While it’s no secret that Hallmark Channel has experienced great success by branching out into TV series such as “When Calls the Heart” and “The Way Home,” its movies that remain Hallmark’s bread and butter.
Among the actors who’ve starred in both Hallmark movies and TV series is Benjamin Ayres. In fact, Ayres has starred in well over a dozen Hallmark features, and has also appeared in Hallmark mystery franchises, the series “Mistletoe Mysteries” and Hallmark+ series “Hope Valley: 1874.”
Beyond the world of Hallmark, he’s starred in Canadian medical drama “Saving Hope,” and appeared in TV series ranging from “Suits” to “The Good Doctor” to “The Kids in the Hall” reboot series. In short, television experience is something which Ayres is certainly not lacking.
Movies vs. Series
Ayres was part of a recent Hallmark Channel panel hosted by the Television Critics Association, where he was asked about his differing experiences in series vs. movies.
“I mean, I can speak to that, having now been on the channel for almost 10 years, that I really enjoy the reset of a movie each time,” he explained.
“And I was on a series for a long time before and I really enjoyed getting to, you know, over 85 episodes, tell that story with that character and discover the character with the writers and have the influence on it,” he continued, referring to “Saving Hope,” which ran for five seasons in Ayres’ native Canada‚ while the first season was aired on NBC.
That said, Ayres’ admitted he also enjoyed the challenge of playing a completely different character for a shorter period of time in a Hallmark movie. “And then getting to go do a movie and reset each time and really try to find something within yourself that you connect with and bring a true vulnerability to different characters was a challenge and fun,” Ayres added.
‘One Long Television Series’
Now that he’s once again a series regular, he appreciates that as well.
“But now I’m blessed enough to get to go back and do a series again, which has been great because I did really miss it,” Ayres said. “And there’s something very unique and special as an actor to get the process of slowly telling the story as opposed to wrapping it up over three weeks. And I think that’s what’s so special about everybody that’s up here and just, you know, all of the actors on this network, is that I think of these movies even as episodes.”
He explained his theory, stating, “It’s like it’s almost one long television series and it’s like an anthology, and it’s a really special feeling getting to be on a TV series ’cause you really get to build that family and that’s kind of what we’re doing, but we’re making movies and it doesn’t really exist outside of this network at all, the experience we’re having.”
Gratitude for the Experience
Whether it’s a movie or a series, Ayres is just thankful that he’s doing it with Hallmark Channel.
“And we’re all so, and I know because we’ve all had different conversations about it, so grateful to get to do this experience and make these movies that doesn’t really exist outside of Hallmark Channel,” he shared.
“So we’re all just so lucky to get to do that in all aspects, whether it be the movie or the TV series,” he concluded. “That’s all I got to say about that.”
