Category: Interviews

  • Actor Nik Sanchez proves autism is no obstacle to success as he stars in new movie for Easterseals Disability Film Challenge

    Actor Nik Sanchez proves autism is no obstacle to success as he stars in new movie for Easterseals Disability Film Challenge

    Nik Sanchez has had a busy few years. The actor, who refers to himself as “awesomely autistic,” starred in a movie for Lifetime and an episode of the ABC series The Rookie. He also graduated high school with honors and started a bachelor’s degree.

    Recently Sanchez starred in a movie that will be featured in the Easterseals Disability Film Challenge. The competition, which is in its 10th year, showcases work by writers, actors, and crew members with disabilities.

    In “Safe Place,” Sanchez stars opposite Amber Patiño, who plays a young woman suffering from depression. Sanchez, whose character in the movie also has autism, is the one person she can rely on when her parents fighting and her urge to self-harm become too much to bear.

    Nik Sanchez

    Sanchez was diagnosed at a young age with autism and ADHD. His mother enrolled him in acting classes at the age of five because he enjoyed role-playing.

    “The instructor told me I wouldn’t do well because I had the attention span of a gnat,” Sanchez said.

    While accompanying his younger sister on a casting call, Nik was discovered by an agent. Soon after, he booked his first role as a recurring character on the ABC series The Rookie.

    The experience taught him a lot.

    “..I didn’t realize we’d have to do the scenes over and over and over again, because of the angles and the camera changes,” he said. “I gained a much higher respect for the actors.”

    Hallmark actress Holly Robinson Peete in the movie Our Christmas Journey (Image: Crown Media)

    Hallmark movie

    In 2021, Sanchez starred opposite Holly Robinson Peete and Lyriq Bent in the Hallmark movie Our Christmas Journey. He played the first character in a Hallmark movie to have autism.

    In an interview before the film premiered, he said he liked the script for Our Christmas Journey because it was an accurate portrayal of life with autism.

    “In real autistic families, everybody is affected,” he said. “Everybody plays a role and this movie really portrays that.”

    Easterseals Disability Film Challenge

    The Easterseals Disability Film Challenge was founded in 2013 by actor, comedian, producer, and disability advocate Nic Novicki in response to the under-representation of talent with disabilities both in front of and behind the camera.

    “I created the Easterseals Disability Film Challenge to help accelerate change within Hollywood and to provide filmmakers and actors with tangible work experience and with an opportunity to tell authentic stories. We are proud of the amazing films produced over the past 10 years—viewed around the world—and the successes our participants have gone on to achieve.”

    Since the Film Challenge was launched in 2013, aspiring filmmakers have created and submitted more than 500 short films (a record 95 last year) from nearly every state and from around the globe, including submissions from Austria, Canada, England, Egypt, Finland, France, Germany, India, Ireland, Timor Leste, and The Netherlands.

    During the Film Challenge, registered filmmakers are given five days to write and produce short films (three-to-five minutes), based on the year’s announced genre. Submitted films are judged in six award categories: Best Film, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Writer, Best Editor, and Best Awareness Campaign.

    Safe Place

    Sanchez was handpicked to star in Safe Place by the film’s writer, Jennifer Msumba. In an exclusive interview with TV Cheddar, Sanchez said he was impressed with not only her vision but also by the fact that she and the film’s director, Scott Klumb, were also on the autism spectrum.

    “It was really amazing for me to see other autistic adults living their lives and doing so well,” he said.

    Sanchez met his co-star, Amber Patiño, over a Zoom call. They hit it off immediately, he said.

    “She is a really good actress and an even better person,” he said.

    Taking part in the Film Challenge was an amazing experience, Sanchez said.

    “Especially after working on this project I would want people to know how capable we are of anything,” he said. “I also want to thank all the cast and crew for being so kind. It’s nice to not have to constantly think about my autism because I’m around people who don’t think my autism is a bad thing.
    I was just Nik, not the guy with autism.”

    Safe Place will premiere on Saturday, April 8 on the Easterseals Disability Film Challenge’s YouTube channel, which can be accessed here.

  • The Young and the Restless star Hunter King calls working with Hallmark a dream come true in exclusive interview with TV Cheddar

    The Young and the Restless star Hunter King calls working with Hallmark a dream come true in exclusive interview with TV Cheddar

    In an exclusive interview with TV Cheddar, The Young and the Restless star Hunter King talked about her latest movie for Hallmark Channel and how working with the network is a dream come true.

    “Hallmark movies have always been like an escape to me,” she said. “You can always count on them to make you smile and leave you feeling better than before you turned it on. I thought it would be cool to be able to make people feel the same way that I felt when I watched them.”

    The Professional Bridesmaid

    The Emmy Award-winning actress stars in the new romantic comedy The Professional Bridesmaid, which will premiere as part of Hallmark Channel’s Spring Into Love programming event.

    King plays Maggie Bailey, a woman who is so good at navigating the emotional and logistical hurdles of pulling off a wedding that she works as a professional bridesmaid.

    When the mayor hires her to work at his daughter’s high-profile wedding, Maggie takes on the challenge, knowing that she needs to keep her identity a secret. The whole situation becomes even more complicated when a handsome reporter (played by Chandler Massey) starts poking around looking for a scoop.

    Hunter King

    Hunter King got her start as a child actress. While starring on the Nickelodeon series Hollywood Heights, she was cast as Summer Newman on the soap opera The Young and The Restless.

    She was nominated for her first Emmy Award while she was still a tween. She took home the award for Outstanding Younger Actress in a Drama Series in both 2014 and 2015. In an interview with Soap Opera Digest, she said she keeps one of the awards in her bathroom.

    “It’s just a good conversation starter when people come over and they’re like, ‘Wait, what? An Emmy’s in the bathroom?’” she said.

    Hunter King and Rhiannon Fish will star in the new Hallmark movie Nikki & Nora: Sister Sleuths
    Hunter King and Rhiannon Fish in Nikki & Nora: Sister Sleuths (Image: Hallmark Media)

    Working with Hallmark

    In addition to starring on The Young and The Restless, King appeared on the CBS series Life in Pieces. In 2022, she starred in the Hallmark Channel movies Hidden Gems and A Royal Corgi Christmas, as well as the Hallmark Movies and Mysteries film Nikki & Nora: Sister Sleuths.

    King said she has wanted to work for Hallmark since she was a child.

    “Growing up, I would drive past Hallmark’s headquarters nearly every day and dream about getting the chance to be in one of their movies some day,” she said.

    Interview with TV Cheddar

    TVC: The concept for this film — a woman working as a professional bridesmaid — is fantastic. What was your reaction when you first read the script?

    HK: I loved the script as soon as I read it. It’s such a cute story and the chemistry between the characters was there on the page already. I love romantic comedies and this film felt like one of those. Even just reading it I couldn’t wait to see what happened at the end!

    TVC: Though Maggie is a pro at what she does, the wedding she is planning is under a lot of scrutiny. The stakes get even higher when a reporter (played by Chandler Massey) starts digging into her identity. Are there any particular moments you think viewers will find funny or memorable?

    HK: Some really funny beats happen with the Mayor’s assistant Thomas. Thomas is very protective of the Mayor so he’s always on edge around Maggie, basically warning her not to screw this up. There were definitely a couple takes where I couldn’t keep a straight face in some of those scenes. A really memorable moment happens when Thomas looks to Maggie for help so that Henry (the reporter) doesn’t corner the mayor for an interview. The scene that follows is one of my favorites. Let’s just say…Chandler is a really good dancer.

    Hunter King (far right) in the new Hallmark movie The Professional Bridesmaid. (Image: Hallmark Media)
    Hunter King (far right) in the new Hallmark movie The Professional Bridesmaid. (Image: Hallmark Media)

    TVC: What was it like working with Chandler Massey?

    HK: I absolutely loved getting to work with Chandler Massey. He’s just such a sweet human and a true gentleman. Chandler was so much fun to work with and would always come back with the funniest responses during rehearsals. I really hope we get to work together again in the future.

    TVC: You once mentioned that growing up you would drive past Hallmark headquarters and dream about being in a Hallmark movie someday. What was it about Hallmark that appealed to you? What is it like to have that dream come true?

    HK: Hallmark movies have always been like an escape to me. You can always count on them to make you smile and leave you feeling better than before you turned it on. I thought it would be cool to be able to make people feel the same way that I felt as when I watched them. To be a part of the Hallmark family really does feel like a dream. Your job is to make people laugh, smile, and feel good. What’s not to love about that?

    Hunter King and Chandler Massey in The Professional Bridesmaid. (Image: Hallmark Media)
    Hunter King and Chandler Massey in The Professional Bridesmaid. (Image: Hallmark Media)

    TVC: Um, weird question, but do you still keep one of your Emmy awards in the bathroom?

    HK: I do! Most of my guests have seen it before so they’re used to it now, but occasionally guests will walk out with it. And the first thing people always say is “This is way heavier than I thought.”

    TVC: Finally, what do you hope viewers take away from The Professional Bridesmaid?

    HK: I hope people watching can feel how much fun we had making this movie. The crew and the cast were all so much fun to work with and I hope people can feel that from us. Also, I think the movie is a great reminder that beautiful things can happen with you’re able to be vulnerable.

    The Professional Bridesmaid will premiere on Hallmark Channel on Saturday, April 8 at 8/7c.

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