Can you believe it, Hearties? I have had the supreme honor of interviewing Mark Humphrey three times now, and each time I do, it always becomes one of my favorite conversations. When I realized that Mark was in a new Christmas movie for Hallmark this season, I KNEW I had to do another follow-up interview, and I’m happy to present our chat to my readers before the premiere of Christmas Bells Are Ringing tonight (12/22) on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries.
RH: Mark, it’s so great to chat yet again.
MH: Ruth, it’s always nice to talk with you.
I’m so glad you have a Hallmark Christmas movie coming up. And I think the Hearties are pretty excited to see that you have something else with Hallmark. I also heard such wonderful things about you from Rebecca {Staab}. She was singing your praises.
{And Mark burst into song–I’m not joking! Followed by much laughter, mostly on my part!}
Rebecca Staab, Mark Humphery Credit: ©2018 Crown Media United States LLC/Photographer: Ryan Plummer
She and I had a good time. And you know what? I was reminded of what it is like to work on a movie where there’s good camaraderie and everybody’s having a good time. And I was reminded why I like doing these kinds of movies. It was so much fun on this shoot, and it brought back such good memories. Don’t get me wrong, I love When Calls the Heart, and I will always love my character Pastor Frank. The time I was on there with the cast and crew was a beautiful time, and Lori {Loughlin} was great. But as we know, sometimes the emphasis of shows change, and as much as it was sad to leave and everyone treated me well and we always had fun, the show has moved to a different place, and it was time for me to move onto something else too. I made many wonderful friends in my time there, and I cherish my time with the Hearties. But like many of the actors who have been a part of the show for a time, it was my time to move on as well.
You are still very much missed by the Hearties, but we’re glad we had you for the time that we did. Pastor Frank was a very special character. So was Jack and so many others. So you’re missed, but we are very excited to see you in Christmas Bells Are Ringing!
Behind-the-scenes
Christmas Bells Are Ringing
You and me both, Ruth! And I tell you, Rebecca was simply fantastic on this shoot. Just like I have experienced so much over the course of my career, Rebecca was an actress that came to the table, to the show, to play and to work with me and everybody else. I don’t know quite how to describe it, but if you know the “slap game” that kids often play…it’s that game where somebody puts their hands under your hands, and you have to try to slap their hands. It’s a reaction game. Rebecca was willing to play just like that. She came to participate. And that made it so much fun. She was the one who said, “Okay, we’re two older people who are in love and getting married, so let’s really be in love.” And so we made that choice to really be in love. We were on the same page because that was right along with what I was thinking. You have the option to really go for it or not, and Rebecca likes to go for it. And I do too. In fact, at one point, it was requested that we ease up a little bit on the touching, hugging, and holding hands. When we were side-by-side, we always wanted to be close, like two people that were getting ready to be married. She wasn’t afraid to make really strong choices. And as anyone will tell you, it’s much easier to have an actor who’s giving too much and have them back off a bit than to have an actor who gives you very little and you try to get more out of them. I was very happy that Rebecca was so willing to really go for it, and it made the shoot so very enjoyable.
Mark, that’s amazing! I’m so glad you two got along so well. I figured you would, but it warms my heart to know that you really did.
Emilie Ullerup, Mark Humphery Credit: ©2018 Crown Media United States LLC/Photographer: Ryan Plummer
And then to see the other cast members, Emilie {Ullerup} and Josh {Kelly}–they were just fantastic too. And once all of that is established pretty early and the director {Pat Williams} is a part of it too, then there’s a feeling of camaraderie amongst the entire cast. And everyone feels comfortable in the environment that has been created which leads to everyone feeling creative. And if everyone is feeling creative, you can imagine how much fun the set becomes. And our director, Pat, was great. He didn’t stifle the energy. He enjoyed it, and he allowed us some freedom. So we all had this opportunity in a safe environment to have fun and be creative and be playful. I really think that will show up in the final product. Everybody was just being themselves and feeling like they had open rein to explore and have fun while the camera was rolling. There was no stifled energy like I’ve experienced on some shoots over the course of my career. That’s a very good feeling.
I am so glad to hear that, Mark. I know that sometimes on shoots like this, the director or the leads really set the stage for the environment, and while Hallmark seems to do a great job in this respect, it is never guaranteed. So I’m really looking forward to seeing this film.
You know, there were a lot of great moments from When Calls the Heart that I will always treasure. I always enjoyed working with Daniel {Lissing} and the core group of guys. Those were some fun moments. And Lori is, of course, the true professional who brought so much to her role. And now that I’ve been on this shoot for Christmas Bells Are Ringing, there are even more great moments to look back on.
You are getting me all excited for this movie, Mark. I’m looking forward to being able to see you in something a little bit different.
When Calls the Heart
Yes, it is a little bit different from Pastor Frank. And I look forward to finding out if the fans notice the difference in energy because the role is so different. I know we had loads of fun, and that can’t help but show up in the quality of our performances. We also did some improv on the film, and I think we had pretty realistic ad-libs at certain times throughout the film. I think we had very real impulses coming out during the shoot, and those impulses weren’t being blocked.
What I’ve discovered is that sometimes we actors have more freedom on a movie set to do those kinds of things than when we’re shooting an episodic TV show. That’s just one of the differences between series TV and movies. Very often, you have to be a lot tighter with the script on TV shows than on movie shoots. And it all comes from the top down. You watch your leads, and if they are more structured, you have to adapt yourself to that. If they are a little looser, you can adapt yourself to that as well.
I can definitely appreciate what you’re saying, Mark. I’ve heard other actors in the business say similar things.
The thing I respect about Lori’s character, Abigail, as well as the other women in that cast is that they are representing the strong, independent woman who is not always in need of a man in their lives. Not that they don’t want romance and all that, but it is a different dynamic. And I hope that one day Abigail’s character will find true love if that’s the direction they want to go. But for now, I’m just happy I had my time there and that I’m able to move on to new characters like Lee in Christmas Bells Are Ringing.
I am definitely with you there.
With Daniel Lissing
The main thing you never want to do in this business is overthink things. Since I’m a spiritual man, I do believe that God has other roles out there for me and even better opportunities for me as the years go on. I am so grateful to When Calls the Heart and Hallmark, and no matter what, I have a group of fans and some special friendships that I will always treasure from that show and now this movie too. It is easy to think that when it’s time to move on to a new opportunity that it can be a bad thing, but in this case, I choose to view it as a positive thing.
And look where I am now. Making my first standalone Christmas movie with Hallmark, and I’m so glad I got this opportunity. You never know what God has in store for you. It’s easy to fight against everything you see and all the obstacles that come your way as a human. But when you surrender and trust, then I can know that it’s not me that’s in control. And it allows me to enjoy everything that comes along, no matter what happens. So I was able to come into this shoot with a dedication to openness, playfulness, and helpfulness and also being of service. That’s the kind of stuff I have to focus on. Whatever God sends my way, I want to be available. And all of that worked out great with Christmas Bells Are Ringing. I really hope it’s a good movie. I worked nine out of the fifteen days they shot the film. So I see my role, even though it’s the “B” storyline, as significant. I got to play Emilie’s father, and she’s all grown-up. And since I am a father of a grown-up, for me, that was the best thing for me. I felt comfortable being a father on set, and I really had a parental instinctual vibe with Emilie. We were very comfortable on that note.
Then Rebecca is so charming; she’s so fun. She reminds me of Lucille Ball a little bit. I don’t know if Rebecca knows how funny she is. And she’s got the most incredible story. And she is the kind of person who likes to talk and doesn’t mind talking, but as the listener, you really enjoy it. She’s not one of those people who after a while you get tired of hearing their story. And when it’s her turn to be a listener, she’s also very good at that too.
With Josh’s character, at one point we have a scene, and he calls me “sir.” And while that wasn’t in the script, it just felt so right. I felt parental towards him too. Maybe this will open up a new era for me in Hallmark movies. I’d sure love to come back and do more like this.
That would be great. You know, Rebecca called you the “entertainment director” while you and she were on set. She said that she could just stand around and wait for you say something funny because that’s what you did.
You know, that’s funny. Because sometimes you’re funny when the chemistry of the people around you is right. I’m really happy to be funny because it means we’re all relaxed, and I’m happy I have a good relationship with the people on set. There’s a good vibe with everybody. I think it’s safe to say that for whatever reason, Rebecca brought that out of me.
So in addition to Christmas Bells Are Ringing, is there anything else coming up that you can mention?
with Lucas
You know, I don’t want to jinx anything, so I will just say there may be, but I can’t say anything about whatever might be in the works right now. I’ll let people know when I can say something more. I recently changed agencies, and it seems like more work might be coming for me, so that’s good news. I can say that in the new year, my son, Lucas, is moving back to Los Angeles. He’s been living in Toronto, and I’m so glad he’s coming back home.
Oh, that’s great! That’s gonna be nice for you.
Oh, it’s fantastic! I’m so looking forward to having him closer to me.
I can imagine. Well, it sounds like a new chapter of your life is beginning, Mark, and I can hardly wait to see Christmas Bells Are Ringing. Thanks for chatting with me today.
Ruth, it is my pleasure. You’re always so easy to talk with, and I appreciate your support and the support of all the fans. I hope everyone enjoys the movie.
One of the particular things I appreciate about Mark is his characteristic upbeat attitude, and this was a significant ingredient in our chat this time around. While Mark is typically a positive guy, I sensed a newfound energy within him, and that was such an encouragement for me. I’ve missed seeing him on-screen, and I would venture to say he has missed the Hearties as well. But now he is coming back with a renewed sense of purpose and an eagerness to witness what God has in store for him as he enters a new phase in his life. I applaud Mark for his dedication to his craft during the good and challenging times. While I have no doubt that at various points in his life he has questioned whether this career in entertainment was genuinely what God desired for him, but as he has persevered with marked determination and steadfast integrity, he has proven time and again that this is the business where he belongs.
I hope that all U.S. households will tune in to Hallmark Movies & Mysteries tonight (12/122) for the premiere of Christmas Bells Are Ringing. (Unfortunately, I don’t see any Canadian air dates as of yet.) Additionally, I hope that everyone takes a moment and visits Mark’s links below and considers following him where applicable. While this movie serves as Mark’s triumphant return to the network (not like he was ever gone because he was ever in our hearts), we can hope to see and hear more from him in the weeks, months, and years to come. It is always an honor to connect with Mark and support him in his career endeavors, and I hope that all the fans will follow my lead and support this kind, compassionate, gifted, hard-working man as well!
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