Chad Michael Murray on Why Hallmark Film Was ‘Not the Best Scenario’

Chad Michael Murray has revealed that not everything about shooting a recent idyllic Hallmark film was pleasant.

“Sand Dollar Cove” which premiered on June 26, tells the story of a small, charming beach town. Murray plays Brody, a charismatic local who is reluctant to sell an oceanfront property to a real estate developer from the city (played by Aly Michalka).

It’s the perfect summer movie complete with clam bakes, sandcastles, and sailboat rides. However, Murray recently revealed in an interview with Culturess that the filming experience was not so warm and summery.

“We filmed in early March in Connecticut and it was freezing. Oh, it was freezing. It was not necessarily the best scenario for a summer film. I cannot fib. I cannot tell a lie. It snowed three times while we were shooting,” the actor said.

Murray Says the Cold Encouraged Cast Bonding

Murray told TV Insider that the cold weather “created a bond for the cast; we all grew closer knowing we were all enduring the weather and the elements together.” Murray also gave a shout-out to the young actress Lily Jane Chachula, who plays Millie in the film.

“LJ’s an incredibly, incredibly talented young girl. She was just on it. She brought such a light, wonderful energy to the set that we needed and that really helped us all get through the day and the grind of the schedule,” Murray said.

Although Murray is a Hallmark veteran (“Write Before Christmas”, “Road to Christmas“), this was his co-star Michalka’s first film with the network. “I think the relationship that Aly (Michalka) and I were able to build throughout this journey we were on really helped onscreen chemistry,” Murray told TV Insider.

Hallmark Has Announced a New Batch of “Summer Nights” Films

For fans who thought that “Sand Dollar Cove” was the last new Hallmark film for a while, think again! A new batch of original movies has been announced, including a new installment of the “Wedding March” series.

Jack Wagner teased that a new “Wedding March” film was in the works back in April. It seems likely that he and Josie Bissett’s characters will get married in the latest movie as they got engaged in the last film. In May, he shared an Instagram video of Bissett drying her toenails with a hairdryer. “A normal workday with @josiebisett,” he wrote in the caption.

Reality TV fans will be particularly excited for the new film “Love, For Real”. The movie follows two women who go on a reality dating show to gain visibility for their fashion line but end up surprised by what else the show brings into their lives.

“Love, For Real” stars Chloe Bridges, Scott Michael Foster, Corbin Bleu, and Taiana Tully. The film will be the Hallmark debut of Bridges, Bleu, and Tully while Foster was previously seen in “In the Key of Love.”

When to Watch ‘Sand Dollar Cove’

If you missed the premiere, you can catch “Sand Dollar Cove” again on Thursday, July 1 at 8 pm ET and again on Saturday, July 3 at 1 pm ET.

Check the Hallmark website for a complete schedule.

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