Christmas may be many people’s first thought when they think of the Hallmark Channel, but there’s another holiday it does just as well: Valentine’s Day. From “A Valentine’s Match” to “Sweeter Than Chocolate,” Hallmark’s romantic films are the perfect way to celebrate Valentine’s Day.
“Love on the Amazon,” starring Jaicy Elliot and Rafael de la Fuente, is Hallmark’s latest film, debuting on January 17. Another perfect option to get ready for February 14 centers on Claire, a schoolteacher (Elliot), and Danny, a riverboat captain (de la Fuente). Claire hires him to take her into the Amazon rainforest to find her sister, and, as happens in Hallmark films, sparks fly.
In a recent interview, the two talked about their best Valentine’s Days, and why sometimes the most practical gift or evening is better than extravagance.
The Unbeatable Valentine’s Day Present Jaicy Elliot and Her Partner Shared
Elliot and her partner haven’t given each other Valentine’s Day gifts in four years. While some people would be upset about this, Elliot explained to “Fanboy Nation” that the gift she and her partner gave each other that year was the best gift of all.
“About four years ago, my partner and I signed our… we closed escrow on Valentine’s Day,” the “Romance in Style” star revealed. “So I think for the rest of our lives, that’ll be our only Valentine’s Gift. I don’t think we’ve done a gift since, because it’s like, that’s pretty, you know, I don’t think you can top that.”
Unfortunately, de la Fuente had a difficult time coming up with a memorable Valentine’s Day. “I can’t really remember anything too memorable or too original,” the “Letters to Santa” star admitted. “I think that things have been, you know, quite average.”
Elliot quickly jumped in to add her thoughts.
“Just for the record, I think sometimes average is also just good enough,” she said. “I think it’s hard to top everything all the time. And so I think dinner, a really solid conversation, and chocolate is okay.”
How Filming in the Rainforest Got A Little Too Real for Jaicy Elliot
While both Elliot and de la Fuente enjoyed their time filming in the Amazon, there were some surprises.
“There was moments where we, towards the end of the shoot, where we shot in, we stayed in the actual jungle,” Elliot explained. “And so we stayed in this really beautiful resort.”
However, the resort was still in the rainforest, surrounded by snakes, monkeys, birds, and iguanas. And for Elliot, tarantulas in her bed.
“You’re living with whatever’s around you,” she continued. “And so there were a couple of times where there were some big spiders that I wasn’t specifically really ready for.”
De la Fuente recalled having to deal with bugs, but there was one sweet moment that stuck with him more than the creepy crawlies.
“These tiny little wild monkeys came to say hi,” he remembered. “Like a group of tiny little marmosets came to say hi.”
“It was really, really, really beautiful,” he added.
