Last year, I was thoroughly enraptured with every aspect of the Hallmark production of Switched For Christmas the moment I heard the premise, and indeed, Candace Cameron Bure did NOT disappoint in her role. Moreover, this is where I first saw Mark Deklin (or at least when I first realized I saw him), and I was quite impressed with his effortless acting and debonair style. This year, Hallmark viewers will see him again in tonight’s (11/18) premiere of Christmas In Evergreen: Letter To Santa, and he was kind enough to do a quick interview in anticipation of this movie that is sure to become a new holiday classic!
Mark Deklin Credit: ©2018 Crown Media United States LLC/Photographer: Brendan Meadows
RH: What inspired you to become an actor?
MD: I’m a storyteller. Always have been. Whether it’s with my kids, or through my writing, or my music…stories are how I process the world. I think they’re how all human beings process the world, really. And while it’s absolutely crucial that we draw clear distinctions between fiction and non-fiction, fiction doesn’t automatically have to equal falsehood. “Acting isn’t lying,” David Mamet once wrote, “Bad acting is lying, but good acting is telling the truth under imaginary circumstances.” (Or as Picasso put it, “All art is a lie, but it is a lie through which we discover Truth.”)
In any case, the other part of the equation, for me, is that I’ve always enjoyed figuring out how things work, and what makes people tick. So I suppose acting is really the marriage of my inner storyteller and my inner (amateur) psychologist.
Before seeing you on Hallmark, I honestly was not familiar with your work. What are some of your most well-known non-Hallmark works and why do those particular ones stand out?
I’ve been doing this for a long time now, and I’ve had the privilege of playing a number of uniquely fun and challenging roles, from Macbeth to Mark Twain and everything in between. But you honestly can’t predict the things that people will remember you for. I probably get recognized most often for Desperate Housewives and Devious Maids. People had a LOT of feelings for and about Nick, my character on Devious Maids. Or sometimes they know me from Sex & the City, or they spot me as “The Subaru Guy” from a commercial campaign I did a number of years back. And, of course, there’s Jack Bowman — the smug, slimy, scheming senator I played on Designated Survivor. Every now and then someone will just stare at me for a while, their gaze penetrating my beard to the hypothetically clean-shaven face underneath, and then suddenly the light bulb goes off and they’ll say, with both fascination and revulsion, “You’re…BOWMAN.”
I did happen to see you on Designated Survivor. What was so special about that show? Is there any possibility that we will see you since Netflix has now picked the show up for another season?
It was such a cool and clever setup for a series, based on a very real (and somewhat obscure) concept in American governance. With a great star in Kiefer Sutherland. And a truly explosive pilot — no pun intended.
I have no idea what direction the new series will head in, but there are many, many interesting possibilities. At one point, there had been some talk about Bowman running against Kirkman for President, but I have no idea if that’s a storyline they’ll pursue. If they were to ask, though, I’d be delighted to come back and stir things up again. We’ll see.
I believe Switched For Christmas was your first Hallmark movie. What was most memorable about that experience?
Candace Cameron Bure; Mark Deklin Credit: Copyright 2017 Crown Media United States LLC/Photographer: Jeremy lee
Switched was my first Christmas movie for Hallmark (although I did do a non-holiday movie with them a few years back called The Wish List). Switched was an absolutely wonderful experience — the cast, the crew, the director, the location…truly, everyone from the execs to the production coordinator to the travel coordinator to my driver, everyone was so good to me, and to my family. And to be honest, the whole thing left me hoping that Hallmark would ask me back for another one again this year. And I’m thrilled that they did.
Were you aware of the impact of Hallmark Christmas movies before working on one? Why do you think Hallmark continues to experience such unprecedented growth as a network?
Mark Deklin; Candace Cameron Bure Credit: Copyright 2017 Crown Media United States LLC/Photographer: jeremy lee
I had NO IDEA. None. It’s incredible — people love these movies. Seriously, I had no idea. The Countdown to Christmas is an undeniable phenomenon. A juggernaut of joy. And it makes sense, when you think about it. In a world where we’re constantly bombarded with bad news, with stories of people being cruel & unkind to one another, is it any wonder that there’s a hunger out there for good news? For childhood nostalgia? For stories in which people are actually — gasp — kind to one another? Stories that offer a vision of peace and love and happiness and hope? It makes perfect sense to me. And that’s what Hallmark consistently delivers.
We are about to see you in Christmas in Evergreen: Letter To Santa. Were you familiar with this movie series before joining the cast? What can you tell us about your character in relation to the storyline? Any special memories from this shoot?
Jill Wagner, Mark Deklin Credit: ©2018 Crown Media United States LLC/Photographer: David Owen Strongman
I wasn’t familiar with the original, but I quickly got myself caught up when the offer for this one came in. It’s a delightful concept — and a great spine, in the form of the (magical?) red truck and the town as a whole. In our movie, I play Kevin, a contractor who grew up in Evergreen, but who’s now something of a globe-trotting wanderer, having lost his way a bit after his mom’s death years earlier. For the past few years Kevin’s been coming back to Evergreen to spend Christmas with his dad, but unfortunately, their relationship is somewhat strained. He’s been borrowing his childhood friend Allie’s (Ashley Williams) red truck to help his dad deliver Christmas trees (which is a funny coincidence, because in real life I have a side business installing gardens, and I’ve been driving around with a variety of evergreens in the back of my pickup truck for the past month or so).
Jill Wagner, Mark Deklin Credit: ©2018 Crown Media United States LLC/Photographer: David Owen Strongman
Suddenly, into town comes Lisa (Jill Wagner), who just happens to be in need of a contractor…and boom, there I am. Together, we set out to restore Daisy’s General Store, the communal heart of Evergreen, which has fallen into disrepair since Daisy died. And thus the seeds of romance and redemption are planted…
We had so much fun shooting this movie. On any shoot, I can always find something nice to say about my co-stars, but in this case, it’s really, really easy. In fact, I can honestly say that Jill is one of my all-time favorite people I’ve ever worked with — smart, funny, easygoing, hardworking, engaging (and did I mention funny?) — and we laughed non-stop during filming, even on the hardest days. In fact, even more so on the hardest days.
Mark Deklin Credit: ©2018 Crown Media United States LLC/Photographer: David Owen Strongman
Holly {Robinson Peete}, Barbara {Niven}, Andrew {Francis}, Rukiya {Bernard}, Colin {Lawrence}, Ashley, Malcolm {Kazadi}…the entire cast and crew formed a really tight bond over the course of this production, led by our fantastic director Sean McNamara.
Any other upcoming works you can mention?
I actually just wrapped re-shoots for a pilot called The Code — a smart, savvy Naval legal drama. I don’t know how much I’m at liberty to say, but I can tell you that it gets pretty intense at times, in a “You can’t handle the truth!” kind of way. Great cast, and I really, really enjoyed working on it.
Any special Christmas family traditions that you would like to share?
In our house, we celebrate both Hanukkah and Christmas, so the whole month of December is basically one big, raucous carnival. It’s a very fun time of year for us. But there are some traditions that are quietly touching, that bring us right back to our own respective childhoods. I know my wife always gets a little misty when we light the menorah. Personally, the Yule Log is (and always has been) one of my favorites. And we have this tradition where I cut off a small branch of the tree for each of the kids — they thank the old year and thank the tree, make a wish for the coming new year, and then throw their branch onto the fire, where it’s instantly consumed in a chorus of pops and crackles. Very satisfying. I’m pretty sure my dad made that tradition up, but I love it, and I’m keeping it alive. And as you might guess, it involves a lot of storytelling.
Even though I am a relatively new fan of Mark’s, I must affirm that our brief interview thoroughly impressed me and made me even more favorably disposed to appreciate Mark and his exceptional talent. In fact, as I reviewed his answers, I was rather enchanted by his academic vocabulary, and I felt like my IQ was rising quickly by just reading his responses! I do believe that Hallmark has added a choice and upstanding gentleman to their retinue of actors who possesses intelligence, talent, charm, humility, and, of course, impeccable good looks. I tend to think that the network will continue to utilize him in some of their most popular holiday (and otherwise) films, and I can hardly wait to discover more of his amazing works. There is no doubt that he is swiftly advancing to my short list of preferred Hallmark leading men, and I wouldn’t be surprised to discover that a myriad of fans share my complimentary opinion.
If you are in the U.S., I invite you to tune in tonight (November 18th) to the Hallmark Channel for the premiere of Christmas In Evergreen: Letters to Santa. And thankfully, the Canadian premiere is not too far behind–December 9th on the W Network. Additionally, I encourage everyone to check out Mark’s links below and consider following him where applicable. There is nothing I enjoy more than highlighting authentic people like Mark, who continue to hone their craft and are unfailingly appreciative for every opportunity they are given in this life to share their passion for storytelling with the viewers. In the case of Mark, I don’t believe Hallmark could find a more suitable person to represent the all-encompassing “Hallmark leading man,” and I can scarcely wait to see what will be on the horizon for Mark in the new year and beyond!
FOLLOW MARK
Christmas In Evergreen: Letters To Santa Cast
Jill Wagner, Mark Deklin Credit: ©2018 Crown Media United States LLC/Photographer: Brendan Meadows
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1 Comment
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Nice interview. I’ve been watching Mark’s acting for years, and I remember him in a Hallmark movie many years ago, The Wish List.
