Hallmark Welcomes James O'Halloran of "The Price Is Right" to Its Talent Roster in "When Love Springs"

"This was my first experience with them," he continued. "It felt like family immediately with the group I got to work with. The Price Is Right is an institution, and I got that sense with Hallmark. They deal in uplifting, positive stories and beam them to the world. That creates an environment within the workplace where everyone is just super nice and super friendly. So, it does feel as if you're being welcomed into a big family."

After relocating to the U.S., O'Halloran's career took off when an encounter at the gym changed his life. "I was doing the acting and auditioning thing and was at a gym when a casting director friend of a friend said, 'They're casting for The Price Is Right and I can hook you up with an appointment,'" he recalled. "It sounded fantastic, but I had no expectations. I ended up with a contract for like a month, or two weeks, and it became something that's evolved. The producers expanded [my] role a little bit and found me a place there. I haven't looked back."

That was until he landed the lead in Springs, and in a strange turn of events, the actor was looking back at Los Angeles as he headed to Brisbane, and his native Australia, where the film was shot. "It was really cool to be able to go home for a few weeks and spend some time there," he shared. "I'm from Melbourne, and all my family is still based there, but it was close enough. I got to go to an Aussie pub and have a beer, so all of that just added to feeling like home."

Starring opposite O'Halloran is Rhiannon Fish, a fellow Aussie. After a string of projects for Hallmark Media in recent years, she's something of a veteran, and her advice was invaluable. "Rhiannon's American accent is flawless," he said. "I really had to work on mine and after they'd call 'cut' I'd fall straight back into my Aussie accent. But having Rhiannon, who is so experienced, was great. She has a real sense for these movies, and we had a lot of creative freedom with ideas and the script that the director was really open to. I felt I was in safe hands the whole time, and we really hit it off."

In the film, Fish portrays Rory Richards, a young PR executive taking time out of her busy life to head to a quaint country B&B to celebrate her parents' vow renewal. Upon arrival, she encounters its owner, Noah Barton (O'Halloran), and her ex-boyfriend Jason (Callan Colley), who coincidentally is staying there with his new girlfriend. Panicked, she introduces Noah as her new beau to save face. With the ruse in motion, she pleads with Noah to be her "fake boyfriend" for the weekend. After he agrees, their "fake time" together begins turning very real.

The film's premise was familiar to O'Halloran, who actually met his wife in the much same manner. "I just remembered this," he laughed. "It's not a fake boyfriend, per se, but we met at the Melbourne Cup (horse race). We were both all dressed up in this marquee with free food and drink, and this politician's son took a shine to her. He was making her feel uncomfortable, so she came up to me and said, 'Can you save me from this guy?' We hadn't even spoken, but I said, 'Of course.' We started chatting like we knew each other, and one thing led to another. So, I've kind of played a fake boyfriend before, and it worked out perfectly. I never used it as motivation for the movie though."

With Price Is Right fans excited for his Hallmark debut, he's hoping Hallmarkies embrace him equally as warmly. "The Price viewers are such a loving, happy audience," he said. "Always good vibes. I interact with them on social media, and they always wish me well and hope I succeed, which feels amazing."

He's also hopeful that Hallmark might grant him the dream of a white Christmas in one of their holiday movies. "I would love that," he declared. "Christmas in Australia is always hot, as it's summer. I always idolized the Northern Hemisphere Christmases where it's cold and white because we never got them. I have a nostalgia for a Christmas I never got to experience other than through [holiday] movies.

"I'd also like to go to Canada as I've never been, and they shoot them there," he added in closing. "If I have to film in the middle of summer in Vancouver, wearing a Santa hat while sweating, I've had plenty of experience already!"

When Love Springs will be telecast Saturday, May 6 at 8 p.m. on Hallmark Channel as a part of their annual Spring into Love programming event.

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