Hallmark Movies and Mysteries is known for making films that feature unlikely sleuths. In the Aurora Teagarden series, a timid librarian (played by Candace Cameron Bure) always solves the crime. In Mystery 101, a professor of literature (played by Jill Wagner) finds out whodunit.
In February, the network will premiere a new murder mystery in which a stylist figures out who killed the creator of a local beauty pageant.
“We decided to make our lead female a hairstylist in a beauty salon, and I liked that idea,” said Ryan McPartlin in a recent interview with Digital Journal.
McPartlin wrote, produced, and starred in the movie, playing a detective named Kyle Crawford. Actress Julie Gonzalo played Ali Bowden, a small-town beautician whose clients keep her informed of all the latest gossip.
Knowing everyone’s business comes in handy when the creator of the local beauty pageant is found dead, and everyone involved in the competition — including her sister — becomes a suspect. Bowden and Crawford work together to solve the crime.
A dream come true
In an Instagram post promoting the movie, McPartlin talked about how grateful he was to get the film made.
“This has been another passion project that was years in the making,” he wrote. “@heatherjnyc & I never gave up on this story that @jfilardi @waltbecker3 and I created until all the pieces fell into place.”
Born in Chicago, 47-year-old McPartlin had a few bit roles before landing the part of Hank Bennett on the soap opera Passions. He went on to star in several TV series, including Hart of Dixie, Devious Maids, and Chuck.
He’s also made movies for Hallmark Channel and Lifetime.
In Cut, Color, Murder, he will be reunited with his Passions co-star, Eva Tamargo, who played Pilar Lopez-Fitzgerald on the show.
“Eva and I go way back,” he said.
Fun on the set
McPartlin said he was glad he got the chance to act with Gonzalo.
“I just had the best time, and I loved the cast,” he said.
McPartlin says he plans on promoting the movie as much as possible on social media.
“I want the fans to have fun with ‘Cut, Color, Murder,’” he said. “I am already trying to figure out how to do a squares game in the same fashion that you do for the Super Bowl, so stay tuned for that.”
Cut, Color, Murder will premiere on Hallmark Movies and Mysteries on Sunday, February 6 at 9/8c.