Heavy/Hallmark Stephen Huszar and Katie Cassidy in Hallmark's "A Royal Christmas Crush"
When Hallmark fans tune in for the premiere of “A Royal Christmas Crush” on July 8, 2023, they’ll not only see a fictional romance unfold, but a real-life one, too. After filming the movie, which is debuting as part of the network’s “Christmas in July” programming, longtime Hallmark actor Stephen Huszar and actress Katie Cassidy, a newcomer to the network, recently revealed they met and fell in love during filming.
Though the couple says they tried to hide their budding romance from the cast and crew, they’re not hiding their love and admiration for each other in media interviews, talking openly about the sparks that flew on set and the exact scene where they both knew they were falling for one another. Here’s what you need to know:
Stephen Huszar & Katie Cassidy Say They Felt Sparks Flying On Set
Best known for her roles in The CW series “Arrow” and multiple horror films, Cassidy told Just Jared she was pumped to film her first Hallmark movie, in which she plays a woman who gets a job working at the fabled Royal Ice Hotel and finds herself in a “whirlwind romance with the most important guest of all, the Royal Prince,” per Hallmark.
“I was just excited,” she said. “Who doesn’t love a feel good movie? Who doesn’t want to be a woman who gets swept off her feet?”
What she didn’t expect was to be swept off her feet in real life. In fact, she told Us Weekly, she was a bit hesitant about working with another “pretty, Canadian … really attractive” actor named Stephen, given that she starred opposite Canada native Stephen Amell on “Arrow.” That Stephen, however, was more “like a brother to me,” she told the magazine.
It was after the first week of filming “A Royal Christmas Crush” that she knew a different kind of relationship was brewing with Stephen Huszar, when she noticed he was wearing crystal bracelets.
“I’m very drawn to (crystals),” she told Us Weekly. “I was like, ‘Wait a second. What do you know about these and why do you have these? There’s something happening here.'”
Cassidy’s so into crystal jewelry, in fact, that she designed her own line in collaboration with Alma Lobo. So the actress felt like Huszar’s unique jewelry was a sign for her to pay closer attention, and when she did, she felt instant sparks.
“I remember there’s this one scene in the barn where I literally am looking at him, and that was the moment for me,” she told Us Weekly. “I’m not kidding you. I’m, like, leaning on the table and he’s saying his lines and I just like, I think I like almost fell over.”
Huszar felt the undeniable chemistry between them during the same scene, she said, sharing that when the two later compared notes on their chemistry, they realized they fell for each other “30 seconds apart.”
“It just happened, it’s sort of hard to explain,” Huszar said in an extended video of their interview with Us. “I just think the more we got to know each other, we realized we’re basically the same person, just in different skin. Which was odd. I’ve never met someone that’s so similar in ways that I am. It’s been quite a journey.”
The couple has since traveled to Europe, New Zealand and Australia, he said, adding that “there will be more traveling.”
Stephen Huszar & Katie Cassidy Say They Kept Things ‘Professional’ On Set of New Movie
Though they were both aware of sparks flying between them, Huszar, 39, and Cassidy, 36, said they tried to keep their budding romance under wraps on the set, but that their chemistry made it much easier to act out their characters’ love story, too.
“We obviously (were) professional and kept it that way,” Cassidy told Us Weekly. “However, I felt as though it’s almost like there was this layer because he and I kind of knew this secret thing that nobody else knew.”
Huszar added, “It’s certainly important to keep it professional. As we did, but, you know, feelings come up. And personally for me, it just allows me to land a little bit more in truth. I mean, our job is obviously to be as truthful as we can in, in these circumstances that are surreal, unreal. But when something is actually triggering truthfully inside you, of course, that helps.”
“And we could let our guard down when our characters were supposed to and allow space to fall into one another,” Cassidy said. “I almost feel like that added a certain type of element to it. We just couldn’t help it.”
During an appearance on the ToDiForDaily podcast, Huszar said his romance with Cassidy brought his love of doing Hallmark movies to a new level.
“I just love acting, period,” he told host Kinsey Schofield while sitting next to his new love. “If I can step into someone else’s shoes, be empathetic towards the character and tell a story that’s going to inspire people and make them feel better, I’m all in. I’m really happy. I’m very grateful to the network. They’ve been obviously very, very good to me and the story just keeps getting better … my co-stars more beautiful and more talented.”
“A Royal Christmas Crush” premieres on July 8 at 8 p.m. Eastern time on Hallmark Channel.