Filming a Hallmark movie sounds as cozy and perfect as the network's usual romantic aesthetic, but sometimes the reality is a little messy. Take , for example, Bethany Joy Lenz’s latest book, A Taste of Paris. The highly fashionable film sometimes required up to 13 different costumes a day, requiring quick changes in a portable toilet-sized tent by the Seine.
“I just changed in the tent, played with the microphone, put on my heels — and there were a couple of grabbers standing guard to make sure no one saw,” Lenz recalled with a laugh. "It's so surreal."
Over the past decade, One Tree Hill alumni have become strong supporters of Hallmark. She made her film debut in 2014's A Christmas Secret and has since filmed eight more projects, including the seasonal classic An Unexpected Christmas (2021) and Five Star Christmas (2020). Last year's time-travel drama "A Biltmore Christmas " was one of the network's highest-rated premieres of 2023.
In this month's Taste of Paris , she swaps out her winter sweaters for summer chic that Emily Cooper would approve of.
The film is part of Hallmark's Passport, a four-movie love story set in Europe that tells the story of Ella (Lenz), a fast-food executive who spends an extended stay in Paris , looking for satisfaction and authentic French cuisine. It's adapted from Victoria Brownlee's 2018 novel Fromage à Trois , so yes, there's a love triangle in there, but that's more of an hors d'oeuvre than the main course.
“It’s a love story between Ella and herself,” said Lentz, also a singer-songwriter and author of the forthcoming memoir “Vampire Dinner.” "She's learning how to fall in love with herself. "Who am I, what do I like, what do I want? "
As for what Lenz wants: She's currently brainstorming with several Hallmark leading ladies, and she wouldn't mind working with a few male leads again. "I just wanted to work with Andrew Walker again," she said of her "Bottled With Love" co-star. "I can do the Meg Ryan-Tom Hanks thing with Andrew Walker [because] he and I have such a great time together. Chris Polaha is great."
Below, she talks Taste of Paris , her tenure at Hallmark, and how her latest romantic comedy compared to making One Tree Hill.
Hallmark has a lot of interesting movies about life-changing trips abroad. The trips themselves usually lasted a week or two, but Ella stayed in Paris for several months. How does this affect the story?
Most romantic comedies take place over a weekend or a few weeks. At the end of the day, it's like, "Oh, we're going to be together forever." But falling in love, meeting people, starting a business, and figuring out who you are all take time. It would be too bad to cram this into a few weeks.
Do you find yourself empathizing with Ella’s journey?
Ella has existed as intended for so long. It's almost like Snow White wakes up and says, "Oh, I fell asleep." In our real lives, there are many ways we can [do this]. We build defenses and habits from a young age, and some people overcome these defenses earlier than others. I experience this in several areas of my personal life.
Between Ella's long journey and the time-travel elements of "A Biltmore Christmas," your film meets people's expectations in an interesting way. Is this something you're consciously looking for?
I haven't made anything for Hallmark yet, so I'm not actively creating that stuff, but I'm very selective with my choices. I did the cost calculations and I really like this project. I'm glad Holman is making great strides in attracting a new, younger crowd. I'm very proud and happy to be a part of it.
The movies are about 90 minutes long, while "One Tree Hill" has nearly 200 episodes. How does this change the way you approach love stories?
No matter where you are, you have to feel the same care for your character. I don't think you can just be lazy and say "I'll fix that in the next episode." But in the movie, everything is shortened and we're shooting in the wrong order, so you have to be able to maintain the emotional arc of the character.
Do you have a consistent approach to these roles? Your Hallmark heroines often have a certain charm and sense of humor.
I'm glad these characters have a charm that people seem to like. The challenge is to continue to work in a space where people trust you and they know they can give you material and you'll do something great with it, rather than falling into the same old habits. That’s the fun sideshow.
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.
