About three years ago, I watched a Hallmark movie that was enchanting and impressive, but I had no idea how expansive its effects would be. Dater’s Handbook was the movie that not only introduced me to the talents of the future Duchess of Sussex, but it also brought to my attention one of the most intriguing leading men Hallmark has ever employed–Kristoffer Polaha. For nearly three years, I have attempted to formulate the means to “land” an interview with this singular talent, but regardless, I continued to support his career with my typical tenacity and consistency. Little did I know that my interactions with Kristoffer would lead me to one of the most humbling and amazing interviews I’ve ever had the honor of sharing on my website.

Photo Credit: Elisabeth Caren

RH: I so appreciate you taking the time to chat with me today, Kristoffer. I’m happy to finally “meet” you.

KP: As am I to meet you, Ruth. Thank you for reaching out.

How did you get started in acting?

I got started in high school. The guy who was the director of the program, Hamish Tyler, ran a really amazing theater program. He had previously been the football coach, and so he ran the program like a team. He would build people’s careers in the four years they were there. He would recruit them as freshmen, and start them out on smaller parts. And if they were good, he would give them a shot to kind of run the team, so to speak. I got pulled into theater my freshman year with a play called A Streetcar Named Desire where I played the upstairs neighbor, Steve Hubbell, and I was the one freshman among the entire cast of seniors and two other sophomores. And I just fell in love with it. I mean, I FELL IN LOVE with acting. So I did every play after that in high school. We did four fully-produced plays every year. When we did these plays, they would run for a week. We had a five-hundred seat theater that the audience would normally fill for each performance. We were normally performing for about five hundred people who were not only students from this and other high schools, but also from the community itself, which was the Monterrey/Carmel/Pebble Beach area. It was one of those amazing opportunities to be a part of something that was kind of like a theater company.

After high school, I went to NYU, and I kept pursuing theater and studying drama at Tisch School of the Arts there in New York. Then I got involved in a theater program in New York City called the Playwrights’ Theater, and we were doing Eugene O’Neill’s entire canon from the “Sea Plays” all the way through to Long Day’s Journey Into Night. One summer, between my junior and senior year in college, we were doing a play that was called Bread and Butter, which was Eugene O’Neill’s first full-length play. It had never been produced before, so it was sort of a world premiere of this play. The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and all these reputable trade magazines came and reviewed it. I kind of stuck out and got an agent and a manager, and I was off to the races.

Following all that, what was your first professional screen credit?

Well, my first role that everybody could actually watch was for a CBS show called That’s Life. It was directed by a guy named Jerry Levine, who was the first guy to cast me in Hollywood. I auditioned for two shows that day…this was weird. The date was September 11, 2001; it was on 9/11. And I booked them both. One was called That’s Life, and the other was called Angel, from the creator of Buffy the Vampire Slayer (Joss Whedon).

That’s an unusual thing to have happened on that day. But it’s great that it all worked out for you. Now, I will be honest that the first thing of yours I ever watched was your first Hallmark movie, Dater’s Handbook. For whatever reason, I had never heard of you until that time. Looking through your credits, I see you were on some well-known things. I see Castle in your repertoire, which I never did get into.

All I know is that I feel bad that I killed them. I literally shot them both. So I killed the show. {laughs}

{laughs} Oh my goodness! That’s quite a claim to fame!

I would think that the one show you should go back and watch is Life Unexpected.

I have heard of that one, but have never watched it. I thought it looked like something I would probably enjoy.

Yeah, I think you would enjoy it. Do you have kids?

Yes, I have a fifteen-year-old daughter.

The two of you might enjoy it together. There might be a few things to watch out for depending upon her maturity, but it is probably something you two could watch together. It’s a sweet, great TV show, and it’s only twenty-six episodes.

It sounds like something I would like, so I’ll put it on my watch list. I’m probably going to focus on your Hallmark movies for the remainder of our interview since I’ve seen them all, and my readers are going to be more familiar with them.

Sounds good to me.

With Dater’s Handbook, since that was your first Hallmark movie, is there any story about how you got to be cast in that film?

Kristoffer Polaha Credit: Copyright 2015 Crown Media United States, LLC/Photographer: Liane Hentscher

Truly, it was just a call from my agent. They said that Hallmark had made me an offer to be in this film. I actually have two agents, and one of them represented Meghan Markle as well. So he said, “My client’s on it. She’s cool. You’ll have a lot of fun. It’s three weeks of work.” And I was like, “Well, let’s go for it.”

Kristoffer Polaha, Meghan Markle Credit: Copyright 2015 Crown Media United States, LLC/Photographer: Liane Hentscher

Going into the film, I didn’t have any expectations. For me, it was just gonna be a job to kind of leapfrog to the next job. Obviously, it ended up being a really, really wonderful experience with Meghan. This was before her rocketship took off to “Planet Royalhood,” before she became the Duchess of Sussex. We had a blast working together. And it’s funny because we had a lot of interesting conversations. I’m married and I have three kids, so my wife would let me go on these fake dates with Meghan. I’d be like, “Honey, I’m on a fake date with Meghan.” And she’d be like, “All right.” We would talk about Meghan’s desires and dreams, and I would talk about what I wanted out of my career. One of the things that she was really clear about was that she didn’t want to be an actress forever. She was already a part of the UN doing stuff for children, education, and women’s rights in Africa. She was already moving in the direction of being a global ambassador, and I think that being married to Prince Harry is going to be this amazing opportunity to ultimately pursue what she was designed for, which is this awesome opportunity to help people on a massive scale.  So Hallmark opened up the door for me to have those remarkable interactions with this incredible woman who has now married into the royal family and will no doubt change the world for the better.

Photo: Emilie Ullerup, Kristoffer Polaha Credit: Copyright 2016 Crown Media United States LLC/Photographer: Sven Boecker

Then I did another little movie for Hallmark called Hearts of Christmas. It was a sweet, little movie about hospital staffs and babies. It was a sweet Christmas film. And it was my first foray into the Christmas world for Hallmark, which was very different. My first one was a Valentine’s Day movie, and this one was a part of the “Christmas train,” not to be confused with the Hallmark Christmas movie by the same name. But what I mean is that Hallmark has this Christmas movie machine that starts up in November and jams all the way through Christmas…to New Year’s really. And I had no idea what that was when I was working on Hearts of Christmas. It’s during this time that all of America basically turns the television onto Hallmark for six weeks out of every given year, and they just leave it there. And these movies just play ’round the clock. I think it’s kind of a remarkable thing that’s happening.

Yes, that’s the way our household is. And then you have to add Christmas in July in there. That’s become a thing now. 

Right, which I found out this summer was a big deal because of Rocky Mountain Christmas. Christmas in July this year caused a huge bump in my social media and my star meter and all that. Because this Christmas movie was playing in July on Hallmark, I found out how relevant Christmas in July was to my overall career. I found it all very interesting.

And what I will say is that the three Hallmark movies that you have done which have already aired are honestly very memorable and have become some of our family favorites. And I’m not just saying that because I’m talking with you. 

That’s awesome.

My daughter and I live with my parents, and we often watch Hallmark together. Except my daughter is a teenager now and is almost too cool to watch Hallmark.

Introduce her to Life Unexpected and you’ll get some points.

Definitely.

“I know that guy. It was early, but we talked on the phone all morning long.”

Right. But what was really something is my mom and I watch all the Hallmark movies together, and although she doesn’t always know the names of the actors, she recognizes their faces. She was binge-watching Hawaii Five-O this summer, and when the episode that you were on came up, she said, “I know that guy! He’s from Hallmark!” And I came along and told her who you were. And then I got up and came back later, and she said, “Well, he died.” {laughs} But she definitely knows who you are, and she’s not like that with all the Hallmark actors. 

That’s great! I’ll take it!

So you have two Christmas movies that have done very well. Rocky Mountain Christmas last year was a standout. In fact, because it premiered later in the season, some of us viewers–myself included–often find ourselves at a point where we’re almost starting to burn out on Christmas movies. Don’t get me wrong. We enjoy them, but some are not as memorable as others by the time you’ve seen twenty-some new Christmas movies. But for me to be able to sit there, watch it, remember the story and thoroughly enjoy it, that speaks highly of the cast and writers.

Photo: Kristoffer Polaha, Lindy Booth, Treat Williams Credit: Copyright 2017 Crown Media United States LLC/Photographer: Ryan Plummer

I’m so glad you liked it. Rocky Mountain Christmas won the night on cable. We had the highest ratings, not just the highest ratings ever in the history of Hallmark Movies & Mysteries, but we also won the night across all the cable channels.  It was a big deal for Hallmark, and it was a big deal for us as a cast because it really did set our movie apart. It was definitely one of those special moments.

Well, I certainly enjoyed it, and before too long, Hallmark will be showing it again along with all the other Christmas movies. But before we get there, you have a big Hallmark film coming up this weekend, Pearl In Paradise. 

Yeah, that’s right.

Was it your first time in Fiji when you went there to film this movie?

Photo: Jill Wagner, Kristoffer Polaha Credit: Copyright 2018 Crown Media United States LLC/Photographer: Allan Stephen

It was. I had never been to Fiji before, so to be taken there in the capacity of work was kinda nice. You know, you get to go live and work in a place and not just visit and be a tourist, but to actually go and know that you are contributing to the local economy. It’s exciting for them because there’s a movie being filmed, and if you get to be the actor who’s the lead guy in it, that’s exciting for everybody. And that makes me feel good because I feel like I’m contributing to the day-to-day operations of the island.

Filming in Fiji

And it’s beautiful. Ruth. If you ever get a chance to go to Fiji, you’ve gotta go because it’s just something that…it’s not Hawaii. It’s not like the things that we North Americans know. It’s not Polynesian. In fact, the people aren’t Polynesian; they’re different with a different history. Fijians have their own culture and their own identity. And they break into song at any given moment. I mean, literally. I was having dinner at a restaurant, and all of a sudden, the wait staff–the people working at the restaurant–started to sing, and it was just this beautiful song. It was a Christian worship song. We were in the middle of a regular old restaurant, and it just happened to be a song that they all sang in church. I guess. Then they have this Fijian traditional goodbye song that they sing to people when they leave the island, and it’s just so sad and haunting and beautiful. It’s a really cool place.

I can imagine. It certainly sounds like a great place to visit, so I will have to do that at some point in my life. So what can viewers expect from Pearl In Paradise?

Photo: Kristoffer Polaha, Jill Wagner Credit: Copyright 2018 Crown Media United States LLC/Photographer: Allan Stephen

I think if the Hallmark fans remember the Michael Douglas-Kathleen Turner hit from the 1980’s Romancing the Stone…take that and mix it up with one of their favorite Hallmark movies, and you’re gonna get Pearl In Paradise. It’s a really fun, sweet rom-com. It’s got a lot of humor in it and a lot of heart. And it’s also got some adventure, which is fun because you don’t normally get that on the Hallmark Channel. Usually, it’s pretty stationary, mainly because of what the restraints of shooting a movie in three weeks are and what that entails. So this one was kind of ambitious, but I think we pulled it off, which is cool.

Was this your first time working with Jill Wagner?

It was my second time working with Jill. She did a pilot for a TV show I did called North Shore. She was in the pilot episode, which never aired, so no one ever got to see that episode. But I worked with her when she was just a wee, young lass. And then there was a fourteen-year gap, and we got to work together again in Pearl of Paradise.

I know you both are Hallmark favorites, and that makes us even more excited to see you as the leads in this movie. A couple of weeks ago, Hallmark premiered the first movie the network ever filmed in Fiji, A Summer to Remember. So yours is the second Hallmark film this summer that was filmed on that island.

I know we got usurped by the Cameron Mathison-Catherine Bell film. How was that? Was it a good film?

Pearl In Paradise

Yes, it was, but I think we are looking forward to returning to Fiji this weekend. It’s like we got our feet wet, and now we get a chance to see it again. And of course, the films are so different from each other.

A Summer to Remember stayed on the resort a lot, right?

Yes, pretty much.

Photo: Kristoffer Polaha, Jill Wagner Credit: Copyright 2018 Crown Media United States LLC/Photographer: Allan Stephen

You got to see the water and the beach. But with ours, we go up a river and there’s waterfalls and there’s all sorts of stuff. It’s very different. We did have the same crew, however. They literally went and filmed that one for three weeks, and then without missing a beat, they showed up and worked for us. I remember day one…they were tired. The crew was tired; they didn’t get a break. Technically and personally, I think they should have had a weekend or a couple of days off in order for them to prep and recalibrate and then come in and do ours. But we just showed up–new cast, new script.

Photo: Jill Wagner, Kristoffer Polaha Credit: Copyright 2018 Crown Media United States LLC/Photographer: Allan Stephen

We were filming in a gorge along the Navuah River. It was raining, and then it would stop raining. Then it would be sunshine, and then it would rain again. And it would stop raining again. They had to cut into this muddy mountainside to get the equipment down. And we’re talking about sixty-, eighty-, one hundred twenty- pound camera equipment, including the tracks, rails, and all this stuff. And they’re schlepping it down a muddy mountainside, across a creek. and the bank of the little gorge we were on. I tell you, the mud was anywhere between eight and twelve inches thick. And these guys would take a step and sink all the way up, mid-calf to the knee. They’re legs and feet were just coated with mud, and they had this giant equipment on their backs. I was thinking, “Like this is guerrilla filmmaking. This is hardcore.” We started filming, and we weren’t even introduced to the crew yet. It was one of those things where they worked so hard and they were so good. It was wild. I remember we took a pause and introduced ourselves and welcomed them into the new show, and we ended up having this really wonderful experience.

Photo: Jill Wagner, Kristoffer Polaha Credit: Copyright 2018 Crown Media United States LLC/Photographer: Allan Stephen

Wow, that is amazing. To be honest, I cannot even imagine! I think Hallmark has been doing a great job with the summer movies this year. It’s been unbelievable with all these films being shot on location. I’ve been quite impressed to see Hallmark’s movies take a step up this summer. 

That’s awesome and so good to hear. I know they went to South Africa, Love On Safari. That was a good one, right?

Yes, it sure was. And they did one on a cruise ship. So yours is the last of the location films because next weekend’s was not shot on location if I remember right.

That’s right. They shot Season For Love in Toronto.

So Pearl in Paradise is the grand finale of the location films. 

Kristoffer Polaha, Jill Wagner, Rob Kipa-Williams, and Naomi Sequeira in Pearl in Paradise

We’re almost like The Last of the Mohicans.

{laughs} Right. And we are excited to see this film. I have been looking forward to it for a while.

Well, good, let’s get the word out for it. The more people that check it out, the better.

Condor

I will definitely do that. Now, I did actually happen to watch you this summer in Condor. I watched your episodes, that is. 

And like your mom says, “And then he died.”

Yes, that’s actually the last one that I saw. Not that the rest of the cast and story isn’t brilliant, but I was really only watching because of you. And you met quite the untimely death. 

I love it. You’re like my mom. “I like it, but if you’re not in it…”

{laughs} I do have a tendency to do that sometimes. Do you have any other upcoming works you want to be sure to mention?

Behind-the-Scenes Pearl In Paradise

There are a couple episodes of Ballers coming out in the next couple of weeks. There was Condor this summer. And the rest is in God’s hands, Ruth, the rest is in God’s hands.

That’s right. I hear you on that. And since you brought that up, I want to be sure to say that I personally appreciate the fact that you talk about and live your faith. Since I am a Christian, when I realized you were a Christian and how much your faith means to you, my level of respect for you went way up. I love being able to connect with people of faith in the business, and there are several I’ve been able to find at Hallmark. And that includes you. 

Well, thank you.

And since you have a family, I love seeing how you guys are able to make things work in spite of your busy acting schedule–I really like that. It’s nice to see a family who actually enjoys each other’s company and likes being together. 

Polaha Family
Credit: © 2017 Crown Media United States, LLC | Photo: Alexx Henry Studios, LLC / Jeremy lee

Yeah, we like each other. But we were at Universal Studios this past week, and that was definitely a test for us. You know, it’s hard going to theme parks. You expect it to be this unbelievable, mind-blowing day of adventure, but then you find out that it’s expensive, crowded, and hot. You’re wet from some rides you went on. You know, everyone is just cranky and irritated. But it’s like, “Come on! But we’re having fun, right?” It reminds me of that family vacation with Chevy Chase on their way to Walley World, and he just punches the moose in the face. And he’s like, “Yeow! We’re gonna have a great time!”

{laughs} Well, I think we all can relate. But you have three little ones. I can speak from experience when I say that it makes a difference when you have only one and she’s older. I can understand how your situation would make things a bit more challenging. My daughter and I went to Universal Studios this summer also, but it was much less stressful.

Oh, I can see that. Almost like having two adults walking around the park. Instead of, “I want to be in that line!” And you’re like, “But it’s five hours long!”

Now, I do have one more thing to ask you. About a month or so ago, I got this surprise on Twitter that you had declared it “Ruth Hill Appreciation Day.” What’s the story behind that?

Photo: Kristoffer Polaha Credit: Copyright 2018 Crown Media United States LLC/Photographer: Allan Stephen

Oh my gosh, how sweet was that?

{laughs} That took me by surprise. I wasn’t sure what was up with that.

Oh, it was good, and I hope you took it that way.

Yes, I did.

Ever since I started working with Hallmark, you’ve been so sweet to like things and retweet things. You’re consistent. I just see your name all the time. It’s like, “Hah, it’s Ruth Hill.” I thought that was sweet, and  I had no idea who you were. And so I thought, “You know what? I’m gonna have a Ruth Hill Appreciation Day.” You were supportive of me, so I thought I would support you.

I definitely took it the right way, and I can’t remember how many people I told about what you did that day. Those kinds of things don’t always happen. Sometimes I wonder if actors even notice when I’m supporting them. I’m never expecting that they know who I am. 

I don’t know why I chose to do it. It’s funny how you say you’re a Christian, so maybe it was a “God” thing. Your name always stood out, and your heart was always there. You were always sweet and supportive and encouraging. So I was like, “Yeah, I like her. She’s a good one.” I’ve never done it before, and I’ve never done it since. You’re the only appreciation day I’ve ever done. Which is funny how now we’re sitting here talking.

I just want to tell you I appreciated it, and I am grateful to you for that gesture. And you can count on me continuing to support you as I tend to get very invested in the careers of actors I support. 

That’s just awesome.

So we’ve got Pearl In Paradise this weekend. I know we fans are all hoping to see you in another Christmas movie. You’ve had these two big Christmas hits, so maybe Hallmark will put you in another one.

I have a feeling they might. No spoilers about anything yet because there’s nothing definite. But I have a good feeling that I will be a part of their Christmas line-up. And if I am, then we’ll have to talk again.

Definitely! And, Kristoffer, it’s so nice to finally get to talk with you. And now you’ll probably see my name pop up even more.

Ruth, thank you for taking your morning and spending it with me. I appreciate you having me on here and interviewing me. It’s an honor. And I hope that all the fans enjoy the movie this weekend!

Photo: Kristoffer Polaha Credit: Copyright 2018 Crown Media United States LLC/Photographer: Allan Stephen

To say that this chat with Kristoffer was amazing is the understatement of the century, and I am thoroughly beholden to him for the fact that he not only shares his talent so readily with the world, but he genuinely appreciates the efforts of his fans. If the thought ever crosses your mind that you are not making a difference in the lives of others, dear reader, please remember that appearances can be deceiving and assumptions are often wrong. My astounding interview with Kristoffer reminds me that it behooves us all to continually check our motivation when supporting others in their endeavors because I am fully convinced that selfless and unconditional support that doesn’t seek recognition of any kind should be the desire of everyone’s hearts. And then, to echo Kristoffer’s sentiment, all the rest is in God’s hands.  

One of the first things I ever noticed about Kristoffer is the somewhat unorthodox way in which his name is spelled, and that is one thing that has enabled me to always distinguish him from the numerous “Chrises” and “Christophers” in the world today. Something I recently ascertained is that his name means “bearing Christ,” and as one who regularly attaches significance to the definition of names, I am thrilled to the core. While Kristoffer may not be someone who preaches a traditional gospel message from a pulpit nor shouts it from the rooftops, he is one who is the absolute epitome of what his name represents. His professional and personal reputation within the business is one that speaks volumes, and instead of lecturing someone, he chooses to live his life according to the faith to which he ascribes. He is ever circumspect that everything he does within his life is bathed in benevolence, love, and unselfishness. In so doing, he has built a reputation that does more to proclaim the tenets of his faith than those who might go about things with less consideration and forbearance. Respect and humility radiate from his innermost being, and discovering that his authenticity transcends the screen is something that endears me to him even more.

I do hope that everyone will tune in tomorrow night (August 18th) to the Hallmark Channel for the next film in their Summer Nights series entitled Pearl In Paradise. Additionally, I invite everyone to check out all of his links listed below and be certain that you are following this exceptional artist in any way possible. There is no doubt in my mind that Kristoffer will continue to receive more offers and roles that will resonate with the fans while demonstrating his incredible capacity to infuse his essence into every diverse character entrusted to his prowess. Before he and I spoke, he was already one of my favorite Hallmark leading men, but following our conversation, I am euphoric for all his successes and will definitely follow his career even more closely than I have previously. And I absolutely hope that Hallmark does cast him in a Christmas film this year because I truly believe that it just can’t be Christmas on Hallmark without a new Christmas film featuring the impeccable talents of Kristoffer Polaha!

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