Benjamin Ayres just turned an every day observation into something his fans can all relate to.
The Hallmark star, best known for starring in popular romance and mystery films like “A Blue Ridge Mountain Christmas” and the “Chronicle Mysteries” series, as well as the “When Calls the Heart” prequel series “Hope Valley: 1874,” recently shared a surprisingly relatable observation: walking up an escalator that isn’t moving just feels…different.
Ayres shared the observation with his fans in a recent video on social media, in which he walks up an out-of-service escalator and attempts to explain why the experience somehow feels harder than walking up an ordinary flight of stairs. And judging by the comments, he may have stumbled upon a phenomenon that plenty of people have also experienced but never thought to put into words.
Ayres Shares a Theory About Broken Escalators With His Followers
“It’s just science,” Ayres wrote in the caption of his Sept. 4 Instagram reel, featuring a clip of him walking up an escalator that isn’t moving.
In the video, he admitted that he wasn’t quite sure how to explain the sensation, but he knew something felt off.
“I don’t know how to explain this or why this makes sense,” Ayres began. “But when you walk up an escalator that is out of service, somehow everything in my body just feels heavier, like it’s harder to do some how.”
It’s a simple observation, but apparently, Ayres wasn’t alone in feeling that way.
Fans quickly filled the comments with their own experiences, with several agreeing that walking up a stationary escalator can feel strangely disorienting:
“No this is so real, I also always feel like I get dizzy doing it. It just feels wrong on every level 😂.”
“I get that when I walk up an escalator or down one when they’re not working and if I look down at the steps, I get extremely dizzy in my mind play tricks on me as if it may or may not be working.”
“It feels different to walk up a broken escalator than it is to walk up a flight of stairs. By the way, that’s a nice bookstore. I spent almost two hours there last year when I was in Toronto for the Alumni Reunion.”
“Broken escalator phenomenon is an actual thing. Your mind expects movement so your body goes nuts.”
“Makes perfect sense to me Ben. It’s supposed to move!!”
“😂truth.”
Ayes Plays the Rugged Rancher Tom Moore Opposite Bethany Joy Lenz in ‘Hope Valley’
“Hope Valley: 1874,” premiered on Saturday, March 21 exclusively on Hallmark+.
This prequel series took viewers back in time to follow the early settlers of the community that will one day become the beloved frontier town of Hope Valley. Showcasing themes of perseverance and romance, “Hope Valley” explores the journey of a mother as she discovers a new chapter in her life as she helps forge what starts out as collection of isolated settlers into a small close-knit community during the rugged and hopeful Pioneer Era, according to the Hallmark Channel official website.
Joy Lenz portrays Rebecca Clarke, who travels from her home city of Chicago to the Western Canadian frontier with her 11-year-old-daughter. But when her wagon breaks down, she has no choice but to accept help from local rancher, Moore (Ayres). Despite Rebecca’s best intentions to remain unattached, the future she dreams of for her and her daughter along with the people she meets, including Moore and the pioneer woman Hattie Quinn (Hennessy), ultimately compel her to put down roots and make a fresh start.
Also starring in the series are Roan Curtis as Hattie’s daughter, Olivia, and Lachlan Quarmby as Constable Alexander Vaughn, one of the first members of the newly created Royal Canadian Mounted Police.
“Hope Valley: 1874” has officially been renewed for a second season by Hallmark+, with Season 2 set to premiere in 2027.
