Former Days (and GH!) star Jen Lilley is keeping very busy with a new, heartwarming Hallmark Channel movie, Eat Play Love.
Animals and Amore!
Eat centers on a veterinarian, Dr. Carly Monroe, who returns to the town she grew up in to take over her grandfather’s animal clinic. Her first love, Dan, comes back into her life, and romance and fun follow, Lilley told our good friend, Laurie Baker, in her ongoing soap celeb OutTakes interview series, about the flick.
There are potential complications to Dr. Carly’s situation, of course, as Dan is set to marry “mean girl” TV reporter Kristi Waters.
“Hilarity ensues when Michelle [Carly’s childhood best friend] gives Carly a makeover to get Dan’s attention. And a love story evolves from there,” Lilley said.
Related: This ABC soap megastar is headed to Salem!
Positive Message
However, despite the makeover, Lilley praises what the film tries to convey.
“One thing I love about Eat Play Love is that post-makeover, Carly incorporates her old look into the new,” she said. “It’s who she is, and she doesn’t pretend to be something fake. Which I LOVE. So this movie has a positive message to young girls. Glasses don’t make you unattractive. Being your authentic self, and being kind and intelligent, is what really makes you beautiful.”
Co-Star Chemistry
Lilley had nothing but praise for her co-stars, some of whom are household names!
“Jason [Cermak, Dan] is a wonderful man,” she said. “He’s generous, and kind, and a wonderful actor. Lucie [Guest; Michelle] and I have ridiculous on point best friend chemistry. Lee Majors is a legend, and yet before we started shooting, he introduced himself to me via email and said he’d seen my work and was looking forward to working with me. I almost fell out of my chair. I adore Lee.”
And what about the Bionic Woman herself, Lindsay Wagner, who also stars in the movie? According to Lilley: “simply amazing.”
“She does so much humanitarian work; she’s a strong, smart, and caring woman…and she’s the type of person you just want to take to dinner and let her talk,” Lilley said of Wagner.
Don’t Miss: NBC gave big kudos to Days of Our Lives!
And, of course, her co-star love wouldn’t be complete without Lilley giving a shout-out to her animal co-star buddies!
“I worked with animals almost every day,” she says of filming. “I love animals, but I’m allergic to cats and dogs (my dog is hypoallergenic). I took so many Claritin I should be their spokesperson!”
Lilley said that, despite the commonly held notion that kids and animals are hard to work with, she found the experience “easier than I anticipated.”
Another Hallmark Movie to Come–With a Soap Fave!
The Hallmark Channel is known for its movies that strike at the heart.
Lilley, who also has the Hallmark movie, A Dash of Love under her belt, will also grace another of the channel’s films this September, called Harvest Love, co-starring none other than General Hosptial‘s own Ryan Paevey (Nathan).
“I love everything Hallmark stands for: family; meaningful, heartfelt stories; peace, joy, and togetherness.”
Eat Play Love will air on the Hallmark channel Saturday, August 26th, and Sunday, August 27th. Check your local cable listings for times.
Give us your input in the comment section below. Check back with Soap Cities for more Days spoilers, recaps, news, and fun! Follow us on Twitter at @soapcities, on Instagram at @soapcities, and come chat with us in our Facebook group. Catch Days of Our Lives weekdays on NBC. If you want more soap action 24/7, go to Soap Fans United!
