Viewers gained the lottery when Paul Campbell took his first position in a Hallmark film.
His specific model of attraction and wit ensures his starring roles turn into on the spot classics.
Having by no means met him earlier than and with nice expectations, I am glad to report that he deserves his time within the highlight.
As our dialog started, we exchanged pleasantries. As Paul had by no means been to Pittsburgh, the place I reside, I mentioned what I assumed would possibly enchantment to him — that many TV and film productions now movie right here.
Paul’s from Vancouver, so he is no stranger to movie manufacturing. “I like anyplace that there is filming,” he stated. “Nonetheless, I see the film vans; I drive round, it would not matter the place I’m, I simply get excited. I am like, ‘Oh, that is a film. I like films.’ That is my life.”
He is definitely a busy man, so he is chosen the precise career. He is additionally a humorous man, and our dialog started with laughter, which is at all times an ideal solution to start.
“I simply actually like what I do,” Paul stated after I complimented him on his work and fascinating persona. “I actually like what I do. And I attempt to carry a way of enjoyable. That is form of my factor. I simply need to carry a way of enjoyable.
“Kind of the sense of enjoyable that I’ve making films, I attempt to carry that to the characters. Simply present it on digicam. That is my entire factor, simply have enjoyable.”
Paul did not got down to be an actor. From a really younger age, he wished to be a carpenter and even did that for just a few years after he graduated from highschool, by no means considering past his chosen career.
“I used to be constructing homes in Vancouver, and I simply acquired bored with working within the rain. So at some point I spoke to a buddy of mine who was performing some background work on an enormous function movie right here. And he stated, ‘Oh, I am having a lot enjoyable,” and he was making extra money than I used to be.
“And he is like, ‘It is best to come and do some background work.’ So I took an performing class, considering that you simply wanted to have an performing class to do some background work. And I simply fell in love with it. And I went to theater faculty after which simply out of the gate simply began working.”
It could have been an unconventional path to the leisure enterprise, however Paul’s common outlook on life is “I can do something I need to do till any person says, ‘Hey, you should not be doing that anymore.'”
And since no one has stopped him, he simply retains doing it. “It is working for me. Possibly not for everyone, nevertheless it’s working for me.”
When Paul acquired his first Hallmark position, he was residing in Los Angeles however had returned to Vancouver for work when the audition for Winter Wonderland got here by way of.
“I used to be going to do a collection in Toronto that began capturing on the finish of April. And I had this audition come up for a Hallmark film. And I had by no means actually auditioned for them earlier than, and I learn the script, and I used to be like, ‘Oh, that is actually nice. That is actually enjoyable. I might love to do that if I can sneak it in earlier than I’m going.’
“The timing simply labored out, and I acquired the job, and I used to be hooked. I had three of probably the most pleasing weeks on set that I feel I might ever had. And I used to be like, ‘Can I simply do all of those now?’ And that was it.”
Paul’s second film, Stunned by Love, got here from the Window Wonderland writers Tippi and Neal Dobrofsky. They’re prolific Hallmark writers and have such fantastic dialogue. Who, actually, I’ve modeled lots of my very own writing after. Simply being so impressed by what they did with character and dialogue.
“And I used to be hooked. I did two, and I used to be like, “Signal me up for every thing. I simply need to do all of them.” Window Wonderland stays one in every of my favourite vacation Hallmark films nearly a decade after its launch. It is one in every of Paul’s favorites and his mother’s too. “I feel it was actually distinctive for the time, the tone of it, every thing.
“It was only a beautiful story, and it was enjoyable, and it was romantic, and it was heartfelt. It had all of the items, and it simply labored. It was a kind of tasks that simply completely labored on each degree.”
Paul has additionally been producing and writing films for Hallmark. As a producer on Solar, Sand & Romance, he acquired his first style of writing, too.
“After I bought the thought to Hallmark since I hadn’t written something for them, they weren’t desirous about hiring me on as a author. However as a result of I had bought the thought, they gave me a producing credit score,” he stated.
“However then, as we acquired nearer and nearer to capturing, the writers had performed an amazing job, however they simply hadn’t discovered the voice. I had a really particular concept in thoughts of the voice that I wished for that character. And I stated, ‘Hey, can I simply take the script and do dialogue? Can I write dialogue?’
“They usually stated, ‘Positive.’ So I simply wrote dialogue, and it labored out very well. I feel that gave me a bit of credibility internally on the community. After which I bought Moriah’s Lighthouse a pair years later.”
Moriah’s Lighthouse was lastly produced this yr, however within the meantime, he’d additionally written one other film with Kimberly Sustad once they labored collectively on A Godwink Christmas.
“She had an concept for Christmas by Starlight. She’s like, ‘I’ve this concept for a film. And I stated, ‘That is actually cool. Let’s write it.’ And so we did. We simply wrote it and confirmed Hallmark the script. They usually stated, ‘That is actually good. We need to make this.’ And that was the way it launched every thing, actually.”
Paul and Kimberly wrote and starred in Christmas by Starlight, however he is not at all times performing in films he creates. “I’ve not acted in my very own film since Starlight. That was a very attention-grabbing expertise as a result of it is onerous to take off your hat as a author.
“You’ve got spent six months, or a yr, envisioning this world and listening to these strains, and nothing ever performs out in actual life, in entrance of the digicam, precisely as the best way the writers envisioned it.
“And it was an attention-grabbing course of to type of go, ‘Oh, I simply need to be an actor right here. I am unable to overanalyze. I am unable to overthink these strains.’ After all, I nonetheless did. However there was an actual pleasure in it; I knew all of the strains. I knew once I acquired to set on that film I did not have to review my strains as soon as, I simply knew them.”
That film was written particularly for Paul and Kimberly of their voices, however Paul also can see the advantage of one other actor bringing his work to life.
[Sometimes], you write a script [like Unexpected Christmas], and Tyler Hynes takes it, and also you go, ‘Oh, that is a very completely different take than I had in my head, nevertheless it’s fantastic.’ I really like watching different actors take the phrases and do one thing completely surprising, no pun meant.
“So I assume I like to carry out in my very own films. I really like handy them off to different individuals. I simply love the method basically. So I am fairly glad to do it nevertheless it finally ends up on display screen.”
As Moriah’s Lighthouse was nonetheless contemporary in my thoughts, I famous that I might have imagined a completely completely different film if Luke Macfarlane, who can get good and goofy when vital, hadn’t performed the position. It seems that Paul had written the position for himself, however the timing did not work out for him to behave in it.
Paul stated, “I do not understand how he does it; this extremely good-looking, put-together man throws on a goofy smile, and also you go, ‘Oh, you are a goof.’ He is a goof.
“And it is so humorous to see him simply fall into that position. I do not understand how he does it, however he actually, and it is so disarming to see him smile that massive goofy grin. And also you go, ‘Oh yeah, it is excellent. That is precisely what we wanted.'”
After I shared my favourite scene of the film, which discovered Macfarlane’s character seemingly happening a scenic island bicycle tour solely to be teamed with racers, Paul laughed. “I am unable to consider they let that line keep the place, I feel it is the German or the opposite man who goes, ‘This man goes to die.’
“I identical to the, ‘Hey, out for a enjoyable journey. Hey guys, might be enjoyable.’ ‘What’s he sporting?’ ‘This man goes to die.’ I am unable to consider they by no means lower it. Yeah, ‘This man goes to die.’ Actually humorous. I imply the surroundings in that film, on daily basis simply turned out superbly.”
Relationship the Delaneys is extra conventional fare for Paul, who jumped on the likelihood to work along with his earlier co-star, Rachel Boston. “I learn the script, and I cherished it. And I assumed it was actually charming. And I simply instantly noticed why that they had chosen me for that position.
“I used to be like, ‘Oh, I haven’t got to do something to carry this man to life. I do know precisely who this man is.” And that was it. It could not have been simpler to get entangled in that one or to say sure.”
Within the case of Relationship the Delaneys, Paul stated that working with Rachel earlier than labored effectively because the characters share a historical past, giving them a well-known, easy-going relationship. “They’re pals, and so they’re so relaxed round one another.
“And one of many nice issues about this specific story is all of that type of angsty [stuff], the arrogance points, am I ever going to seek out love? Do I select my profession? Do I’ve house in my life to like?
“All of these issues that trigger interior turmoil, that we see in lots of these love tales, that simply did not exist on this script as a result of these characters are coming collectively later in life.
“They’re already settled. They’ve every thing discovered. Now they’re simply searching for that lacking piece, and so they’re actually comfy of their pores and skin, and so they know one another.
“So, yeah, having labored collectively previously is vastly advantageous as a result of you have already got a shorthand, and we already understand how one another works. And you’re simply comfy. You’ve gotten that type of pleasant relationship proper off the bat.”
Hallmark has been increasing their content material to incorporate individuals who have had love and misplaced it, whether or not by way of dying or divorce. There are sometimes children concerned. It is a fully completely different dynamic than what was as soon as Hallmark’s norm.
“All of these questions and the issues that usually current themselves as battle simply do not exist. It isn’t just like the job or the lady. It is identical to, ‘Hey, how effectively can we work collectively? Are we appropriate? I am searching for love. You are searching for love.’
“The battle on this one is of making an attempt to recover from being a bit of bit rusty, however there isn’t any inside battle about ought to I or should not? Or she’s seeing any person else. We’re each simply at these actually nice, assured, comfy locations in our lives the place we’re prepared to incorporate any person else.
“And it completely modifications the dynamics. So you do not have the identical battle, actually. You are relaxed, and also you take pleasure in one another, and also you see if this can be a good match and in case your households are a very good match, and that is the entire story. It is actually charming. And I feel it is extremely relatable.”
With the long-term relationship the characters share, there’s some trepidation concerned as as to whether or not taking it to the following degree will change their friendship, however to not the degrees we usually see.
“There is a little bit of danger in taking the leap. You danger wrecking one thing that is already nice. Nevertheless it’s not like they work facet by facet. After they reconnect to start with of the film, it is like, ‘Oh, good to see you. It has been some time.’ So it wasn’t fairly as dangerous. It isn’t like, ‘Nicely, she’s my greatest buddy. And if I blow this, I’ve no greatest buddy.’
“It is extra like, ‘oh yeah, we all know one another. After all, we have recognized every for a very long time, however by no means actually intimately as pals.’ And I feel there are some questions on, you are not 25 anymore, and you have got just a few wrinkles, and you have got just a few grey hairs.
“You’ve gotten issues that possibly make you barely much less interesting within the market, regardless of having a very good job and a home. So that you go, ‘How do I match on this courting market? What’s my worth right here? And am I interesting?’ These are the questions that current themselves, however they do not dictate how we strategy one another.”
The completely different strategy to the 2 characters coming collectively affected the manufacturing, as effectively. “It was a very comfy, relaxed set. All these scenes have been simply actually type of enjoyable and simple. And it was actually joyful,” Paul stated.
It comes throughout within the closing product, which even options Rachel’s character continuously dancing alone in her home and having fun with her personal firm. You realize she would not want love however wish to discover it once more. “They simply let her reside,” Paul stated.
“We actually had lots of leeway on this one to only play, to get into the scenes and play. And simply actually carry our personal factor creatively to this. And we took that word to the fullest extent and simply had as a lot enjoyable as potential.”
Whereas Paul and Rachel get to know one another once more and lean on their previous relationship to indicate the sparks between their Dancing with the Delaney characters, there are others who Paul hasn’t labored with who he’d be desperate to get the chance.
“Yeah, there’s lots. Nicely, I actually appreciated Sudden Christmas. I feel each [Bethany] Pleasure [Lenz] and Tyler [Hines] are phenomenal. I might like to work with these two.
“I might like to do a film with Lacey [Chabert]. I feel we would have lots of enjoyable. I feel I might carry a very completely different vitality to a film along with her. And I might like to do a film with Jonathan Bennett. I feel he looks like an absolute riot of an individual to work with.
“I have been actually blessed with co-stars previously. I at all times appear to be very well matched with my co-stars. Hallmark is nice about pairing people who work very well collectively. Anyone that may be humorous. I like people who have actual comedy abilities and may simply be actually playful. So I do not know. I am open to no matter.”
Within the meantime, Paul is engaged on different tasks, making an attempt to determine how the following yr will unfold for him.
“There are at all times concepts floating within the ether, and there is stuff that I am choosing away at right here and there. I’ve lots of concepts, and I feel we will see lots of these come to the display screen. They’re all very prime secret. So I might need to have you ever signal a waiver to speak about them,” Paul laughed.
Paul is the form of one that means that you can completely derail a dialog simply so we are able to snicker, and I greedily took the bait earlier than we turned it round to the place you’ll be able to look forward to finding him tonight as Relationship the Delaneys airs throughout the nation.
You could find him on his Twitter web page through the West Coast displaying, tweeting along with his followers and little question entertaining them along with his attraction and wit. From web page to display screen and past, Paul is value each minute of your time.
Make sure to tune into Relationship the Delaney’s tonight on Hallmark Channel at 8/7c.
Carissa Pavlica is the managing editor and a employees author and critic for TV Fanatic. She’s a member of the Critic’s Alternative Affiliation, enjoys mentoring writers, conversing with cats, and passionately discussing the nuances of tv and movie with anybody who will hear. Comply with her on Twitter and e mail her right here at TV Fanatic.
