Andrew Walker is reflecting on the one lesson he’s taking away from his upcoming film, “Kentucky Roses.”
Ahead of the premiere, the Hallmark actor opened up about what the project taught him, specifically through his character’s journey into unexpected love, adding that the story’s romantic arc carries a broader message about life. Walker also shared that working on the film reinforced an important standard for him as a performer, especially when it came to collaborating with his co-star, Odette Annable, who makes her Hallmark debut in the film.
Walker Praises His ‘Kentucky Roses’ Co-star Annable
Hallmark“It taught me that I never want to work with an actress that is a lesser caliber than Odette. She set the bar high!” Walker told Digital Journal during his April 27 interview when asked about the lessons he learned from the “Kentucky Roses” screenplay. “In this movie, my character Ash finds love when he least expects it, and I think he is stepping out of his comfort zone.”
Walker continued, “I think we need to open and available to these things happening in our lives, and this is a lesson that we can all learn from.”
Also in the interview, Walker said that he was “the lucky one” to get to work with Annable. “Hallmark has been trying to get Odette in so many of their movies, and it just so happened that it fell on the ‘Kentucky Roses’ film,” he told the outlet.
Walker isn’t the only one praising his co-star. Annable has been just as enthusiastic about getting to work opposite the “Three Wise Men and a Baby” star.
“We made a pretty sweet movie called Kentucky Roses- and shot it at the iconic @churchilldowns,” Annable wrote in the caption of an April 29 Instagram post. “It premieres in 3 days on DERBY DAY at 8pm on @hallmarkchannel I hope you enjoy watching it as much as we enjoyed making it!”
She went on to give a heartfelt nod to Walker. “Thank you @awalkk35 for being a wonderful lead, co-star and for having your hand in making it all happen.”
All About the Upcoming Film ‘Kentucky Roses’
The film is about “a greenhouse worker (Annable) and the son of Churchill Downs’ CEO (Walker) form an unlikely pair, coming together to save the Kentucky Derby rose blanket and uncovering a generational love story along the way,” per the official synopsis on Hallmark Channel.
The cast also includes Ally Ledford, Peyton Meyer, Brynn Thayer, and Gregg Henry.
When asked if he had a message for his fans, Walker told Digital Journal that “their support has been incredible” and “the movie hasn’t even aired yet.”
“Kentucky Roses” was shot at Churchill Downs, home of the Kentucky Derby. Walker called this iconic location “one of the most beautiful buildings” that he’s ever seen. He added, “It really is stunning.”
“We’ve shot in so many areas of that building, and we kept on saying that this is a grown-up version of a Hallmark movie with the backdrop of the iconic Churchill Downs,” Walker said.
The film will be premiering on Hallmark Channel on Saturday, May 2 at 8 p.m. ET, the same day as the 2026 Kentucky Derby, which is famously held the first Saturday in May every year at Churchill Downs.
