That is the second a part of our interview with Andrew Walker.
We chatted with him prematurely of Candy Autumn, which closed out the Fall Harvest sequence on Hallmark Channel and for Christmas Tree Lane, the primary Miracles of Christmas film, airing this Saturday.
Ensure you try the primary a part of our interview with Andrew, should you missed it, and settle in and luxuriate in our first discuss Christmas for the season!
Let’s discuss your first Miracles of Christmas film, Christmas Tree Lane. Are you able to inform us just a little bit in regards to the film and your character, Nate?
Positive. Christmas Tree Lane is your quintessential Hallmark film. It has an enormous developer planning on coming in to take over the little man, and Alicia Witt’s character is placing on a profit live performance to avoid wasting this block of companies that her household’s been part of for 40, 50 years, a music retailer owned by her household.
And so, with that sort of quintessential Christmas story, Alicia’s integrated her music into that. So that is what actually stands out for me or what is going to stand out for viewers for this film, simply seeing Alicia’s authentic music and the way gifted she is on the piano and vocals.
And in addition for me, it was nostalgic as a result of I grew up in an enormous musical household. All our holidays had been based mostly round music. So it should be an awesome story. One thing acquainted to folks, however with an added bonus of getting the music integrated.
My character, Nate, and I mentioned this in a earlier interview, it is sort of a type of issues the place it is fascinating enjoying a personality that you just really feel is just a little much like you and the issues that I attempt to enhance on myself as a result of I am all the time busy. I am all the time doing one thing, and it takes lots for me to sit down in my stew in no matter my points may very well be that day or the month.
And so, I fill my time with simply tasks. And I really feel like Nate was similar to me in that regard. And after I considered Nate, I used to be like, “Wow, that is fascinating, as a result of Nate is so busy.” He is making an attempt to appease lots of people, together with his father.
He is caught between Alicia’s character’s music retailer and the historical past and in addition falling in love with this woman. He is shortly realizing that he has to drop this information to her, that his father goes to be taking up or growing the companies in that space.
It was nearly like remedy in a means, the place I attempted to enhance on myself as I used to be engaged on this character. And in addition, it was the primary undertaking again after COVID.
So I feel we had been all sort of going by way of some kind of transition or simply issues that we had been processing, popping out of COVID and having this chance to work and to have our masks off and to sort of stay a considerably regular life in a means, to get again to work and what we had been doing months earlier than.
I felt so honored that I used to be capable of be the primary particular person again with Alicia on this film.
So was it any completely different? I imply, clearly, it is completely different. However I imply, the environment, did it change in any respect, the making of the film, or simply the manufacturing of the film?
Yeah. You already know what? Exterior of individuals having masks on and being just a little bit extra respectful of distance, no. I imply, everybody was simply getting again to work. And I feel the one huge distinction was how grateful folks had been.
I feel that that is the optimistic which have actually come from COVID, that folks which have the chance to get again to doing what they had been doing earlier than have a way of gratitude. And that is sort of what was the world of the film was. The mannequin of the film was simply gratitude.
You and Alicia have each have executed a whole lot of Hallmark motion pictures. What was it like being two seasoned vets and getting collectively in your motion pictures for the primary time?
Effectively, I like that about Hallmark. And a whole lot of the followers, they love seeing the chemistry between folks, and so they have these concepts of like, “Oh, nicely, put this particular person with that particular person. I’m wondering what that is going to prove like.” And it is humorous and enjoyable, as a result of finally, the tales all finish the identical means, however sort of the way you get there may be all the time completely different.
Clearly, I have been very conscious of Alicia’s profession. I feel she’s an exceptional actress. I did not even understand how gifted of a musician she was. So to have the chance to play alongside her on this film was an actual deal with.
She’s so versatile. And I feel what was so cool about working with Alicia too, is that she and I, we improved a pair scenes. We threw away the strains a pair occasions, and we knew the place the scene needed to go as a result of we had simply executed little tweaks right here and there.
However typically, the through-line or that one through-line of the story might have modified, or you have not touched on it in a sure scene the place you’re feeling like you need to remind the viewers of this very outstanding a part of the story in a scene.
So we simply knew in a few scenes, that we needed to like convey up a subject or do a callback on one thing. We each knew this, and we each trusted one another in the place we’ll go along with it.
And Alicia was additionally an govt producer on this film. So I simply tried to convey my A recreation and make her really feel like she selected the fitting man for the function.
Everyone all the time says that Hallmark is so respectful of all people and their craft. And it is so good to listen to that you just get that leeway with two individuals who have executed this so many occasions and know so nicely the way it goes, to only be capable to make these little tweaks. That is actually spectacular.
It is actually superb. I feel that is additionally what quenches my yearning for creativity after I’m doing these Hallmark motion pictures as a result of it is not simply an act. I am not simply coming at it from an actor’s perspective. I am coming at it from a producer, director and actor, author’s perspective, regardless that I’ve by no means had an curiosity to direct and even write for that matter.
However when I’m leaping in these tasks, I wish to make it one of the best undertaking it may presumably be. And I feel Hallmark now, after, I suppose, 21 motion pictures that I’ve executed with them, trusts my and a whole lot of the feminine actresses that they proceed to rent to come back in and provides their enter.
Yeah, it is superior. Whereas one other community simply would not. You already know? So I actually admire that.
Are there any motion pictures that you’ve got executed prior to now that you’d like to revisit?
I had a two-episode arc on When Calls the Coronary heart, and I performed a personality named Billy Hamilton, and I liked that character a lot.
I had a lot enjoyable with him. Initially, I had examined for identical to just a few weeks earlier than I obtained supplied to come back up and play Billy Hamilton. I examined for the Mountie, and Daniel ended up getting the function.
I obtained a name afterwards from one of many producers. And he mentioned, “Hey, Andrew, I liked your audition. We undoubtedly wish to have you ever on the present. Would you wish to come up and play a nasty man, simply coming into city and sort of ruffling some feathers?” And I mentioned, “Yeah, I would love that.”
So I had no concept what the character was going to ivolve. And after I obtained the script, I had this concept in my head, he is sort of like a Invoice the Butcher kind man.
And so, I attempted to vary the cadence of my voice just a little bit. I grew a mustache. I used to be allowed to maintain the mustache. I had the boiler hat. I liked sporting that old-world clothes and simply that character was a lot enjoyable to me.
I might like to revisit and sort of hone in just a little bit extra the main points of him. As a result of booked it, after which I used to be on digital camera possibly three, 4 days after I booked the function and did two episodes. After which I used to be executed with him. And I feel a whole lot of followers had been executed with him as nicely, as a result of they known as me, “The skunk.”
However I might like to get a possibility to come back again and play Billy Hamilton once more. That’d be a whole lot of enjoyable. And one other character, I feel, another TV exhibits? No, I feel Billy’s sort of one among these that’s actually on the forefront of any individual I would wish to revisit, for positive, revisit and refine.
And is there anyone inside the Hallmark expertise pool that you’d like to share the display with that you have not had the chance but?
Yeah, Candace Cameron Bure. I would like to play alongside her. I do know we have chatted. We speak frequently, by way of textual content message and social media and stuff. And so, she’d be a whole lot of enjoyable, I feel, to play reverse.
Jen Lilley and Autumn Reeser. I feel these three, for positive, are standouts for me.
And simply on a private word. What are you most wanting ahead to as we roll into the vacation season throughout this quite unusual yr?
I am wanting ahead to spending time with my household, my speedy household. I am going again to Montreal till the vacations with my household.
We have by no means had the chance to spend that a lot time again there. And so, simply spend time with my speedy household. I feel that is one thing that I feel lots of people have actually realized the significance of throughout this robust yr. So household is the whole lot.
I already talked about firstly of this interview that I contemplate you one among TV’s boyfriends. So folks most likely think about they know you fairly nicely. What’s one thing that folks do not learn about you which may shock them?
It is fascinating. I have been requested this earlier than and my reply most likely modifications each time. I’m any individual who, I am as a lot of an extrovert as I could also be, I like being alone. I like my alone time.
I am into meditation and yoga. I feel folks would possibly know that of me now. I do submit about my leaving yoga courses right here and there, however even my pals, my closest pals, would say, “Oh, Andrew’s an extrovert. He loves being round folks.”
However actually, I do admire simply being by myself lots as nicely. And I feel that it actually rung true after I did my 14-day quarantine in Canada, simply earlier than Candy Autumn. Persons are like, “Are you severe? Fourteen days by your self? What are you going to do?”
And it was the best. I had FaceTime with my spouse and youngsters, however I actually was at peace. I used to be actually at peace with that alone time and myself, and I suppose it is good. I take pleasure in my very own firm. I am all the time trying to higher myself, whether or not it’s by way of meditation or yoga or simply studying and educating myself on completely different topics.
So simply considerably of an introvert and wish to consistently higher myself. And I like these non secular sort of methods of doing it by way of meditation, yoga.
And clearly, I am not a really non secular particular person, however I imagine in God, and I all the time return to that increased energy, and reminding me that I am not in full management of my life. There’s a increased energy that’s in command of mine and my household’s lives. I feel it is simply the one tangible factor that now we have on the earth of intangibles.
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Spending our holidays with Hallmark and Andrew Walker is without doubt one of the issues we love about this time of yr, so remember to catch Andrew and Alicia Witt on Hallmark Films and Mysteries for Christmas Tree Lane.
And we’ll have an interview with Alicia on Saturday, so do not stray too removed from TV Fanatic for all the most recent!
Carissa Pavlica is the managing editor and a employees author and critic for TV Fanatic. She’s a member of the Critic’s Choice Association, enjoys mentoring writers, cats, and passionately discussing the nuances of tv and movie. Comply with her on Twitter and e mail her right here at TV Fanatic.