It was the surprise seen around the world 鈥� millions of times, as a matter of fact.
Actor Benjamin Ayres was in town to film one of Hallmark鈥檚 Christmas movies this year, 鈥淟ong Lost Christmas.鈥� Recently, he posted a short video on social media surprising some onlookers checking out the decorations along Pioneer Avenue. The spectators immediately recognized him, much to the delight of everyone involved.
Ayres said the video has since received more than 2 million views on TikTok and nearly as many on Instagram.
鈥淭hat was a really wonderful video,鈥� Ayres recalled. 鈥淚 had just broken for lunch. I knew that we were going to be filming for another 10 to 15 minutes. I walked across the street walk past them, and I was like, 鈥楾hat鈥檚 so cute that they鈥檙e watching.鈥� I put my phone on and I walked up and just said 鈥榃hat are you filming?鈥欌��
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Ayres said he wasn鈥檛 sure how the onlookers would react.
鈥淭hat could have gone the way that I thought, which is they turn around and go 鈥極h, it鈥檚 a Hallmark movie,鈥欌�� he added. 鈥淚 would have said was like 鈥楧o you know who鈥檚 in it?鈥� and they would have been like,鈥� I have no idea鈥� and I would have just played along. I鈥檝e never done that, just turn my camera on and walk up to somebody.鈥�
Ayres鈥� 鈥淔amily Law鈥� co-star Jewel Staite (鈥淔irefly) convinced him to join TikTok. While his videos drew in a few thousand views, the Agassiz encounter with fans, in his words, 鈥渂lew up.鈥�
鈥淚 think it鈥檚 such an honest reaction,鈥� Ayres said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 super quick. What I love about it is it鈥檚 really brought all these Hallmark fans from all over. I wish I would鈥檝e kept it going because even the husband was like, 鈥極h, I know all your movies!鈥欌��
Kamloops-born Ayres has been in about 13 films in the Lower Mainland. He now lives in Toronto.
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鈥�(Agassiz-Harrison) has been one of my favorite locations to film, to be honest,鈥� Ayers said. 鈥淧eople are so kind here; everyone is so nice.鈥�
Ayres said there are many Hallmark fans in the area and the cast and crew have been welcomed with open arms.
While he鈥檇 been to and filmed in Agassiz before, Ayres had up until recently never been to Harrison Hot Springs.
鈥淥f course, I鈥檝e known about it my whole life and I didn鈥檛 realize kind of what it was, or just the natural beauty of this whole location and this quaint little (community), Agassiz included,鈥� Ayres said. 鈥淭hey work splendidly well, for a Hallmark film, because there are so many locations we can use between the two. The backdrop is magnificent.鈥�
鈥淟ong Lost Christmas,鈥� which also stars Taylor Cole (鈥淪urrogates,鈥� 鈥淢aking Spirits Bright鈥� is among the more dramatic of Hallmark鈥檚 offerings this year.
鈥淚t鈥檚 about a girl who lives in a big city and she just lost her father,鈥� Ayres said. 鈥淪he discovers that there might possibly be an uncle that she didn鈥檛 know about, and she kind of decides to do some sleuthing and drives to the small town where she thinks potentially this uncle might live.鈥�
While unraveling the secrets of her long-lost family, the protagonist might just find love along the way.
鈥淟ong Lost Christmas鈥� premieres on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries Nov. 18 at 10 p.m. EST (7 p.m. Pacific).
adam.louis@ ahobserver.com
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Check out highlights from the video interview with Ayres on our website, www.agassizharrisonobserver.com.
