The "takeover" of Hallmark Channel by actor Kevin McGarry continues this weekend with the premiere of the movie Feeling Butterflies. As revealed last week in part one of our exclusive interview with the busy star, he returned as Nathan Grant in the ninth season of When Calls the Heart, but not before being a part of The Wedding Veil trilogy, opposite Lacey Chabert. "It was my first time working with Lacey, who is just a pro, so much fun, and incredible on set," he said of that experience. "As an actress she's amazing, and then as a person, she's very lovely.
"It was one of those jobs that really didn't feel too much like work," he continued. "The movie looked great too, and the wardrobe was fantastic. But how did Autumn (Reeser) get to shoot in Italy? That's what I wanted! Why weren't we all invited? Alison (Sweeney) got New York, and we got Victoria, BC, which was beautiful."
Feeling Butterflies didn't afford McGarry that overseas trip he craved, but it did present an opportunity to star opposite Kayla Wallace, his When Calls the Heartco-star, with whom he happens to be very close. "It is no secret that we're in a relationship," he said. "So, it was really fun to play off each other. Kayla said in an interview that it was almost like pretending you didn't know somebody, and then kind of discovering new things about this person you kind of think you know so well. On a personal level, that was a lot of fun and interesting for me.
"We joined WCTH at the same time for season six," he added. "It was me, Chris (McNally) and Kayla. We just finished season nine. Even though we [both] work on When Calls, our characters really don't get to intertwine much. So, watching her whole process on this, how much she cares, and how much she works, was really inspiring. I don't get to see that a lot, and she's a very hard worker. I'd say the biggest hook for me in doing this was getting to work opposite Kayla, so when we got asked to do it together it was really nice."
Another hook for McGarry was the film's backdrop. Wallace portrays Emily Mariposa, a lepidopterist (butterfly expert) whose company Feeling Butterflies, Inc. releases butterflies at weddings and special events. After being hired by widowed father Garrett Thorson (McGarry) for his daughter Amanda's birthday party, the three bond. Soon thereafter, Emily receives her biggest gig yet. Hired by a demanding socialite for her upcoming wedding, she's tasked with the almost impossible feat of releasing 1501 butterflies simultaneously at the event. Garret and Amanda are delighted to help, and as the trio grows closer, the forces of nature present some unforeseen issues that could clip the wings of Emily's business, while preventing true love from taking flight.
"I knew the butterfly hook was smart," McGarry said of the script. "What's funny is my character isn't supposed to know a lot about butterflies, as Kayla's character is the expert. We had butterfly wranglers, if you will, releasing butterflies all the time. We shot in these greenhouses filled with butterflies. Then on top of that, I heard that in post-production, they were adding more CGI butterflies. I learned a lot, and we do teach people a lot about [butterflies], but it's not like we're preaching. Now we're actually planting milkweed because I know now that monarch butterflies need to feed on it when they make their pilgrimage from Mexico to North America. That's a new fact I learned. So hopefully, because of this movie, I'm able to help a flock of monarchs make their way across North America."
One thing not lost on McGarry was the underlying message of the movie. When I asked if the insects served as a metaphor for new beginnings to the central characters (Garrett being a widower, and Emily recovering from a break-up), he agreed. "Both characters are almost like coming out of cocoons and blossoming," he reflected. "Then they find each other. You do projects and move on, and [often] forget about the little messages people see in them. So, it's cool that was your takeaway. Everybody has their own experience with a movie. That's a poetic way of looking at it, and what I love about doing these types of movies and WCTH.
"It's no secret the last couple of years have been pretty heavy on people," he added. "So, to get to tell a story with light is appealing. My birthday is coming up and I've been getting cards and messages from fans filled with lovely things. People thanking me for telling stories that take them places that feel safe and happy and help them forget what's going on in the world. It's these messages about how something excited them, or reminded them of so and so, that makes it feel important and worthwhile.
"And the important thing with this movie is knowing that no butterflies were hurt in the making," he laughed in closing. "Some did escape! Yes, they flew the coop, as you can't train them. But I'm sure the ones that did are doing just fine."
Feeling Butterflies will be telecast Saturday, March 12 at 8 p.m. on Hallmark Channel.
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