Sarah Edmondson (photo credit: Liz Rosa) Sarah Edmondson Talks Hallmark Channel’s ‘At Home in Mitford’ [Exclusive Interview] Sarah Edmondson (photo credit: Liz Rosa)

Sarah Edmondson Talks Hallmark Channel’s ‘At Home in Mitford’ [Exclusive Interview]

Interviews, TV Movies

If you can’t get enough of Hallmark original movies, then chances are, you’re already familiar with actress Sarah Edmondson.

Edmondson has been a part of three recent Hallmark films, including Love at First Bark, Wedding March 2: Resorting to Love, and most recently, At Home in Mitford, starring Andie MacDowell and Cameron Mathison.

I had a few questions for Edmondson about her work on those films, her most memorable audition story, and which Friends character she’s often compared to.

Tell-Tale TV: When did you decide that you wanted to get into acting, and what led to that decision?

Sarah Edmondson: I have been a performer of different types since I was a little girl, but the decision to pursue acting professionally was a result of a number of different experiences in my late teens and early twenties. I had visited my uncle directing a film and got a taste of the perks and glamour of being an actor, and I also had a number of rewarding experiences on stage in high school.

But all mediums offered something that is hard to pinpoint exactly. It was a unique blend of exhilaration, meeting new people, telling stories, entertainment, free food, and having fun of course.

Sarah Edmondson (photo credit: Liz Rosa)
Sarah Edmondson (photo credit: Liz Rosa)

Tell-Tale TV: Of all of your auditions, is there any particular audition story that comes to mind as the most memorable?

Edmondson: It was during an audition for Dentyne gum, and I had to make out with a guy who was ten years younger than me and just had his wisdom teeth out. That was one of the grossest and most awkward kisses of my entire life. Needless to say, I did not get the job.

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Tell-Tale TV: You’ve starred in three Hallmark films. What is it that draws you to those kinds of projects?

Edmondson: At this stage in my life as a mama, I love the lightness of these films. I don’t want to do dark and gritty films right now. I want to surround myself with bright, warm energy, and Hallmark is the perfect place for that type of heart warming entertainment.

What was the biggest challenge for you in working on the most recent film, At Home in Mitford?

Edmondson: I think I was most challenged to stay focused. There were so many awesome people on the At Home in Mitford cast and crew. Every big scene was a picnic, so it was always so much fun to be on set.

I was so sad to leave, I didn’t want it to be over.

Tell-Tale TV: Were you excited to work with Andie McDowell?

Edmondson: Absolutely. What an absolute treat from start to finish. I learned so much from her and appreciated her stories and life advice. Fingers crossed we get to do it again soon if the series continues.

Tell-Tale TV: You’ve appeared on several TV series including Fringe and Psych. How was working on At Home in Mitford different from those experiences?

Edmondson: Well, both of those shows were guest star roles where I would come and go for the episode. At Home in Mitford, however, was more collaborative from the beginning.

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I felt like I was part of an ensemble cast from day one, which meant I had an opportunity to get to know people and find my groove on set. Being on set for seven days allows for so much more ease and comfort as an actor.

A divorced writer goes to a picture-perfect small town to get over her writer’s block, and ends up falling in love … with the town of Mitford, its inhabitants, and its most eligible bachelor, the handsome Episcopal priest who lives next door. Photo: Cameron Mathison, Sarah Edmondson, David Lewis Credit: Copyright 2017 Crown Media United States LLC/Photographer: Kailey Schwerman
Photo: Cameron Mathison, Sarah Edmondson, David Lewis Credit: Copyright 2017 Crown Media United States LLC/Photographer: Kailey Schwerman

Tell-Tale TV: Is there anyone in television you’d be especially excited to work with in the future?

Edmondson: I am obsessed with The Handmaid’s Tale right now, so I would love to work with Elizabeth Moss. I think Benedict Cumberbatch is phenomenal. Ricky Gervais. Martin Freeman.

Oh my God, Tina Fey please, and Kevin Spacey. Just to really up my game. And Louis C.K. He is the funniest comic around, in my opinion!

Tell-Tale TV: Some of your friends call you “Geller,” because you have some similarities to Monica Geller on Friends. Can you share what those are?

Edmondson: I’m very organized, and I like things a certain way. I have recently come to enjoy those things as a quirky part of my personality, and try not to worry about changing them. But I don’t mind being called Geller.

Tell-Tale TV: What’s one television show you’ve seen every episode of?

Edmondson: When I get into a series, I usually devour it. I just did that with The Handmaid’s Tale. I was devastated to hear Season 2 wasn’t out yet. What a relevant, smart, beautifully shot and acted show.

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You follow Sarah Edmondson on Twitter and Facebook @sarahjedmondson, and on Instagram at @sarahedmondson.

*Featured image credit: Liz Rosa

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Ashley Bissette Sumerel is a television and film critic living in Wilmington, North Carolina. She is editor-in-chief of Tell-Tale TV as well as Eulalie Magazine. Ashley has also written for outlets such as Rolling Stone, Paste Magazine, and Insider. Ashley has been a member of the Critics Choice Association since 2017 and is a Rotten Tomatoes-approved critic. In addition to her work as an editor and critic, Ashley teaches Entertainment Journalism, Composition, and Literature at the University of North Carolina Wilmington.