Andrew Walker Warns He Might Get ‘Mixed Reviews’ on His New Hallmark Role

When Andrew Walker’s new Hallmark Channel movie “Jingle Bell Run” premieres on November 16, 2024, longtime fans might be surprised by how convincing the notoriously mild-mannered star is at portraying a cocky, self-absorbed former athlete opposite Ashley Williams’ kindhearted teacher role.

“I might get mixed reviews when the movie airs,” Walker told Heavy days before the premiere. “You’re gonna see a different side of me.”

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Hallmark Star Says He’s Looking Forward to Seeing How Fans Respond to ‘Douchebag Andrew Walker’

In “Jingle Bell Run,” Walker plays a recently-retired NHL superstar who joins a TV game show similar to the “Amazing Race,” hoping it’ll help him stay relevant and keep his name in the headlines.

Walker is hoping that viewers will find his delivery entertaining and funny, which is the feedback he received after fans and colleagues aboard the first-ever Hallmark Christmas Cruise in early November watched an advance screening of the Christmas comedy.

“I got a lot of messages saying that people really enjoyed the ‘douchebag Andrew Walker,'” he laughed. “I’m essentially a good guy, I’ve just lost myself a bit.”

When reflecting on what it was like to tap into his “inner douchebag,” Walker joked, “It’s tough, I don’t have one ounce of douchebag in me. Not an ounce!”

Now a dad of two boys, Walker admitted, “I mean, look, when I was a little younger, in my football days, I could have come across as — you know, there’s a fine line between cocky and confident. You gotta have a little bit of that.”

Before pursuing acting, the Vancouver native earned a full football scholarship to Boston College, per TV Guide, but suffered a career-ending ACL injury during a routine practice drill.

“Football — and hockey, for that matter — are physical sports,” he told Heavy. “You gotta be extremely confident in your abilities, and the minute you lose confidence is when you could get hurt. So I just tapped into that younger version of myself.”

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Andrew Walker Teases Funny Scenes He Improvised With Ashley Williams

Walker loved the chance to film “Jingle Bell Run” in Vancouver with Williams, whose character winds up being paired with his for a chaotic, televised scavenger hunt across the U.S. In real life, Williams lives so close to Walker in Los Angeles that she’s become “like family,” he said.

“Filming with her is amazing,” Walker told Heavy. “She’s an empath, she’s supportive, and she’s so nurturing. Her energy is infectious and that translates on set. She makes it such a joyous place to be and the crew loves her.”

Being so comfortable with each other allowed Walker and Williams to have fun with their characters and improvise, he said, noting that “there were a couple of scenes we shot that I didn’t know were going to make the film — funny, funny scenes where Ashley and I are freaking out on each other, ad-libbing.”

Walker, who has talked before about how much he values the women who lead Hallmark Media, also noted that it’s “insane” that “Jingle Bell Run” was his first movie in three decades on which he’s had a female director. Lucie Guest, a Hallmark actress who has also directed many Hallmark movies including upcoming holiday offerings “The Santa Class” and “Christmas Under the Lights,” was  “phenomenal,” Walker said.

“I didn’t really realize how much of a male dominated industry is and I don’t understand why it is that way,” Walker said, recognizing the need for initiatives like Williams’ Make Her Mark program, which gives aspiring female directors the chance to shadow and learn from established Hallmark directors.

He also noted how much he loved the supporting cast on “Jingle Bell Run,” including David James Lewis, who plays the game show host.

“He really elevated that role,” Walker said. “That, for me, was the biggest surprise role in the movie. This guy is really, really funny — a very talented actor.”

Hallmark Channel’s “Jingle Bell Run” premieres on November 16, 2024 at 8 p.m. Eastern time.

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