World-renowned actress Aimee Garcia (“Lucifer” and “Dexter”) chatted about her new Hallmark mystery movie “The Cases of Mystery Lane,” and being a part of the digital age.
‘The Cases of Mystery Lane’
This new film will premiere on Sunday, March 19, on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries. Mike Rohl directed the movie from a script by Joel Dovev and Margaux Froley. “This movie was so fun,” Garcia admitted. “Paul Campbell was dancing in every scene and it was so fun. Every single actor came with their A-game and I could not be proud of all the love that was put into it. I am excited for people to see it. This is a fun, fun movie.”
In “The Cases of Mystery Lane,” Birdie Case (Aimee Garcia) is a bright, successful attorney. Her husband Alden (Paul Campbell) is smart and charming, but his inability to settle on a career is causing strain in their marriage. “Paul was incredible. He was always willing to dance with me in between takes, which is very much appreciated. He is just a consummate professional, he is excellent with comedic timing, and he is comfortable with improv. He is a veteran, who has been doing this for a long time, and the fact that he is also a writer added that extra tool in the kit that makes it even more fun.”
When Alden goes behind his wife’s back to take classes, in hopes of becoming a private investigator, a homework assignment entangles him in a murder investigation. Birdie just may hold the keys to solving the mystery, but Alden will have to come clean to find out. Only, Alden suspects that Birdie might be hiding secrets of her own.
“Honestly, it is such a good script, and every cast member felt the same way about it, whether they had one line or one scene in it, they all found the script and the story so good,” she said.
“I can’t wait for people to see this different side of Paul Campbell, and they will see a different side of me too. Paul was so great to work with, it felt like going to camp with a good friend and just being able to dance for the day,” she added.
Becoming Birdie Case
On playing Birdie, Garcia said, “Birdie is a professional woman who is hard-working who has a very realistic relationship with her mother. It seems like she colors between the lines but then, she surprises you.”
“Birdie may or may not break the rules here and there,” she said. “Her husband helped her open up and she helps him grow up a little bit, it’s a beautiful, loving and symbiotic relationship.”
“This role is very different for me,” she admitted. “I am very much used to playing the goofball. Birdie clearly has a sense of humor, and it was nice to see her as a high-powered attorney, who is potentially going to be a partner in a big firm. It was nice to play a three-dimensional character.”
The digital age
On being an actress in the digital age, now with streamerse being so prevalent, she said, “I love it because it is so much more accessible to people. I was lucky enough to be on a very successful show on Netflix called ‘Lucifer’ and it was so nice to see the far-reaching tentacles of entertainment, it’s great.”
Garcia continued, “It is nice for people to watch stories on their phone. Everyone needs a laugh and an escape these days and a hug. That’s what I love about Hallmark, it’s joyful and it makes you feel better. I love that it is going to be available on Peacock so even more people can watch it. I am a big fan of streaming because it really helps people and gives them access to fun stories no matter where they are, and that’s beautiful.”
Background on Aimee Garcia
Garcia is a SAG Award nominee for “Dexter.” “The SAG nomination was surreal,” she said. “On the red carpet, I wound up being in between Angelina Jolie and Leonardo DiCaprio, and nobody knew who I was so none of the cameras were taking photos of me but I couldn’t get out of the way because I was stuck in between Leo and Angelina, and I was so nervous. Finally, one of the photographers felt so bad that he took a picture of me and I ended up sending it to my mom,” she said with a sweet laugh.
“The SAG nomination was great, especially to be nominated by your colleagues and your fellow actors. There is nothing like it, to be appreciated by your own community. I felt like a kid in Disneyland seeing all of my favorite actors in one place, and trying not to freak out,” she added.
“‘Dexter’ was great. Michael C. Hall was a consummate professional, he was intense playing the role. He was such a tremendous leader and he led by example. I loved it and it remains an iconic show. It was one of the first shows to have an anti-hero as a protagonist.”
“I felt so proud to be on one of the best shows of television that will stand the test of time, and to play an educated Latina, who was a college graduate. To this day, people ask me if I could babysit their kids because ‘I was such a good nanny on Dexter’,” she said.
She was also a part of the sixth season of “Lucifer,” where she played Ella Lopez.
Garcia recently headlined the hit Netflix holiday film “Christmas With You,” which premiered in the top tree on the platform. This Christmas film was directed by Gabriela Tagliavini and Garcia stars opposite Freddie Prinze Jr.. “I was very nervous about the singing because I had to learn three songs in three days but I did it and people seem to really respond to it, and I really appreciate that,” she said.
“I didn’t have a movie like ‘Christmas With You’ when I was a kid, so it was really nice to see two Latinos (Freddie Prinze Jr. and myself) headline a movie that was No. 1 on Netflix in 80 countries around the world. We were total underdogs but we did pretty well,” she said.
“The director Gabriela was great, she is the real deal. She singlehandedly gave me the opportunity to do this, so I would love to work with her over and over again. I am a huge fan of Gabriela’s,” Garcia said.
Aside from “Dexter” and “Lucifer,” her other TV credits include Hulu’s “Woke,” Marvel’s “MODOK,” “Rush Hour,” “Vegas” and “The George Lopez Show.”
Garcia also starred in José Padilha’s “RoboCop”, opposite Gary Oldman and Michael Keaton and MGM’s “The Addams Family” with Charlize Theron and Oscar Isaac, as well as Bill Holderman’s” What They Had” alongside Hilary Swank and Michael Shannon.
On the title of the current chapter of her life, Garcia said with a sweet laugh, “Never a Dull Moment.” “There is always something new happening on a daily basis, which is fun. I feel like I am in grad school and learning so much, and I am getting to do what I love, including this movie, ‘The Cases of Mystery Lane,’ which is going to be so special,” she said.
Garcia defined the word success simply as contentment in life.
“I hope the audience gets fun out of this movie, and I hope they feel like kids again. This movie allows adults to feel that way. To me, this is the best type of storytelling because it makes you laugh and maybe it will open up your heart a little bit,” she concluded about “The Cases of Mystery Lane.”
To learn more about actress Aimee Garcia, follow her on Instagram.
