I present to you yet another actor that needs no introduction in the Hallmark world–Andrew Walker. With an extensive list of credits within the network (and some other pretty stellar works on other networks as well), Andrew is essentially Hallmark royalty. With two original Hallmark movies coming up this holiday season, it was my honor and privilege to speak to Andrew yet again about all that is coming our way this November, December, and beyond!

Andrew Walker Credit: ©2019 Crown Media United States LLC/Photographer: Sven Boecker

RH: Andrew, so great to get to chat with you again. And how nice it was to meet you in person last month.

AW: Ruth, my pleasure, and yes, it was so great to finally meet in person. That was a long time in coming.

And this season, you have two Hallmark Christmas movies coming out.

Yes, that is correct.

In fact, one is already out on DVD, Merry & Bright.

Yes, I heard that. I just haven’t decided quite yet if that’s a good thing or a bad thing. {laughs} I’m not one hundred percent sure what the strategy is behind that, but I guess they’ve done it in the past with some of their other good movies, and it’s done really well for them. Hopefully, having the DVD available will put some excitement out there about this movie.

Yeah, I would say so. I know I had a friend message me very excitedly about the fact that she bought the movie and she was planning to watch it before the premiere. But she couldn’t believe I wasn’t going to do the same thing. {laughs} She didn’t want to wait, but I think she was planning to watch it again this weekend. I understand the DVD is very reasonably-priced, and I believe I even heard that some of the Walmarts were selling out of the title. I think it was a very limited early release.

Well, that’s just perfect.

Jodie Sweetin, Andrew Walker Credit: ©2019 Crown Media United States LLC/Photographer: Steven Ackerman

And maybe for those who don’t have the Hallmark Channel, this might be a way to see it.

That might be true, come to think of it. But regardless, I’m happy that it’s out, and hopefully, people will tune in. But speaking of these Christmas movies, I found out when I was recently working on my second Christmas movie that I’m the only actor that’s ever done two Christmas movies that were coming out the same season. I was quite surprised and pleased to learn that they hadn’t done that for anyone before, female or male.

Wow, that is cool!

So the movie I recently finished, Christmas On My Mind, is projected to be on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries December 19th. And Merry & Bright is going to be on Hallmark Channel this weekend, November 2nd.

You know, I had lunch with Brennan {Elliott} when I was in LA, and we were discussing the fact that you hadn’t done a Hallmark Christmas movie in two years. Some have expressed concern that Brennan isn’t doing a new one this year, and Brennan was surprised you had only done Lifetime Christmas movies the past two years. But I know that Hallmark always takes care of its actors, and that’s why I think you’re doing two this year because it’s the network’s way of making it up to you. At least, that’s my opinion. 

{laughs} Well, maybe it is.

Jodie Sweetin, Andrew Walker Credit: ©2019 Crown Media United States LLC/Photographer: Sven Boecker

Now, as you said, Merry & Bright is out this weekend. And even with it being on DVD, I hope that a lot of people will tune in since it’s you and Hallmark. 

Hopefully, that’s enough to get people to tune in.

I have a feeling that it will be. And then Jodie Sweetin is in it too.

That should help too. She’s got quite a following too.

Yes, she does.

We filmed that one this summer.

I remember it well. So, what can we look forward to in Merry & Bright from you and your character?

Because I got to work with Jodie Sweetin, who is a sitcom veteran, I think that’s a big plus for the comedy aspect of Merry & Bright. I think that for me working with her, it gave me the ability to exercise that side of my character and play with more of the comedy aspects of the film. In this film, I play a character who is the quick-talking executive. I’m coming from a firm that helps turn companies around. So it’s a corporate recovery company that I work for. When my character comes in, I come in hard-hitting with all these questions, and I’m a slick kind of guy.

Jodie Sweetin, Andrew Walker Credit: ©2019 Crown Media United States LLC/Photographer: Steven Ackerman

What’s funny about it is that at the very beginning, Jodie’s character’s mother is trying to set her up with different men to date. So when I come into the picture, she assumes I’m one of the guys that she’s been set up with, but I know I’m there to help turn the business around. But we have a really funny exchange that is centered on mistaken identity and assumptions. In the past, my character, Gabe, has always been pretty confident in his ability to win people over, but with Jodie’s character, it’s a whole new circumstance for him. She is a proud girl who feels like she is doing the best job she can, and now I come along and want to fix everything. Things don’t start out too well, but it’s a great scene.

Andrew Walker Credit: ©2019 Crown Media United States LLC/Photographer: Steven Ackerman

I think I relate a lot to the position that Jodie’s character is in because the last thing I want people to do is tell me that I’m running a company badly. You know, our juice company is very personal to my wife and me. And the minute that you allow people to come in who know different elements of business, you can open yourself up to hearing their feedback and constructive criticism…that’s the hardest thing for an entrepreneur. It’s difficult for her character to face the facts that the company is not doing well and that she could potentially lose the company if she doesn’t somehow open herself up to my suggestions and input.

Andrew Walker, Jodie Sweetin Credit: ©2019 Crown Media United States LLC/Photographer: Steven Ackerman

And then for my character, he has to learn that this company was built off certain standards. The ingredients and elements that they put into the candy cane are essential to the product that is being produced. So funny enough, it was very similar to how we do our juice business. Like our margins in our juice business aren’t great because we’re working with such high-quality ingredients and we’re not willing to compromise on those ingredients. We want to make sure we’re putting together the best product out there and we want to be transparent. So for her to possibly have to cut corners in order to make her margins better, it’s just not something that she’s willing to do. So I keep trying to find creative ways to help her business. Once I realize what’s important to her, I actually do want to help her, and she is open to me helping her. As you can imagine, that’s when things really start jiving. And that’s the fun arc of the story. You see where we start and then how we find this working relationship. Things finally begin to take off like a slow-running train. Things start getting in gear and then slowly make their way down the track. It starts moving faster, and that’s when you see how that dynamic really blossoms.

Jodie Sweetin, Andrew Walker Credit: ©2019 Crown Media United States LLC/Photographer: Steven Ackerman

That opening scene you mentioned was actually shown in the Christmas preview special this past July, and you’re right, it’s a fantastic scene. Lots of fun and very well done with both of you.

That’s great, Ruth, thank you.

I already knew this movie was going to be fun with both of you. But I also appreciate what you were sharing about how you could relate to Jodie’s character. That makes the movie much more interesting, I think. So Merry & Bright premieres tonight. And I’m sure that most who have the DVD will sit through the premiere and live tweet along with us. 

Jodie Sweetin, Andrew Walker Credit: ©2019 Crown Media United States LLC/Photographer: Steven Ackerman

I really think so too. In fact, I think Merry & Bright is one of those films that is fun to watch more than once. If you’ve seen it one time, I think it actually gets better on the second viewing. Gary Yates, the director, puts together such strong Christmas movies. He’s done so many of them, and this is the fifth movie I’ve done with him. I think he really knows how to tell a story. So I think this movie is one that you could watch a second time and feel like you’re watching it again for the first time.

Now remind me where you filmed this movie.

We filmed it in Winnepeg.

That’s right. I didn’t think it was Vancouver. We often see a lot of Hallmark movies that are filmed in the Vancouver area, and that means we see a lot of familiar images and places we recognize from other movies and shows. Now, I know Winnipeg is gorgeous as well, and it’s nice to see some different scenery.

Andrew Walker, Jodie Sweetin Credit: ©2019 Crown Media United States LLC/Photographer: Steven Ackerman

Gorgeous is a very generous term. {laughs} Not that I don’t think Winnipeg is ugly or anything. I think Winnipeg has its charm in different areas. But what’s interesting about Winnipeg–and I think this is why they started shooting there a lot more–well, number one, the tax credits are the best in the country. In fact, it’s the best in North America. Also, Winnipeg, back at the turn of the century, was growing at the same rate Chicago was because it was a big railroad city. What killed Winnipeg was…first, it was the Great Depression that took a big toll on Winnipeg’s growth and infrastructure, and then it was the Panama Canal. The Panama Canal is what really put the nail in the coffin because it cost less to go by boat and then go down and under and then back up along the West Coast.

So Winnipeg has this area called the Exchange District, and it’s exactly what Chicago’s architecture looks like. It’s only maybe three blocks by three blocks. And so they’ll go down there and shoot a lot of scenes that are supposed to be in Chicago or New York. Then there’s the river, so you can go shoot by the river. Winnipeg is flat and has lots of farmland. There are farms you can shoot on. There’s these small towns within the farm community. There are lots of different areas you can use for filming in Winnipeg. And then there’s a modernized version of the city right next to the Exchange District. That’s where you find most of the good restaurants and some of the more beautiful architecture. So that’s why Winnipeg is really starting to get on the map now.

Jodie Sweetin, Andrew Walker Credit: ©2019 Crown Media United States LLC/Photographer: Steven Ackerman

Thank you, Andrew, I loved getting that history lesson. I’ve never been to Winnipeg. I just know that it’s in Canada and Hallmark is starting to shoot there a lot more. I know some people said there are parts of it that are just beautiful, so using the term “gorgeous” was probably not the right term. It doesn’t have the landscape of Vancouver and B.C. so now I understand.

I have shot there five times now. And during hockey season, I LOVE it. There’s a real energy to the city, and you can really feel the heartbeat of the city during hockey season. It’s just like Montreal. I mean, obviously, Montreal is a gorgeous city in general. But Winnipeg has a very loyal hockey community, and so sometimes I go out and watch games. The city’s really vibrant during that time.

Thank you yet again, Andrew. I love getting to learn stuff like this during these interviews. Your second Hallmark Christmas movie is the one you recently finished shooting in Vancouver. 

Yes, Christmas On My Mind.

I know that your costar, Ashley Greene, this is her first Hallmark movie.

That is correct.

And then I know the writer is Kirsten Hansen. And I believe Preston Vanderslice is in this one as well.

Again, you are correct. And I will say that I think the supporting cast for this movie is the best supporting cast I’ve ever worked with. Preston plays my brother, and the chemistry between him and myself was immediate…from the first day, just the banter and how easy it was. Ashley was so easy to get along with. She was super prepared. I love it when I get to work with actresses that want to work on the script beforehand and really get to know the story. We had weekends available, and it is great when you can get together for an hour and a half or so. And Donna Benedicto…do you know her?

Christmas On My Mind
behind-the-scenes

No, off the top of my head, I don’t.

Well, she is definitely someone to look out for. She was great too. And Ashley had mentioned something to me too about how she loved working with Donna. Donna plays her best friend. So I think that the supporting cast is really strong. The lady who played my mom, Desiree Zurowski is amazing as well. We also had an actress from the show Sister Sister on this movie, Jackée Harry. She is hilarious in the movie. It was really nice to be able to work with her in this film as well. She plays the doctor who diagnoses Ashley’s character and is monitoring her. And the show has gotten some amazing press and coverage as a result of all this strong talent in it. 

That’s just so good to hear, Andrew. So what can you tell us about your character and the storyline of the movie?

with Jill Wagner for the Christmas Preview Special

For this movie, I love the journey that Ashley’s character takes you on in piecing together her life. Basically, the movie is about my ex-girlfriend who slips and falls with a wedding dress in her hand at the very beginning of the movie. She hits her head, and then she has retrograde amnesia. She immediately assumes that she is with me and getting married to me because that’s the last thing she remembers in her life. And the action ensues from there. I own a restaurant, and she comes into my restaurant, and you can imagine what happens when he sees her after two years of not seeing her. So from that point on, she has to piece together her life and figure out who she is. And you can imagine that when she sees her real fiance and she doesn’t remember him…I’d better stop or I’ll give away too much of the story.

Now, because it is airing on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries, it doesn’t have as much of a comedic undertone as the regular Hallmark Channel movies do. But I will tell you that we definitely have some funny moments, but it’s also very mystery driven. It’s still a Christmas movie, so it’s not like you’re seeing a murder mystery or anything like that. But there is a bit of a mystery in it.

That sounds amazing, Andrew, and I’m very much looking forward to seeing it. I understand that next weekend, you will be in New Jersey for the first-ever Christmas Con along with a whole bunch of other folks. 

That is correct. The first-ever. I am looking forward to it, and since it’s the first year, there are bound to be some things that require figuring out. So assuming they do more of them in the future, I have no doubt they will only get better, but I think this year is going to be pretty great. But it just so happens that next weekend (November 8-10) is a busy weekend for me already. I’m actually beginning my weekend in Miami on Friday and Saturday. We are hosting something called Juice Con. It’s the second year we’ve done this. My wife and I started this thing called Juice Con in Venice, California last year. We had about 250 people come from ten different countries. And we just talk about the secrets of the trade and how we can come together as a juice community and help consumers identify good products from bad products. We help each other out with margins and costing and buying produce. And the upside to buying local produce as opposed to organic produce. And all the other things you’d go through. Like FDA regulations and different ways to process your product. To make a long story short, we did this juice con, and it was a big hit. And so this year, we’re having it in Miami, and I’m actually going to speak on one of the panels on Saturday. And then I fly directly on Saturday night to Christmas Con.

Well, all that sounds great, Andrew. Certainly very busy. I’d say it will work just as long as you don’t get the two panels confused. 

Yeah, that would not be good to get those confused.

{laughs} You certainly don’t want to talk about juice at Christmas Con.

{laughs} Yeah, that might not go over too well.

So do you have anything else coming up that you can mention?

Well, I do have a project with Hallmark right now that is temporarily called A Girl’s Guide To Survival. And it’s about the female version of Bear Grylls, the survival guy. This girl has her own TV show and her main competition is a guy who has a similar show. These two have to do an episode together because they’re trying to raise their ratings since both shows are in competition. They go to the same location and get lost in the woods together. And you can imagine what happens. As they are trying to find their way out of the woods, they become attracted to each other. This is a very special project to me because I have been seeing it through every stage of development. I would like to follow it as a producer and not star in this film. I would just like to shadow producers and help with the creative side. I am very comfortable with the creative side of things with Hallmark. I have done nineteen of these movies now. But now I want to learn more about the administrative side of things. I want to use this as a learning opportunity.

Andrew Walker Credit: ©2019 Crown Media United States LLC/Photographer: Steven Ackerman

That is so exciting, Andrew! Do you have any idea when this project may actually start filming?

Well, things are going forward with it. We are in the development stage, and things are starting to happen for this project. While I can’t give an actual date when we’ll go to camera, I think I can safely say probably in about eight months.

Wow, that is something, Andrew. I don’t think most of realize just how long development on these projects take. So we will look forward to eventually seeing this on our screens. And I know you’ve mentioned trying to do a reboot of Diagnosis Murder or something similar to that as a mystery series.

At some point, I believe we will go forward with that. Things are busy right now. I’ve got all these movies with Hallmark that I’m doing now, and this one is in development. I am becoming acquainted with many of the producers. I have a movie and several concepts with various executives over at Hallmark, and some of these have been over there for years. It just takes time.

Walker Family

All I can say is that it’s high time they cast you in your own mystery series, Andrew. I am probably biased, but I love seeing my favorites get cast in those kinds of projects. 

Thank you, Ruth, I’ll certainly be sure to let everyone know what is happening when I can.

But for now, we’ve got two new Christmas movies, as well as all your past Christmas movies. My mom and I just watched Dashing Through the Snow again since it has become a tradition for us to rewatch that movie. It’s one of my favorites.

Thank you so much, Ruth, for all your support. And for all the support of the fans. I hope everyone tunes in this weekend (November 2nd) and on December 19th for both of my movies. I really hope everyone tunes in and really enjoys them!

Andrew Walker Credit: ©2019 Crown Media United States LLC/Photographer: Steven Ackerman

First of all, after meeting Andrew in person last month, I can attest to the fact that I have come to love and respect him as an artist and a person even more than I did before. Moreover, I can confirm that he is just as kind, down-to-earth, and generous as you would wish and imagine. Knowing that he and Hallmark are maintaining their incredible partnership is something that thrills me to no end. Furthermore, the fact that Andrew is expanding his skillset and digging in to learn even more about the production side of things is an exhilarating prospect that should completely enthrall the Hallmark community. While Andrew is not going to cease his work in front of the camera any time soon (I mean he’d BETTER not!), just knowing that he is proceeding to evolve and progress in the profession means that his hand will be attached to a variety of areas within the Hallmark universe, and as far as I’m concerned, all I want for Christmas is MORE ANDREW WALKER! (Any other Hallmarkies with me??)

Please make sure that you tune into the Hallmark Channel and the W Network tonight (November 2nd) for the premiere of Merry & Bright. As far as Christmas On My Mind, it is scheduled to be shown on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries December 19th. (No scheduled showing in Canada right now, so keep your eyes peeled!) In addition to all this delightful Andrew Walker overload, be sure that you visit Andrew’s links below and consider following him where applicable. (He is more interactive on Instagram, but he is beginning to post more on Twitter in recent times.) When it comes to leading men with Hallmark (and in actuality, leading men in general), Andrew is unquestionably on my top five list, and I tend to think that I am not alone in that predilection. Therefore, let’s support Andrew as much as possible because he is one of those extraordinarily authentic stars who is not only the ideal fit for Hallmark as far as his competency goes, but his positive, modest, genteel demeanor is something rare in today’s film and TV community. I am immensely grateful and honored to have a friend like him, and fingers crossed that we will witness his prowess on our screens for scores of decades to come!

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CHECK OUT MY OTHER INTERVIEW WITH ANDREW

Interview With Actor Andrew Walker, “Bottled With Love”

Interview With Actor Andrew Walker, “Love In Design”

Interview With Actor Andrew Walker, “My Secret Valentine”

Interview With Actor Andrew Walker, “The Perfect Catch”

My first interview with Andrew published with Starry Mag

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