Actor Robert Buckley chatted about his new Hallmark film “Blind Date Book Club,” where he stars opposite Erin Krakow.
‘Blind Date Book Club’
The synopsis is: A bookstore owner finds love and direction in life after agreeing to review a famous author’s new novel in her blind-date-with-a-book club.
Peter Benson directed the movie from a screenplay by Nicole Baxter. Buckley plays Graham Sterling opposite Krakow’s Meg Tompkins. “
This film was actually a lot of fun,” he admitted. “It was my first time working with the director Peter Benson as well as Erin Krakow, who is a Hallmark superstar. We had a lot of fun; it was an enjoyable three weeks together.”
“Working with Erin was tons of fun. She is as advertised: she is talented, funny, easygoing, and a very good teammate to have on a project like this,” he said.
Buckley is drawn to playing Graham for several reasons. “I like that Graham is striving to get out of his comfort zone,” he said. “I think that’s a quality that I have but I would like to see more of in myself… to not be content with what I’ve already done and to continue to grow in new areas, and to expand in new things.”
AI on the future of the entertainment industry
When asked to share his thoughts on AI on the future of the entertainment business, Buckley said, “I don’t really know. The best AI writing is just plagiarizing, where they are ripping off a little bit of everybody. In terms of unique voices from a writing point of view, I don’t think the technology is there yet to beat the human writers that we have.
“As far as an actor, if I am going to a movie theater, I want to see real people unless I’m specifically seeing a cartoon such as ‘Avatar.’ While the technology has gotten good, it is still not the same,” he explained.
“So, my answer for that, is that I’m not worried about it,” he added.
GLAAD nomination for ‘The Christmas House 2’
The Hallmark holiday movie “The Christmas House 2: Deck Those Halls,” which he co-wrote the screenplay and stars in, scored a 2022 GLAAD Media Award nomination for “Outstanding TV Movie.”
“That was a fun movie; we had a great time making it,” he said. “It was an honor to get that nomination, so mission accomplished. We were pushing for some inclusion and change, and it was nice to get recognized.”
Aside from Buckley, the cast included Jonathan Bennett, Brad Harder, Sharon Lawrence, and the late Treat Williams. “Brad Harder is wonderful… he is a really kind and talented guy. Brad is an asset,” he said. “That whole ‘Christmas House’ group was special from top to bottom. They always have a special place in my heart.”
“Working with Jonathan is always great and fun,” Buckley admitted. “I hit it off with Jonathan right away so it felt natural for us to play brothers. We bicker and banter in real life the same way we do in the movie. There wasn’t a whole lot of acting to be done. I enjoy his company and messing with him. As much as you saw on camera was happening off camera as well.”
“Sharon Lawrence is a legend, she is a force. I am a very big fans of Sharon’s,” he said.
Speaking of Treat Williams, Buckley had fond memories of him. “Losing Treat was a tough one,” he admitted. “That was a big loss.”
Future plans
Regarding his future plans, Buckley shared, “Hopefully, continuing to work, and enjoying my personal life.”
“Maybe I can pull a ‘Graham Sterling’ and get good at something new,” he added, referring to his character in “Blind Date Book Club.” “I am taking things a day at a time, and I am enjoying life as it comes,” he acknowledged.
Stage of his life
On the title of the current chapter of his life, Buckley stated “Work in Progress.”
Superpower of choice
Buckley’s superpower of choice would be to “freeze time.”
Career-defining moments
He noted that all of the moments in his career have helped define him. “Today, I am the sum of all my parts, and all of my experiences,” he said. “The bad ones are just as important as the good ones, and to be honest, they are probably more important.”
“I learn a lot more with the losses, the mistakes, and the adversity. I am grateful for all of those moments,” he added.
Alternate career choice
His alternate career choice would be a “chef” especially since he “loves to eat food.”
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