How Ashley Williams’ Falling Together Pays Tribute Her Mom, Hallmark

Ashley Williams’ latest Hallmark venture, Falling Collectively, is “straight” from her “coronary heart” — and serves as a love letter to her late mom, Linda.

Williams, 45, solely informed Us Weekly on Wednesday, September 18, that the character Linda Payne, performed by Linda Kash, was created to pay homage to her mother, who died seven years in the past after battling Alzheimer’s over the course of 12 years.

“My mother labored for the Michael J. Fox Basis actually efficiently. She was an unimaginable group organizer and fundraiser for a trigger she actually believed in,” Williams defined. “So [our writer] Adam [Kulbersh] had this concept to create a personality who labored with the Alzheimer’s Association who we actually modeled after my mom.”

In Falling Collectively, Natalie (Williams) tries to convey her feuding neighbors collectively after shifting to Philadelphia. Alongside the best way, Natalie volunteers for the Walk to End Alzheimer’s and befriends the lead organizer, Linda, who’s affected by the illness. With slightly assist from her constructing tremendous, Mark (Paul Campbell), Natalie learns what she wants in life — and tips on how to assist others, even when they don’t need it.

Williams revealed that as Natalie is lending a hand on the Alzheimer’s Affiliation workplace, she notices three images on the wall — that are nods to actual individuals who have handed away from reminiscence ailments. (Based on the Mayo Clinic, Alzheimer’s is a dysfunction that causes reminiscence loss and deterioration of the mind.)

“One of many cool issues about being a producer is you’ll be able to incorporate all these neat little Easter Eggs within the film that the viewers won’t know, however that make the entire thing extra emotionally resonant,” Williams informed Us.

A type of Easter Eggs features a nod to her mom and family of Hallmark favorites Nikki DeLoach and Andrew Walker.

“There are three images subsequent to Linda Payne’s character’s picture up on the wall. Considered one of them is Nikki DeLoach, my companion in crime at Hallmark, her father [who] handed away from an aggressive type of dementia,” Williams shared. “Subsequent to that’s Andrew Walker’s mom, who additionally died of Alzheimer’s final yr. My mom is the third one, the unique Linda, who handed away from Alzheimer’s Illness.”

Whereas Williams, who’s an government producer on the movie, wished to inform probably the most genuine story about Alzheimer’s illness, she confessed that the scene was particularly laborious to shoot. “It hit so deeply,” she mentioned of the second that Linda Payne has a reminiscence episode within the workplace and doesn’t acknowledge herself up on the wall.

Williams recalled her husband, Neal Dodson, who was an government producer as nicely, consistently asking if she was “OK” however she was “nonetheless in it” so she didn’t reply.

Associated: A Information to Hallmark Channel’s Main Women

The Hallmark Channel has grow to be the one-stop-shop of vacation films and light-hearted rom-coms over time — with many followers tuning in to see their favourite main women. Whether or not it’s When Calls the Coronary heart’s Erin Krakow or Candy Autumn lead Nikki DeLoach, the community is stuffed with proficient ladies telling heart-warming tales. Hallmark’s lengthy record […]

“When it was over, I simply dove into his arms and simply sobbed,” she confessed. “It wasn’t even essentially unhappy tears, it was extra, like, ‘Wow, that is unimaginable that I get to honor my mother this manner.’ Marking the journey that all of us went by way of together with her illness on display screen in a manner that basically means one thing to me.”

Williams referred to as the second “extremely shifting,” including that like a lot of the film they immediately labored in some comedy to offset the heaviness of the sickness. “There’s a lot pleasure on this film and a lot tragedy. After which once more, a lot pleasure and laughter,” Williams teased.

The Hallmark film can be full of affection — it’s a rom-com in spite of everything — fall decorations and newfound friendships. (There’s a failed chili housewarming night time that can be influenced by Williams’ actual life that may make viewers snicker out loud.)

Associated: What You’ll Discover in (Virtually) Each Fall Hallmark Channel Film: A Information

Hallmark Channel is the house of all-things vacation — however earlier than Christmas takes over the community, viewers are handled to annual fall-filled movies. Dubbed “Fall Into Love,” the season of autumn-themed films stretches from September by way of October and there are a couple of objects which are in virtually all the movies. For starters, yellow and […]

“We laughed so laborious making the film. We have been laughing consistently,” Williams mentioned of her and love curiosity Campbell, whom she’s identified for years.

She joked, “Paul is actually adept at making enjoyable of me. I like it when individuals make enjoyable of me. So, you recognize, there have been a lot of alternatives for that and he did actually weave that into the characters as nicely.”

Falling Collectively premieres on Hallmark Channel Saturday, September 21, at 8 p.m. ET.