence on-screen, and I tend to think that her best days of film and TV are still forthcoming. Throughout our conversation, her wit, enthusiasm, and intelligence impressed me beyond measure, and I am absolutely ecstatic for tomorrow night’s premiere!
I encourage everyone to make plans now to watch (or DVR) Write Before Christmas which will have its official debut Sunday, November 17th on both the Hallmark Channel and the W Network (please check your guide for local times). Additionally, I invite all of my readers to visit her links below and consider following her on Instagram (I hope she joins Twitter one of these days). I genuinely believe that Kimberley has found the ideal network to feature her distinct talents and share her genuinely sweet and benevolent spirit, and I hope to see her on my TV screen in many more Hallmark movies yet to come!
