Niall Matter on Finding Family and Love in "The Secrets of Bella Vista"

"[At first] you're not sure what his motives are, or how he is kind of tied into the family in the story," he continued. "I always like to play characters that have a little bit of something interesting, something else going on. And it turns out the family in the film means a lot to him. So, it was definitely having a [possible] bad element to him that interested me about playing this character for sure."

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In the film, Lefevre portrays Tess Delaney, a successful antique dealer with a complicated past. Raised by a single mother, she never knew her father and has no sense of family, given the estranged relationship she shares with her mom. So, when the news is delivered by an estate executor, Damhnaic McAuley (Matter), that she has inherited half of an apple orchard from a grandfather she never knew, it comes as quite a shock. As does the news she also inherited a half-sister named Isabel (Helena Marie), whom she knew nothing about. But with the orchard in serious financial trouble, the chances of it staying in the family are slim -- unless Tess can unravel the mystery of her grandmother's treasure, hidden somewhere amidst the orchard.

Matter wasn't familiar with the book the film is based upon but was familiar with Kim Arnott (the film's executive producer) who is a good friend, and a large draw to signing on. He was also enticed by the fact the film was more about finding love, rather than the traditional falling-in-love story. "When you've done as many movies as I have with Hallmark, you do look for scripts that have a bit of a different element to them," he shared. "That's definitely something The Secrets of Bella Vista has. It wasn't necessarily about falling in love, and more about finding love on two different planes -- not only finding love with a partner but finding love within a family. That's something the lead character had never known, so I found that very interesting about the project.

"It's something that's not too uncommon," he continued. "With Ancestry.com and these DNA kits, people are finding they have family members out there, or have half-siblings they didn't know about. I liked that aspect. I've been hearing about twins and triplets meeting later in life, and it's amazing these people now have the ability to meet. That's what I loved about the introduction between the two sisters in this movie; that first time getting to meet each other was awkward and felt so real."

After last portraying Rip Van Winkle Jr., Matter admitted it was refreshing to tackle a more subtle character -- although the role was not without challenges. "I do like the subtler work," he reflected. "With a character like Rip … I mean every actor wants the freedom to make bold choices and try things that pull you out of your comfort zone. Fortunately, I like to live out of my comfort zone and push myself. But I feel playing the subtler character, and underplaying things, can be just as difficult, if not more. Sometimes, you have to dig a little deeper to bring it down and not overshadow what else is going on."

While he enjoys exploring the fantasy genre of movies, Matter is thrilled to be a part of Hallmark's new direction of storytelling; one emersed in realism, along with an expansion of inclusivity. As we celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month, this film is perfectly timed. "I loved that the family in this speaks Spanish (with subtitles)," he enthused. "That was real -- and a great thing to have. As an actor, an artist and somebody that's always very happy working with Hallmark as a company, I'm excited about the scripts I see come through. They're evolving, and the brand is something I'm excited to be a part of. I like the direction these scripts are heading in, and it's been great getting the opportunity to sink my teeth into different types of work within the company."

Currently, Matter is hard at work on a new Hallmark Media Christmas film (details soon to be announced) and he's having a ball. "I find I work a lot with my friends at Hallmark," he said in closing. "Kim Arnott pulled me into The Secrets of Bella Vista, and another really good friend, Peter Benson, is directing this Christmas movie. It also gave me the opportunity to re-team with one of my former co-stars, so I've been having nothing but a blast every day while filming!"

The Secrets of Bella Vista will be telecast Sunday, September 18 at 9 p.m. on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries.

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