Hallmark star Brendan Penny recently revealed his favorite scenes from the hit series Chesapeake Shores. In an interview with a British news site, Penny talked about how important the first season was in developing his character Kevin O’Brien.
“Some of my favorite moments were in the first season when I’m kind of blown up and I’m in the hospital bed in my house and I’m all messed up,” Penny said
Brendan Penny
Penny has talked before about his first season on the series, which premiered in 2016 on Hallmark Channel.
In the show, he played Kevin O’Brien, a war veteran who returns to his small hometown in Maryland following a tour of duty. He stays with his father (played by Treat Williams) and his grandmother (played by Dianne Ladd), while he attempts to overcome the physical and emotional toll military service has taken on him.
“A lot of people were saying how it helped them communicate a little bit better with some of their loved ones,” he said. “It was really nice.”
Chesapeake Shores
Based on a series of books by author Sherryl Woods, Chesapeake Shores starred Meghan Ory as a single mother who returns home to her large Irish family following a divorce. She is immediately thrown back into the drama of her large family and she reconnects with ex-boyfriend Trace Riley, who was played by Jesse Metcalfe.
Her siblings were played by Penny, Emilie Ullerup, Laci Mailey, and Andrew Francis. The series ran for six seasons on Hallmark before being canceled last year.
Working with Hallmark
Brendan Penny rose to fame playing Detective Brian Lucas in Motive, a Canadian crime drama that also starred Kristin Lehman, Louis Ferreira, and Lauren Holly. He had roles in Smallville, Supernatural, Whistler, and Blade: The Series.
He made his Hallmark debut in the 2014 movie Along Came a Nanny. Since then he has starred in A Dash of Love, Magical Christmas Ornaments, Pride, Prejudice, and Mistletoe, Easter Under Wraps, The Secret Ingredient, Beverly Hills Wedding, and ’Tis The Season for Love.
“I’ll do Hallmark movies for the rest of my life if they let me,” he said in a 2017 interview with TV Goodness. “It’s always some of the nicest people you could ever meet. Everybody is there to have a good time and do a good job and to make something that makes people feel good. I laughed so completely on every single one of those movies.”
Janel Parrish calls Hallmark’s new mystery high stakes and exciting
In an exclusive interview with TV Cheddar, actress and singer Janel Parrish called Hallmark’s new mystery high stakes and exciting.
“You meet and fall in love with these characters, and when one of them is in trouble and there’s a ticking clock, you can’t stop watching unless you know it’s all going to be okay,” she said.
Family History Mysteries: Buried Past is a brand new mystery that stars Parrish and her fellow Hallmark veteran Niall Matter. The movie features a twist on the typical “whodunit” formula employed by most cozy mysteries. Instead of trying to solve a murder, Parrish’s character, genealogist Sophie McClaren, must keep a man from dying by tracking down his biological father. The result is a race-against-the-clock thriller with filled with suspense and surprises.
Janel Parrish in Hallmark’s new mystery
A native of Hawaii, Parrish became enamored with musical theater at the age of 6 after seeing a production of The Phantom of the Opera at the Neal S. Blaisdell Center in Honolulu. She started piano, singing, and dancing lessons and was soon a regular on the talent show circuit.
Within two years she had booked the role of Young Cosette in the National Touring Company production of Les Misérables, a role she also played at the Imperial Theatre on Broadway.
In 1999 she booked her first television role on the series Baywatch. She starred in several movies for the Disney Channel and in the Nickelodeon series Zoey 101 before being cast as Mona Vanderwaal in the show Pretty Little Liars. In 2007, she was signed to Geffen Records and produced her first solo album.
Hallmark Connection
Parrish made her Hallmark debut in the 2020 Christmas drama Holly & Ivy. In an interview to promote the movie, she said her mother was thrilled that she was working with Hallmark.
“My mom is Hallmark Christmas movies’ No. 1 fan,” she told Entertainment Tonight. “It’s on all day, every day, no matter what we’re doing. She’d always ask me, ‘When are you going to do one?’ I’d said, ‘Whenever they call me, I will do one.’ So she’s over the moon about me doing this movie.”
She also starred in the 2021 Countdown to Christmas movie Coyote Christmas alongside Ryan Paevey.
Exclusive interview
In a recent interview with TV Cheddar (woot woot!), Parrish talked about her new movie, her love of musical theater, and her fascinating hobby: aerial silks.
TVC: Family History Mysteries puts an interesting twist on the typical Hallmark mystery: Instead of solving a murder, your character, Sophie McClaren, is trying to prevent a man’s death. How does this add to the suspense in the story?
JP: Yes! I think it ups the stakes. You meet and fall in love with these characters, and when one of them is in trouble and there’s a ticking clock, you can’t stop watching unless you know it’s all going to be okay. I love that this film is so character and relationship driven. This one is so heartfelt and I think ultimately that’s what’s gonna keep the audiences on the edge of their seat.
TVC: What drew you to the character of Sophie? What do you think audiences will like about her?
JP: Sophie is BRILLIANT. She thinks outside of the box and trusts her instincts…she never takes no for an answer which makes her very endearing. She loves fiercely and would do anything for the people she loves. I also think fans will love her own personal mystery of where she came from and will love going on that self-discovery journey with her.
TVC: You mentioned in a previous interview that your mother is a big Hallmark fan. What do you think makes Hallmark movies so appealing to audiences?
JP: Hallmark never lets you down. With Hallmark, you know you’ll always get a feel-good ending with characters you’ll fall in love with. But it’s true…no one is a bigger Hallmarkie than my mom!
TVC: Completely off-topic but you have a really cool hobby: aerial silks. How did you get started? What do you like about it?
JP: Yes! After Dancing With The Stars, I needed a fun way to keep moving. I fell in love with the art of it, and then realized what an amazing core and upper body workout it is! Now it’s like my church…it feels like meditating and is so calming and a wonderful outlet for me.
TVC: You got your start in musical theater. Any plans to do any live theater in the near future?
JP: Yes, I’ll forever be a broadway baby! I love returning to the stage whenever I can! I may have something fun in the pipeline…stay tuned! 😉
Family History Mysteries: Buried Past will premiere on Hallmark Movies and Mysteries on Sunday, January 8 at 7/6c.
Alexa and Carlos PenaVega: ‘Hallmark has become a second home for our family’
Calling Hallmark “a second home for our family,” Alexa and Carlos PenaVega announced that they have signed a deal to star in and produce multiple films for Hallmark Media.
In a joint statement to Deadline, the couple said Hallmark has been wonderful to work with.
“Over the last four years,” they said, “they have given us opportunities to grow as actors and producers all while raising our children, even if it means having the family on set!”
“Alexa and Carlos PenaVega have become an important part of the Hallmark family over the years and we couldn’t be happier to extend our partnership with them,” said Lisa Hamilton Daly, executive vice president of programming at Hallmark Media. “Whether starring together or headlining their own movies, the energy, creativity and passion they bring to each project is infectious and we can’t wait to see what lies ahead.”
Alexa and Carlos Pena Vega
Both Alexa and Carlos got their start in show business as children. Alexa made her debut as Carmen Cortez in the Spy Kid movie franchise in 2001. She went on to guest star on TV shows such as Unsupervised and Royal Pains and appeared in the movies Hairspray, Broken Hill, and The Devil’s Carnival.
Carlos starred in the Nickelodeon series Big Time Rush. He released his first solo album in 2014.
The pair met at a Bible study group and were married in 2014. They have three children together: Ocean King PenaVega, Kingston James PenaVega, and Rio Rey PenaVega.
They have published two books with HarperCollins Christian Publishing. What If Love is the Point: Living For Jesus in a Self-Consumed World was released in June 2022. Ocean’s World: An Island Tale of Discovery and Adventure was released in October 2022.
Hallmark movies
Alexa starred in the Hallmark movies Destination Wedding, Christmas Made to Order, and Taking a Shot at Love. Carlos headlined A Midnight Kiss. The two co-starred in Enchanted Christmas (2017), Love at Sea (2018), and Love in the Limelight (2022). They also appeared together in Hallmark’s Picture Perfect Mysteries, which the network recently canceled.
In a joint statement, the couple said they have enjoyed their work with Hallmark.
“Developing projects alongside them has been a highlight of our careers thus far. We are thrilled to be able to continue creating content that is family friendly and current while maintaining its core values that we love so much. Hallmark is special and we are looking forward to many more projects together.”