Hallmark Heartbeats

This week, I got to chat with star Benjamin Ayres, star of Hallmark's newest movie Color My World with Love. This was the first Hallmark movie to feature actors with Down Syndrome. Ben plays Nick, Brad's friend and real estate developer. We talk about working with his costars Erica Durance, Lily Moore and David DeSanctis. We talk about the lessons he's learned from his costars and some behind the scenes secrets. This was a fun interview. It was very personal for me. I am disabled and have always advocated for movies that tell stories of the disabled community. I am planning on taking an indefinite break from podcasting. Thanks for your support.

This week I get to interview Natalie Hall, star of the newest Hallmark film "A Road Trip Romance." I am a huge fan of Natalie. I have been watching her since her All My Children days as Colby Chandler. But during this interview we concentrated on her Hallmark career. We talked about Winter Princess, her co-star Chris McNally, the ball gowns and tiaras, of course the wave. We also talked about my personal favorite Hallmark movie "You're Bacon Me Crazy". What it was like working with Michael Rady, cooking skills and more. And last but certainly not least we talked about A Road Trip Romance. Some behind the scenes adventures, what it was like working as a new mom and her costar Corey Sevier and more. May is AAPI month. On Instagram I have made collages highlighting actors of Asian and Pacific Islander descent. Check it out on Hallmarkheartbeats. I will also be posting videos on Tiktok that goes more in depth of each actor's heritage and their hallmark roles. Again the screenname there is hallmarkheartbeats. Join our newly minted Facebook group whose purpose is to highlight diversity and inclusion Hallmark Channel has taken. https://www.facebook.com/groups/421837762791433 Support the podcast and buy me a coffee. For $1 a month, you get early access to interviews and podcasts. https://www.buymeacoffee.com/hmarkheartbeats

This week, I review Hallmark Channel's newest movie Warming up to You starring Cindy Busby, Christopher Russell, Devon Alexander, Caitlyn Stryker and LaTonya Williams. Directed by Christie Will Wolf.

I had very low expectations with this movie. Between the fat shaming in the promos and the fat suit on Chris, I had a feeling I wasn't going to like it. But I gave it a try anyway.

Movie was ok. It was not the worst Hallmark movie of 2022. Still belongs to another Chris Russell movie "Where Your Heart Belongs".

I liked the chemistry between Chris and Cindy. This is their third movie together, so it has to be there. Lol.

The scenery was beautiful. and I can't believe they inserted a Bridgerton reference on a Hallmark movie. Like WHat?!?!

But I didn't like the ableism, fat shaming, "exercise cures everything even depression" which it doesn't. So much eek.

There were some awkwardness too in plenty of scenes. Like the play fighting and stuff.

I would like to see Cindy and Chris in other movies with costars they've never worked with before. I feel like between the scenery and the same cast, this felt like Chasing Waterfalls 2.

I would like to see Cindy work with Nathan Witte next. And Chris with Nikki DeLoach. I think giving both actors a different scene partner would be nice.

Gave it 2/5 stars.

May is AAPI month. On Instagram I have made collages highlighting actors of Asian and Pacific Islander descent. Check it out on Hallmarkheartbeats.

I will also be posting videos on Tiktok that goes more in depth of each actor's heritage and their hallmark roles. Again the screenname there is hallmarkheartbeats.

Join our newly minted Facebook group whose purpose is to highlight diversity and inclusion Hallmark Channel has taken.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/421837762791433

Support the podcast and buy me a coffee. For $1 a month, you get early access to interviews and podcasts.

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/hmarkheartbeats 

This week I review Hallmark Channel movie, Love Classified starring Melora Hardin, Katherine McNamara, Arienne Mendi and Max Lloyd Jones.

I believe this is the first Hallmark film to ever have the lead love storyline be a same sex couple and I love it. 

It is unique in that it showed sexuality is fluid. There is no need for labels. Love is also complicated. It is flawed. It's not always romantic or perfect or just for you. 

Is it like a typical Hallmark movie? No. But does it make it bad? No. It makes it different.

I gave it 3.5 out of five stars.

May is AAPI month. On Instagram I have made collages highlighting actors of Asian and Pacific Islander descent. Check it out on Hallmarkheartbeats.

I will also be posting videos on Tiktok that goes more in depth of each actor's heritage and their hallmark roles. Again the screenname there is hallmarkheartbeats.

Join our newly minted Facebook group whose purpose is to highlight diversity and inclusion Hallmark Channel has taken.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/421837762791433

Support the podcast and buy me a coffee. For $1 a month, you get early access to interviews and podcasts.

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/hmarkheartbeats 

This week I get to chat with actress Stephanie Moore who played the sneaky businesswoman Rachel in "A Tail of Love'.

We get to talk about her character's conniving traits, working with Brittany Bristow and Chris McNally and an almost car accident that happened on set. Lol

This was a fun interview. I honestly felt Rachel stole the movie. She was a fun villain for sure. lol.

Join our newly minted Facebook group whose purpose is to highlight diversity and inclusion Hallmark Channel has taken.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/421837762791433

Support the podcast and buy me a coffee. For $1 a month, you get early access to interviews and podcasts.

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/hmarkheartbeats 

This week, I reviewed the newest Hallmark Channel film titled "A Tail of Love" starring Brittany Bristow and Chris McNally.

I loved this movie. It was a simple plot with simple storylines with a great villain. And sometimes that's all you need (dogs help also lol.)

Join our newly minted Facebook group whose purpose is to highlight diversity and inclusion Hallmark Channel has taken.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/421837762791433

Support the podcast and buy me a coffee. For $1 a month, you get early access to interviews and podcasts.

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/hmarkheartbeats 

This week I had the privilege to chat with Brittany Bristow, star of the newest Hallmark film, A Tail of Love.

We talk about her previous roles in Hallmark movies like Love, Romance and Chocolate and Love on the Safari. We talk about her co-stars Chris McNally, Humberly Gonzalez, Moxie and more. We also talk about dogs, dogs, dogs. Lol.

She also shared some behind the scenes secrets with all the co-stars Brittany is newly engaged and also shared her wedding planning experience

Join our newly minted Facebook group whose purpose is to highlight diversity and inclusion Hallmark Channel has taken.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/421837762791433

Support the podcast and buy me a coffee. For $1 a month, you get early access to interviews and podcasts.

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/hmarkheartbeats 

Trigger Warning: Sexual Assault, Rape At the 18 minute mark is when we discuss Station 19, so you don't have to listen after that if you're just listening for Hallmark.

This week I had the privilege of interviewing Daniel DiTomasso, star of Hallmark's movie Welcome to Mama's and recent guest star of ABC hit Station 19.

We talked about his Italian heritage, his family history and how that influenced his taking the role of Frank in Welcome to Mama's. We also talk about what it was like working with Oscar and Emmy nominated actress Lorraine Bracco and Melanie Scrofano.

Daniel also guest starred on Station 19 as Jeremy. His character attempted to assault Andy, one of the firefighters.

Daniel opened up about his struggle with understanding Jeremy's reasons for the actions, working with Jaina Lee Ortiz and what he would like viewers to take from this episode arc.

Join our newly minted Facebook group whose purpose is to highlight diversity and inclusion Hallmark Channel has taken.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/421837762791433

Support the podcast and buy me a coffee. For $1 a month, you get early access to interviews and podcasts.

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/hmarkheartbeats  

This week, I had the privilege of interviewing the writer of Hallmark Channel's newest movie Love, Classified, Lynn Sternberger.

This is her first feature film she ever wrote, a project that was conceptualized in 2020, right before the pandemic hit. Lol. We talk about her thought process behind the film, how involved she was in the casting, and her response to the hate so far this movie has garnered due to its queer representation from Hallmark fans.

We also talk about our hopes for more representation and how it will affect future generations.

Join our newly minted Facebook group whose purpose is to highlight diversity and inclusion Hallmark Channel has taken.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/421837762791433

Support the podcast and buy me a coffee. For $1 a month, you get early access to interviews and podcasts.

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/hmarkheartbeats 

This week I reviewed the newest Hallmark Channel movie titled "A Royal Runaway Romance" starring Brant Daugherty and Philippa Northeast.

This is a royal Hallmark movie, a tried and true trope that has been done hundreds of times by Hallmark. But this is the best one because it brought something fresh and brand new.

Most Hallmark royal movies have a prince or princess in hiding, trying to blend in America, falls in love with a commoner who has no clue of their true identity while planning some big event, a party or dinner of some sort. Most royal Hallmark royal movies are stagnant, no one is really moving, no real adventure.

But with A Royal Runaway Romance, Hallmark has turned the tried and true trope on its head. Changed everything we expect from a royal film and turned on its head.

I LOVED IT. Need more of this.

Hallmark has been hitting homeruns the last two weeks with their movies. I can't wait to see more

Spring into Love movies

4/14 Interview with Lynn Sternberger, writer of Love Classified

4/18 Love, Classified Review

4/25 A Tail of Love Review

Every Thursday I will also be releasing When Calls the Heart episode reviews.

Join our newly minted Facebook group whose purpose is to highlight diversity and inclusion Hallmark Channel has taken.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/421837762791433

Support the podcast and buy me a coffee. For $1 a month, you get early access to interviews and podcasts.

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/hmarkheartbeats