Last fall, I was immensely intrigued and entertained by the original “Fall Harvest” film, October Kiss, that premiered on the Hallmark network. I will admit that I knew very little about the lead actress, Ashley Williams, but I never forgot her. Imagine my surprise when I found myself reading a poignant blog post a short while ago that was written by that very same actress. And not only did I discover that she is the star of the upcoming Hallmark film Love On a Limb, but in that same evening, I made a connection I never had. Kimberly Williams is her sister! {I’m a huge fan of hers and her husband’s!) I asked this particularly busy lady for an interview right away, and thankfully, she generously agreed to answer a variety of questions about her Hallmark work, her aspirations within the entertainment industry, and even a few words about her outlook on women in general.

RH: What inspired you to become an actress?  What kind of training have you had?

AW: When I was growing up, my next door neighbor was a soap actress– Anna Holbrook. She was, and will always be, my hero. I loved watching her on Another World and listening to her laugh and laugh as she talked about playing an absolute nut and how much fun it was.  Getting to play for a living felt like the ultimate goal in life.  In hindsight, I realize now that Anna is a person who wins at positivity and having fun no matter what she’s doing.  I’m lucky she wasn’t an accountant because she would have made that look like a party.  I would have made a terrible accountant!

I went to Boston University for theatre training and studied at Lamda and Rada in London for a year. I’ve also been in weekly acting class since I graduated from college.  If I could take a class all day– improv, scene study, voice and speech, I would.  I’m a forever student.

 As you got an early start with soap operas–As the World Turns–would this be something you would ever like to go back to regularly? Why or why not?  

I’d do a soap again in a heartbeat.  As a mom, there’s no greater gift than a steady gig, and I love the storytelling in soaps.  It would also fulfill my lifelong dream of being Anna Holbrook, so that’s a no brainer.  🙂

Are there plans to make any more Snow films? Why do you think there is such a fan reception of those films?

I would love to do another Snow film.  Tom Cavanagh says he’s in, but we’re tied up because ABC Family has shifted to Freeform, and they’re not doing as many original movies.  I have a GREAT idea for the triquel, though.  If anyone has any ideas about how to get it made, let me know! The legend of Sandy Claus must continue!!

I think we all love a reconception of an old idea.  Turning the traditional Santa Claus narrative on its head was such a joyful story to tell.  And listen, Tom Cavenaugh was able to morph into this reincarnation of Jimmy Stewart in these movies.  The idea of Santa as an energetic, handsome, charming and goofy young man is undeniably compelling. We must make more!

Photo (Left to Right): Ashley Williams, Hannah Cheramy, Sam Jaeger, Kiefer O’Reilly Credit: Copyright 2015 Crown Media United States, LLC/Photographer: Bettina Strauss

Do you and your sister Kimberly ever plan on doing a project together at some point? Elaborate if possible. 

We are… Shhhhh… Working on something right now! Stay tuned!

In October Kiss, how much input did you have on the character of Poppy? Many of us fans felt that you played the part so effortlessly that she seemed like an extension of you.

Oh, so sweet! Thank you! The writers, Erik Patterson and Jessica Scott, were old friends, so they knew my voice very well.  Hallmark is also awesome about listening to creative ideas from actors, so my input was welcomed by them.  Thank you for watching!

In Love on a Limb,  what can we expect from your character and your leading man? What was it like working with Marilu Henner? What was the on-set filming experience like? 

As executive producer, I worked hard to make sure that my character, Aimie Roark , and my love interest, played by the stunning Trevor Donavan, had a really organic, natural and real connection.  Our scenes were so much fun, and we laughed a lot and were very, very silly on and off camera.  You’re going to get a kick out of it! And the one and only Marilu Henner! What a legend.  Her memory is for real! We played a game where I’d ask crew members what day they were born, and she would say what she did that day. Really helped long days go by! I love Marilu and can talk to her for hours.  We got so lucky with this cast!

 In general, what do you like about working for Hallmark?  Would you consider doing other seasonal films/mystery films, etc with them? 

I love Hallmark! We are in such a sad time of hatred, racism, war and violence, and I have very strong feelings and positions on those things, but I think it’s important to also find joy in a day.  One way to do that is to turn on a Hallmark movie and watch someone’s dreams come true. It’s a very specific genre that makes way more sense to me than a mystery. Ever since I became I mother, I get supremely scared by movies.  Never say never, but I simply can’t see myself in a mystery! I prefer an environmentalist romance like Love on a Limb!

Any other upcoming works you can mention? 

I just had the best time shooting an episode of the final season of Girls on HBO.  Watching Lena Dunham act and direct at the same time was such an honor!

Any plans to someday do some writing and/or directing? 

Watching Lena was definitely inspiring… And as I said, my big sister and I are working on some stuff right now.  Keep an eye out!

On a personal note, your recent blog post about your miscarriage was one of the bravest posts I’ve seen in recent times from women in the industry.  I have heard about how you’ve helped so many with your story,  and I for one salute you and respect you highly. Did you realize how impactful your story would be for so many women? Why do you think women are still hesitant to share about issues like this that so many women share in common all over the world? 

Wow, I so appreciate you bringing this up.  Thank you for reading! I think us women are each other’s best cheerleaders, so it’s often hard for us to admit to each other when we feel weak. I can only speak for myself, but my miscarriage flattened my pride.  I think I have always thought of myself as a supremely female being, and I didn’t realize it was connected to procreation that until my body couldn’t maintain the pregnancy and I felt like a failure. And I’m still working it out in my brain, by the way.  I knew it wasn’t my fault, but I still have moments when I feel broken, even today.  The ONLY thing that helps this feeling is talking about it with other women and hearing their stories. I can objectively see that they are kick ass even though they miscarried, and it helps me to get there for myself. I’m feeling a thousand times better since publishing the piece and reading the hundreds of stories heroic women have shared with me.  Women are the BEST.  Including you, Ruth! Thanks so much for the support for Love on a Limb!

Does a smile get come from anyone more vibrant and vivacious than the stunning, talented, and strong Ashley Williams? Well, I think she may be the paragon of individuality, stamina, and jocularity in the industry, but maybe that’s just because I so thoroughly enjoy her as an actress and as a person.  However, in Ashley’s case, I believe the only people who may be perturbed by her is those who prefer actresses who present a facade to the public as opposed to their genuine persona. In everything Ashley does, she consistently emits an aura of authenticity replete with a flair that can only be described as uniquely hers. She never seeks to offend nor to malign others. On the contrary, she yearns to annihilate ridiculous walls and to open wide the lines of communication between people all around this gyrating ball that more than seven billion people call home. Ashley is on a mission to entertain, inspire, and share her love of life with as many who will listen and respond to her message in a favorable manner. Furthermore, in light of her phenomenal article provoked by a sincerely painful event in her life, she is endeavoring to open the lines of communication to women who have experienced so much in their lives that they just don’t want to talk about. Although I have never experienced a miscarriage, her post was eye-opening for me and resonated with me on an intensely deep level as stories of verbal and physical abuse assaulted my brain and heart with memories that I had long since cast aside. Though I have worked through much of the anguish those events produced, there is a certain shame that women universally experience that is associated with what science likes to call “female issues.” In a simple but profound way, Ashley has flung wide the floodgates for innumerable women to share their stories in a non-threateneing environment, and for that I hail her as modern-day champion and pioneer for what truly matters to women. Due to her humility, she may not realize the amazing and lasting impact she has had, but in addition to her undeniable skill in the world of the arts, she is a quiet leader in the realm of women’s issues as well. Be sure that you follow her below at all the links listed as she is one of the most pragmatic and candid actresses you will ever find in this world of artificial appendages and counterfeit talent. In addition to that, do not forget to tune your TV to the Hallmark Channel tonight (October 1) for the premiere of Ashley’s film Love on a Limb as there is no doubt this will be a sensationally sweet and irrefutably fun film for the entire family.

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Ashley’s Article: “I Need To Talk About My Miscarriage”

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