As Hallmark fans know, the network only employs the best actors for their movies, and their loyalty extends far beyond the norm in today’s film/TV community. While I do my best to keep apprised of the various actors who are regularly featured in Hallmark projects, sometimes a few fall through the cracks, so to speak. Interestingly enough, I had been enjoying the work of Michael Rady for some time on both Hallmark and elsewhere, but strangely enough, I didn’t begin to connect the dots until last year. I had attempted to interview Michael in the past, but this time, everything fell into place, which couldn’t have been better timing. Earlier this week, I spoke with Michael about his career thus far, with a heavy focus on his Hallmark movies, and I am honored to share our chat in anticipation of his Hallmark/W Network premiere this weekend (April 4th), You’re Bacon Me Crazy.

Photo by Riker Brothers

RH: Michael, I want to thank you so much for your willingness to chat with me today. 

MR: My pleasure, Ruth. How are you doing during this time?

I am just fine, thank you. How about you?

You know, it’s honestly fine here. While we’re all concerned for the country and the world at this time and there is that concern about making money again at some point, I am keeping myself busy at home.  A lot of what we’re experiencing is business as usual here at our home. There’s never enough hours in the day here to do everything we want to. Springtime gardening, housework, three kids, teaching the kids…there’s still not enough hours in the day.

I actually understand that. It sounds like you are surrounded by your family, and I’m surrounded by my family. I think that makes a difference. I feel more for the people who are at home by themselves. I think that’s got to be hard. 

Oh, yes, for sure, it must be. I can’t imagine.

Timeless

I’ve been following your career for quite some time now, but I don’t think it clicked in who you were till last year. And just recently, I realized that you were on one of my favorite shows, Timeless!  I don’t know how I didn’t know since I watched every episode of that show.

I have quite a few fans there too. Hallmark fans and Timeless fans.

Oh, yes, I will never forget how the fans “saved” season two! So, Michael, how did you get started in acting?

Timeless

Well, I just grew up always watching musicals. Movie musicals like West Side Story and Hans Christian Anderson and Camelot and Fiddler On the Roof. I would perform those all over the house, and my parents quickly noticed that I was quite outgoing in that regard and would possibly or likely be interested in the performing arts. They continued to nudge me in that direction. I played took piano lessons. I was inclined towards all of those kinds of things. Instruments and singing and performing.

In high school, they dragged me–kicking and screaming–to my first audition for one of the productions there. It’s a very stressful thing your freshman year of high school to go in and audition for a bunch of people, and I wasn’t quite feeling it then. {laughs} I got cast, and the rest is history. Up until that point, I thought I would be a professional baseball player. But from then on, I was an actor. I only had eyes for acting.

I definitely get the whole musical thing. I was a music major in college. I grew up on some of those very musicals you mentioned. I was a music teacher for many years, and I directed musicals. 

Nice. Love that.

Photo by Signature Magazine

And I still have a love for musicals. My daughter, who is sixteen, she is my buddy when we go to musicals now. 

Aw, that’s fun. I can’t wait…oh, well, I can wait. I don’t need to rush that.

Exactly. It will come along fast enough. Then all of a sudden you’ll say, “Oh, they’re sixteen. How did that happen?” 

So, yeah, I can wait. I can wait.

Did you study acting in college?

Yes, I went to Temple University where I was a theater major. I met my wife while doing a show there. She was also a theater major. After I graduated from college, I wound up getting very close to booking a theater gig in London, but it didn’t happen. A very good casting director in New York called me personally and thanked me for my audition. He wanted to help me in any way he could, so he helped me get an agent. He called around to a bunch of agencies, and many were willing to sign me, and I picked one. A month later, I booked The Sisterhood Of the Traveling Pants, and that launched me into my professional career.

Sisterhood Of the Traveling Pants

And that is one movie I still haven’t seen. It’s been on my list for a while. I remember when it came out, but then I wasn’t sure if I wanted to read the book before watching the movie. But as of yet, I still haven’t watched it. I will one day. 

You have a sixteen-year-old daughter, so it sounds like this movie would be right up your alley.

Well, she’s actually more into sci-fi and anime, so this movie would probably not be her cup of tea. But it is on my list for sure.

No pressure. I am very thankful and happy to be a part of it.

{He was then interrupted by one of his kids, which I NEVER mind in these interviews. It always reminds me that these actors have a life outside of acting.}

Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants
© 2005 Dungaree Productions LLC.

I’ve got kids peeking in doors and trying to escape, but you can’t escape ’cause they want you every minute of every day!

{laughs} I totally get it!

But yes, I’m very grateful and thankful to have been a part of that movie. It’s a cult classic. The fans have only grown with me in that following from that series. I have a very warm spot in my heart for that movie series.

Right, you got to do the first one and the sequel as well.

Yes, I got to go to Santorini {Greece} twice. I spent a lot of time in Santorini.

Photo by Riker Brothers

Speaking of Hallmark, I hope you know you have a huge fan base with the network. Usually, your name is mentioned, and to be honest, some of the female fans practically lose their minds.

Wow, I don’t know anything about that.

Well, since I’m one of the administrators of a massive Hallmark Facebook group, I often see what all the fans really think. They may not say it publicly, but they come and say what they really think in this group.

Really? How big is this group?

Over fifty thousand.

Wow!!

Oh, yeah, it’s been around for many years, and I was honored that they brought me on as an administrator a couple of years ago. What I will say is that I don’t remember ever seeing anything negative concerning you. Your name is brought up and everybody just seems to love you. They think you’re fantastic, and they want to see more from you. 

Oh, I’m flattered. Thanks for passing that along. That’s a little feather in my cap.

I’m happy to pass it along. I mean, basically, the Hallmark fans are pretty amazing anyway. But it’s nice when they recognize talent like you. But I think it goes beyond that. They recognize that you are a great human being who comes across as being likable and authentic. I really think they appreciate that even more than your talent.

That’s great to hear, Ruth.

Katie Leclerc, Michael Rady Credit: Copyright 2013 Crown Media United States, LLC/Photographer: Larson & Talbert

I think your first Hallmark movie was Cloudy With A Chance of Love.

Yes, that was an acquisition. Cloudy With A Chance of Love was for sure the first one. It was not made by Hallmark originally. They acquired it from another production company. My first actual Hallmark production was Christmas In Homestead.

Oh, yes, I’m very familiar with that one.  Christmas In Homestead is a long-time fan favorite. I know whenever it gets replayed, people get excited about and talk about it. So how much did you know about Hallmark before you started making these movie with them? Did you know that they made so many movies each year?

No, not really. I just knew that my parents loved watching Hallmark movies.

Michael Nardelli, Taylor Cole, Aaron Nelson, Brandhyze Stanley, Michael Rady, Brooklyn Silzer Credit: Copyright 2016 Crown Media United States LLC/Photographer: Curtis Bonds Baker

I get that totally. I wasn’t into Hallmark movies initially because my dad watched them and loved them. And as a young adult, my thought was that if my dad loved them, they were intended for older people and not my thing. And now I’m all about Hallmark. With Christmas In Homestead, what was that filming experience like for you?

On set, it was the first of many great experiences for me. In terms of the people I got to work with, the people running the show. Steven Monroe was our director. I’ve since worked with him again. I only have wonderful things to say about him. He’s a wonderful man to work with.

with Steven Monroe

Taylor {Cole} was simply lovely to work with. She had already done a few Hallmark movies before that one, so she kinda showed me the ropes and shared her experiences and filled in some of the blanks for me in terms of what I was a part of now. Obviously, although I had worked with other studios and networks, I didn’t have another Hallmark movie to compare it with since this was my first official Hallmark movie. I mean, when we made Cloudy With A Chance of Love, we had no idea it would come to Hallmark. So I’d say it’s a similar experience. We were making a television movie, and we kept a similar pace when it came to the schedule.

What was shocking to me was…well, this was my first holiday film. I was completely amazed and almost in disbelief that we were gonna shoot a Christmas movie in late September/early October in the mountains of Georgia. It was just this scalding, sweltering Indian summer heat of Georgia, and we were gonna shoot a Christmas movie! I was a naysayer who kept asking, “How? We’re never gonna be able to do this!” It was certainly an experience of wearing three layers and a trench coat and carrying a stack of pies from this bakery into this little house we used for the mayor’s house. I remember sitting in this tiny, old house with small rooms and narrow hallways. The whole crew with cameras and everything were packed into this house, and everyone on the crew was wearing sandals. It looked as if people were going to Key West on vacation. That’s how they were dressed. And then we were all covered in sweaters and scarves and bulky coats. {laughs} That was an experience.

Michael Rady, Taylor Cole Credit: Copyright 2016 Crown Media United States LLC/Photographer: Michael Larsen

Oh, I’ve heard those stories. Christmas movies being made in the middle of the summer in triple-digit heat. 

I also remember a bit of chaos with the snow effect. One producer was in charge of all the snow effects, and he didn’t have a team to help him with it. Making everything come to life was a bit of a mess at times when we were filming it. It came out great. And Brooklyn {Rae Silzer}, who played my daughter, she was lovely.

Whenever I hear these stories…understand, I already have enormous respect for the film and TV industry, but these kinds of stories just make me respect you guys even more. I think the fans understand somewhat what it’s like on set, but all too often, they still have no idea what the cast and crew go through to make these movies. 

Oh, when we did Christmas At Pemberley Manor, that was another

Christmas At Pemberley Manor

special one. We filmed in Connecticut, where I live now. I had just bought a house and moved across country, and I got a job an hour north of where our house is. It was our first East Coast summer in thirteen years, and here I was doing another Christmas movie in summertime again. I know that I had watched it happen once already so I know it’s possible, but I still came in with the same degree of incredulousness because…I mean, there was no way!

Christmas At Pemberley Manor

Everything was lush and green, and you’re thinking that this is not possible. It couldn’t be more green and verdant here in New England during the summer. I remember one scene with a horse-drawn carriage, and the gnats and flies were just so thick! It felt like we were hours behind with this one scene because of the bugs that were flying into our eyes and our mouths in the middle of the scene. And then coming off of the horses, those bugs would fly right into our faces. And the sun was so bright, we couldn’t really open our eyes to look at each other.

Wow! Well, we never would have known. That was a fantastic movie. 

Michael Rady Credit: ©2018 Crown Media United States LLC/Photographer: Robert Clark

That’s great. I think the reason we felt so behind is that we couldn’t move on from that scene until we got a good take on it. When we got to that scene, we knew it wasn’t going to work if I was choking on a horsefly. Speaking of that movie, it has unbelievable staying power. My dad loves to keep me updated on when it is airing. It seems to be playing all the time. I think that movie plays the most out of all the Hallmark movies I’ve done.

It is definitely one that gets quite a bit of playtime. I think it also gets a lot of notice because it actually kicked off the Christmas season for Hallmark back in 2018 when it premiered. There’s usually something pretty special about the movies that kick of the Countdown to Christmas season for the network. And I remember it did really well for Hallmark as well. The ratings were excellent. 

I guess that’s right. It premiered some time around Halloween that year, didn’t it?

UnREAL

Yes, it did. Now, I wanted to be sure to mention that I also saw you in UnREAL. In fact, you and Natalie {Hall}, who I talked to yesterday, she was in that show too, but you were both in different seasons. 

Yes, Natalie!

She said to tell you “hi” and that she sends all her love to you.

Hi, Natalie!! She’s wonderful.

Originally, I started watching UnREAL because my friend, Brennan Elliott, was in it. 

I love Brennan. He is just something else, a very special guy. He is wonderful.

UnREAL Photo by Bettina Strauss

Oh, I agree. I know that UnREAL is very different from Hallmark, and the Hallmark fans don’t necessarily watch that show. I do, but I understand it’s not family-friendly, and I’m the only one in my house who enjoys it. But I enjoyed you on that show as well. I’m in the middle of watching Natalie’s season. Typically, my parents and I watch Hallmark together because we all agree on that.

That’s what Hallmark can be. Common ground and a nice bonding experience.

I will tell you that last year was when I finally discovered who you were. I have become very close to Nikki DeLoach over the past year or so, and she just raves about you every time we have an interview. She says she loves getting to work with you, and she thinks you’re so talented. 

Michael Rady, Nikki DeLoach, Max Lvutin, Michaela Russell, Zipp Credit: ©2019 Crown Media United States LLC/Photographer: Seth Johnson

Likewise! I truly cannot say enough good things about Nikki. She is truly the best. The best!

You made a couple of movies with her last year. And Michaela {Russell} was in them too. I got to interview her too. 

Oh, nice, I was just Facetiming her and her family the other night. I love them.

So your first movie with those two was Love To the Rescue. You had done Christmas movies with Hallmark, but this one was not a Christmas movie. And you had a dog.

Yes, we had a dog. Bruce, the dog. He was a nightmare! He was just terrible! {laughs}

{laughs} Oh, yeah, right. So had you met Nikki before that movie?

Michael Rady, Nikki DeLoach Credit: ©2019 Crown Media United States LLC/Photographer: Seth Johnson

No, I had never met her. I remember we met in the hair and makeup trailer the first time. We had mutual friends. We became quick friends because we are both parents with little ones, and I think we both have a similar work ethic. I could tell that she was gonna be great to work with right away, and I think she could tell I would be easy to work with too. It was synchronicity all around. Our director was Steven Monroe, who I worked with back on Christmas In Homestead. So there was this great familial effect that happens when you get to work with someone again. Nikki had also worked with Steven before. Things really congealed quickly, and a lovely working environment developed almost instantly because of past encounters. Our future director, Lesley {Demetriades}, shadowed Steven on Love To the Rescue. She went on to direct Two Turtle Doves a few months later. And Michaela…oh, Michaela. Michaela and Nikki…they’re just wonderful people. Wonderful people.

Nikki DeLoach, Michaela Russell, Max Lvutin, Michael Rady, Zipp Credit: ©2019 Crown Media United States LLC/Photographer: Seth Johnson

Well, I will tell you that in Love To the Rescue, your friendship and your chemistry came across perfectly. I would have thought you and Nikki had known each other forever. That movie was so much fun to watch. 

Thank you. I appreciate that.

You’re welcome. And then having you guys paired up again in Two Turtle Doves along with Michaela was just amazing. That movie is a very special one to me. I have talked to Nikki and the producer, Kevin Duda, about how that movie touched me. In fact, Kevin and I chatted right after he got back from filming A New Year’s Resolution with you, that movie that still hasn’t aired on Hallmark at this point. 

Oh, right.

A New Year’s Resolution

Yes, I talked to him right after you guys got done filming that one, and I was so excited to see it, and then it got pulled. 

Oh, yeah, that was a bummer. Who knows? It may someday see the light of day.

A New Year’s Resolution

I have a theory. I tend to think that because of the current crisis, Hallmark is going to be in a bit of a bind when it comes to Christmas movies this year. I realize this is a New Year’s movie, but still, Hallmark usually shows Christmas movies from the end of October through the first week or so of January. I think they’re gonna have a hard time getting all these movies made, so I think maybe they’ll be more willing to show it. That’s my opinion. And I will continue to respectfully ask that Hallmark does this for us. 

A New Year’s Resolution

Hey, I like that thought. It makes sense, right? They will be needing some content, so I really like that idea. I hope they do it.

That’s what I hope too. Hallmark already owns the movie. It’s still on their website, as a matter of fact. So, why not use the content you already own and show it? It stars you and Aimee Teegarden. It sounds like a winner to me. 

I’m all for it. I really like the idea.

Nikki DeLoach, Michael Rady Credit: ©2019 Crown Media United States LLC/Photographer: Steven Ackerman

But back to Two Turtle Doves, that movie was probably one of my all-time favorite Hallmark movies. I got so emotional watching it, and I really connected with the story. What struck me was the theme of making the most of the time you have and spending quality time with your loved ones. You never know if this might be their last Christmas. And when I was watching it, I realized that after this past Christmas season, my daughter only has one more Christmas before graduating from high school and going off to college. So the movie inspired me to truly make the most of the time I have left with her and make very special memories.

Aw, I really appreciate that. Thank you for sharing that. It’s a really dear, special movie to me as well.

Michael Rady, Nikki DeLoach, Michaela Russell Credit: ©2019 Crown Media United States LLC/Photographer: Steven Ackerman

What I will say is that you, Michael, have made very memorable movies over your Hallmark career. I know I didn’t mention Joyous Christmas, but that was another great movie that  I thoroughly enjoyed. But with each of your movies, you have created unforgettable characters and the storylines have been extraordinary as well. I can’t always say that for all Hallmark actors, in my opinion, but it’s definitely true in your case. So, you have a really fun movie coming up this weekend on the Hallmark Channel. 

Yes, You’re Bacon Me Crazy.

You know, the title alone makes us all think we’re gonna love it. So what can you tell us about your character and how he fits into the overall story?

Michael Rady, Natalie Hall Credit: ©2020 Crown Media United States LLC/Photographer: Hugh Tull

My character, Gabe, is newly arrived back in Portland, his hometown. He’s back in town for his little brother’s birthday party. He quickly stumbles upon Natalie’s character, who is running a food truck. Of course, he doesn’t share that he also runs a food truck. He eventually tells her, but because it’s such a big city, there’s not much competition between them. In fact, a bit of a romance happens between them until the big food truck competition comes along. As you can imagine, they both get involved and their romance quickly turns into competition.

Michael Rady Credit: ©2020 Crown Media United States LLC/Photographer: Hugh Tull

What I think we see in Gabe is a fellow who is running from things and still trying to heal from something in his past. His parents aren’t around anymore; it’s just him and his little brother. His brother is always campaigning to get him to move back to Portland instead of him just traveling the country looking for great food and interesting people. So there’s that pull on Gabe from his brother as well as some other kind of conflict. Whether it is this unresolved situation with the lady in charge of the competition–Norma Duncan–or whether it’s the wanderlust he has developed for the open road…whatever it is, when he meets Natalie’s character, he realizes that what he thought he wanted might be starting to shift.

Natalie Hall, Michael Rady Credit: ©2020 Crown Media United States LLC/Photographer: Hugh Tull

You filmed this in Vancouver, correct?

Yes, in February. The absolute worst time to shoot a movie there. Not the best weather.

I live in Washington state, so I am well aware of the weather in the Pacific Northwest. This past February was not the nicest of weather. I can imagine it wasn’t the best time to be outdoors. But this sounds like the perfect movie for our current crisis. So many of us are self-isolating at home, so it’s helpful to have a movie like this to look forward to. In fact, I do believe this is the first Hallmark movie I know of that is about food trucks.

I think you’re right.

Michael Rady, Natalie Hall Credit: ©2020 Crown Media United States LLC/Photographer: Hugh Tull

I’m sure people will correct me if I’m wrong, but I can’t think of any others. {Except I think maybe The Perfect Catch where she bought a food truck, but that was just an outgrowth of her restaurant to keep her “trendy.”} Usually, we’re dealing with bakeries and restaurants, so I think this will be fun. Now, I know you’re not filming anything right now, but do you have anything else upcoming that you can mention?

Well, it’s not Hallmark, but I did work on the show The Baker and the Beauty. It’s a new show coming on ABC. I think it airs sometime in April or May.

Michael Rady, Natalie Hall Credit: ©2020 Crown Media United States LLC/Photographer: Hugh Tull

That sounds familiar, come to think of it. I guess we’ll see when it actually comes to ABC. I know the schedule keeps changing due to the coronavirus situation. So what have you and your family been doing to keep yourself busy during this time?

Oh boy, well since I work in consolidated chunks throughout the year, I’m home quite a lot. We bought a house two years ago, and I always renovating or fixing up something. There’s always something to do. We put a giant garden in last year. We actually reorganized our garden, and we now have a permaculture-style food forest out there. We’ve been encouraged to do this even more in light of this current pandemic crisis. We’re really trying to build up that portion of our property. My oldest son is in first grade, and I teach him for two hours in the morning. We’re always baking things. We have a lot of dry things in bulk, and we are always working to turn that into edible food. Whether it’s beans for dinnertime or whatever, we might do a little preparation for that.

While this time of self-isolation and crisis is not the kind of thing anyone would want to go through willingly, we do see positives to the experience. I guess it’s the way you choose to look at things. We’re being forced to do these kinds of things where we do build up our garden and use what we have on hand for food. We’re thirteen-year vegans.

Michael & wife

Really? How ironic considering that you’re starring in You’re Bacon Me Crazy.

Yeah, true. Something I have just learned is this. We always would buy canned beans, but it’s not so easy to go out to the store and buy them. Now, I have to use dry beans. It’s actually pretty simple to do, but it took me thirteen years to figure it out.

We have seven acres here, and the kids always want to play. So we go walking out in the woods or go down by the creek or we’re walking the dog. We’re inside playing because it’s been raining a lot. I have yet to watch anything during this time. We have not turned the TV on. I have watched nothing. There’s hasn’t been a chance. I’m usually reading about gardens and planting and permaculture at nighttime if I’m not already asleep. Then working around here during the day.

So it sounds like you guys live out in the country.

We do. We’re out here in Connecticut, about an hour from New York. We have some room to stretch out here.

Well, it sounds like you’re making the best of what is a pretty bad situation with this current crisis. 

This pandemic is horrific. Don’t get me wrong. We wouldn’t wish this time upon anyone. But we are trying to use the time wisely to do things that need to get done. And we’re all together as a family, and that’s important.

I couldn’t agree with you more, Michael. And I just want to thank you for taking the time to chat with me.

Ruth, it is truly my pleasure. I appreciate you reaching out. I am so grateful to the fans. And I hope everyone will tune in this weekend for You’re Bacon Me Crazy.

Michael Rady Credit: ©2020 Crown Media United States LLC/Photographer: Hugh Tull

To say Michael is unlike anyone with whom I’ve ever had the pleasure to chat is a vast understatement that may be misconstrued without the proper caveats. Before chatting with him, I was aware of his on-screen work above all else, but I knew very little about who he is outside of those roles. As a result of our relaxed, informative conversation, I began to get the sense that Michael is one who can be described as a sort of  “Renaissance Man” whose talents extend far beyond that of the acting world. While that is his passion and he couldn’t dream of doing anything else for a living, he is a husband, a father, a handyman, a gardener, a teacher, a vegan…in so many ways, he has created an oasis for his family where they can escape the tumult of this world and fully enjoy each other and all that life has to offer. It is easy to become entangled with the news, the world of entertainment, popular culture, and more because we are regularly bombarded with such things when closely connected to the outside world. While there is nothing wrong with being a consumer of these cultural peripherals, it is also easy to lose sight of what is genuinely important in this world. And that is why I applaud Michael for all that he does in his life outside of film and television. His children aren’t spending hours a day on electronic devices; they are going out into nature and experiencing authentic interactions with the beauty and grandeur of the world as led by two grounded parents. Because of his efforts, I respect Michael and how his family has chosen to live. It is a rare thing in “Hollywood” to witness such dedication to a simpler way of life, and while I am not saying that I am going to immediately alter my life to mirror his, he definitely has given me plenty of issues to ponder.

When it comes to acting, no one could ask for a better champion than Michael. He has no inflated ego whatsoever, and he consistently details the redeeming qualities about those with whom he had the opportunity to work. I appreciate his not sugarcoating the on-set experiences (no one really thinks it is fun to wear heavy clothes when filming a Christmas movie amid the summer heat) because it gave me the confidence that the overwhelmingly positive experiences he persisted in recounting were indubitably accurate. Moreover, the enthusiasm with which Michael related all his film adventures reminded me of a child at Christmas who is utterly dazzled by everything and couldn’t describe it fully due to the inefficiency of human language. Yes, he has not lost his wonder nor his boyish charm in that respect, and it came across brilliantly in our engaging chat.

I hope that everyone is making plans to watch You’re Bacon Me Crazy, which will premiere on Saturday, April 4th on both the Hallmark Channel and the W Network. While you are awaiting the delightful escapades of both lead actors in this film, I would invite you to visit Michael’s links below and consider following him where applicable. Now, don’t expect Michael to be one who routinely posts on social media. In truth, that would be out of character unless his sole focus was keeping his fans updated. But you never know when he might come on, even momentarily, to share a picture, a thought, or an update, and you don’t want to be the one to miss it! I am deeply grateful to Michael for being willing to chat with me, and I cannot thank his team enough for working as promptly as they did to set up our interview. There is no doubt in my mind that Michael is one of the most exceptional Hallmark stars in existence today (and whenever he appears on another network, you can trust that will be marvelous as well), and I can hardly wait to see what the future brings for this unassuming, dashingly handsome, genuinely gifted man!

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