Amy Acker had so much fun making her latest Hallmark Christmas movie that it left her in tears on more than one occasion.
“One day, we pretty much got in trouble because we could not stop laughing,” Acker said during an interview on the Hallmarkies Podcast.
Crashing Through the Snow will debut on Hallmark Channel on July 10 at 9/8c, the only original movie to air this year during the network’s annual Christmas in July event.
Acker stars as Maggie, an accident-prone divorcee who agrees to spend Christmas with her ex-husband and his perfect new girlfriend, Kate. When Kate’s brother turns up unexpectedly, the hijinks begin, as he teams up with Maggie to ruin his sister’s picture-perfect plans.
“There are all these really funny moments already written in,” Acker said. “And lots of pratfalls and super awkward situations that are really fun.”
This is the third Hallmark Christmas movie Acker has performed in. Her first was Dear Santa, a 2011 movie directed by Jason Priestley about a wealthy woman who learns how to give to others thanks to the spirit of Christmas.
A Nutcracker Christmas
In 2016, she starred in A Nutcracker Christmas, which required her to tap into her lifelong love of dance.
“They were like, ‘You do ballet,’ and I’m like, ‘Yeah,’” Acker said, thinking of her childhood lessons.
When she found out the producers wanted her en pointe and dancing with professionals, she realized she needed to up her ballet game. So she worked with a coach, practicing five hours a day in the weeks leading up to filming.
In the movie, she partnered with Sascha Radetsky, who had performed as a soloist with American Ballet Theater.
“There were a couple of scenes where I was like, ‘I’m never going to be good,’” Acker said. “Sascha was like, ‘Amy, I’ve literally been dancing every day of my life for forty years. It’s okay.’”
From Angel to Alias
A native of Dallas, Acker got her start on the TV series Angel, a spinoff of Joss Whedon’s Buffy the Vampire Slayer. She played Winnifred “Fred” Burkle from Seasons 2 through 5 on the series. She then joined the cast of Alias, starring Jennifer Garner, for its final season.
When she got her first Hallmark role, it was a big departure, Acker said.
“My mom was really excited that I wasn’t killing somebody,” she said.
Like other artists who have worked for the network, Acker said she loves Hallmark because they make movies no one else does anymore.
“You used to get to watch these kinds of movies in the theater,” she said. “Now it’s rare that you get to see a romcom anywhere but Hallmark.”
Crashing Through the Snow will debut on Hallmark Channel on July 10 at 9/8c.
How on earth does this article fail to mention Amy’s most prominent role in a prestige show – Person of Interest? Where they changed her role from guest to permanent cast in one season?