Alvina August joined Chelsie Overocker from House of Hallmark to discuss her new holiday film Deliver By Christmas premiering Sunday October 25th on the Hallmark Movies and Mysteries channel.
Deliver By Christmas is about Molly [Alvina August] who owns a bakery and meets Josh [Eion Bailey] who recently moved into town with his son. She’s not only charmed by Josh but also a mysterious client whom she’s never met in person and doesn’t realize they are the same man.
Before discussing the movie Alvina gave us an update since the last time we spoke with her.
“Trying to jungle it all!” [laughs] It’s been great. I mean aside from this thing, I guess we can say this pandemic that put a wrench in all of our plans. We’re just doing the best we can with what we’re given and I’m excited. I’m excited to be here. I feel like I’m becoming more professional at Zoom” [laughs].
We agree with you! This year has definitely given us all the opportunity to be masters at using Zoom. We are excited that you are here as well and can’t wait to talk about your Hallmark movie Deliver By Christmas.
Fans are going to love the interaction between Molly and Josh connecting with each other over the phone. Can you walk us through how both you and Eion filmed the phone scenes because they are a huge part of this movie.
“You know it’s amazing because when I got the script it was one of those things where I was, okay this is going to be a relationship that develops not in person that we’re so typically used to seeing. So how do we maintain that connection? I think for both Eion and I it was so important that we actually had each other on the other side of the phone while we were shooting those scenes. Opposed to someone who is off camera reading the lines.”
That is great that you and Eion were able to film the scenes with you two actually talking with each other on the other line. It makes the conversations come across more authentic.
“We were able to create a more naturalistic response as far as we would talk our intonation and that seemed a little bit more seamless.” Alvina explains, “ the best thing about being on the phone..I know he doesn’t see me so I think the audience just gets to see more of their actual thought processes while they’re talking and the decisions that they make to say certain things. If they’re mortified then they can hide it but the audience gets to see all of that.”
That’s what we enjoy the most in the film between Molly and Josh. They can’t see each other’s facial expressions and how the other person reacts to a statement but the audience gets to see both sides of the conversation.
Alvina shares with us if she thinks you can fall for someone by just engaging with them virtually before interacting with them face to face.
“In real life the person I met. I’m engaged. I think I spoke about him before and he is an actor too. But we met on social media and it’s so crazy because it was one of those things I believed I would never meet someone that way. I always imagined that I would lock eyes with him across the room and then there would be this magic that I’ve always seen in 90’s movies I guess. So yeah our relationship started off in a very modern sense in that we spoke for three months before we went on our first date..when you see each other it’s just sort of the icing on the cake because we’ve already got such a strong connection.”
Beautiful story Alvina thanks for sharing. We love how you can tie in your personal experience with the storyline in this movie. Her fiance, Marco Grazzini, is starring in Christmas Unwrapped premiering Saturday October 24th on Lifetime.
“This weekend will be Christmas in our households” [laughs].
You and Eion Bailey [Josh] have great on screen chemistry in Deliver By Christmas. Did you two get a chance to meet before filming?
“No but that’s why it worked in this case. Basically I haven’t gotten to the island yet we shot in Victoria. He was shooting all of his first telephone scenes within the first three days of production and I haven’t even gotten to the island yet. I was still in Vancouver and the director wanted that as well. He said could you guys get on the phone before Eion gets to picture and we were like yeah sure. So we met over the phone and we got to know each other the exact same way. We figured out how we talked and how we would communicate. That chemistry built. So the chemistry that was developing through the show is what was actually happening as well behind the scenes.”
That’s cool that you two got to know each other through the phone before meeting on set. Our favorite scenes are with you both talking on the phone with each other but what were some of your favorite scenes that you filmed?
“I was really proud of the scenes in the baker shop. In my bakery with my sister because she sort of acts as an instigator. So both Eion’s character and myself we’ve kind of had love and lost in our lives and I think Eion [Josh] is obviously still trying to move forward and my character was left at the altar so there’s a lot of fear there to trust and let go and to let someone in to find love. I love that my sister is sort of the one that was pushing me the entire time and sort of instigating like, ‘who did you see? Who was there?’ So that was really fun.”
We love those scenes between you and Nadeen Lightbody who plays your sister Janet.
“The amazing thing which I kid you not we auditioned for this from two different cities and Nadeen Lightbody who plays my sister is actually my best friend. She’s gonna be in my bridal party!”
Wow! That is amazing. You two work well together. A lot of the scenes you film remind us how we would interact with our best friend.
“There was no acting involved, we really were just the way we are in real life and it was so awesome to get to do that together.”
What an amazing experience to be able to act with your best friend and you two weren’t planning on auditioning for the same movie! We bet you two must have some awesome stories from when you were on set together.
“Do you know what was really funny? We actually were giving pictures to the prop guys. We’re like, ‘hey guys so we have a ton of pictures from LA. We lived together during pilot season so do you want pictures you can put in our house? They were like, ‘sure.’”
No way! The pictures that we see in your house are your real life pictures?
“Yes, those are literally real life pictures of us in LA. It’s crazy. It blows my mind how that all worked out.”
We’re glad everything worked out the way it did because the audience will see how authentic a lot of the scenes are.
Thank you Alvina for joining us on the House of Hallmark and talking about your new movie.
“I’m so happy I got to be a part of this and it was so good seeing you!”
Make sure you all tune in to watch Deliver By Christmas premiering Sunday October 25th on Hallmark Movies and Mysteries.
Follow Alvina on all social media platforms @alvinaaugust to keep up with her latest projects.
For more Hallmark related content as well as interviews with different artists that inspire and elevate be sure to follow The House of Hallmark on Instagram @homeofhallmark and Twitter @houseofhallmark.
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