Heavy/Hallmark Tyler Hynes stars in Hallmark's "Shifting Gears"
When “Shifting Gears” premieres on Hallmark Channel on March 23, 2024, it will be an extra special occasion for Tyler Hynes‘ family. Since the rom-com was filmed in Ottawa, where Hynes was born and raised, the Hallmark heartthrob made the film shoot a family affair, he recently told TV Goodness.
Not only did his mom get to visit the set regularly, which he called a “beautiful” experience, but Hynes was also able to film a scene with his pre-teen nieces, whom his “Hynies” fan base has seen grow up on social media over the years.
Here’s what you need to know:
Tyler Hynes Says His Nieces Loved Being Part of New Movie
One of Hynes’ favorite roles in life is being a fun uncle to his brother Brandon’s pre-teen daughters, Ella and Haylie, whom he calls “the infants.” Hynes has featured the girls in funny and charming social media videos for years, from attending their school concerts to battling each other in Nerf wars.
Though they’ve starred in countless videos with their famous uncle, Ella and Haylie will make their true film debuts in “Shifting Gears.” In the movie, Hynes plays Luke, who enters a TV competition restoring classic cars only to find that his ex-girlfriend, played by Kat Barnell, is a fellow contestant. The girls will appear in a scene with both of actors.
“They showed up one day and we threw them in front of the scene,” he told TV Goodness, adding that one of the producers asked if they wanted to be in the film. “And I said ‘Oh, yeah. They would love it.’ And they did love it. And they’re right front and center. You see them both looking under a hood of a car and then meeting Kat.”
Seeing the girls on the small screen will be a sweet treat for Hynies who’ve seen them grow up via the actor’s social media posts. And while those posts typically show the hijinks that ensue when they’re together, Hynes is serious about maintaining his connection with them. He revealed in a 2021 tweet that the year before, his brother and his wife asked him to become the girls’ official guardian.
Technically, this won’t be the first time that Hynes has been in a movie with a relative, at least by marriage. His “Three Wise Men and a Baby” co-star Andrew Walker is married to Hynes’ cousin, Cassandra Troy.
Tyler Hynes Says His Mom’s Visit Was Her First Time on a Set With Him in 2 Decades
Filming “Shifting Gears” also marked an important milestone for Hynes and his mom, Betty, who spent years taking him to sets when he was a child actor. As a kid, Hynes starred in Canadian TV series like “Neverending Story” and his first movie was “Little Men” starring Mariel Hemingway in 1998, per IMDb.
On March 1, Hynes shared an Instagram video of his mom visiting the set of “Shifting Gears” and wrote that it was the first time in 20 years since she’d been on a movie set with him.
Over footage she filmed as she sat on the sidelines, Hynes wrote, “She can sit wherever she likes. Even directly behind the actor I’m looking at because…she’s mom.”
“Her love of going to the movies, which she passed to me,” Hynes continued, “is surpassed only by her love of seeing them being made. She can pull out her phone and film whatever she likes cause…She’s mom. 🤍 moms.”
Having his mom on set was “a huge, beautiful thing for me,” he told TV Goodness.
“She came and she sat there right behind Colton (Royce),” he said. “When I’m looking at Colton doing the scene, all I can see is my mother sitting there staring at me. And she didn’t care. She just wanted to be there. And who’s gonna stop her? Not me, certainly.”
“Shifting Gears,” which is the directorial debut for longtime Hallmark actress Crystal Lowe as part of its Make Her Mark initiative, premieres on Hallmark Channel on March 23 at 8 p.m. Eastern time. Hynes plans to live tweet with fans as it airs.