Hallmark fan-favourite Andrew Walker opens up about reuniting with Lacey Chabert, family traditions, and why he’s bringing a little sparkle to the holidays.
For more than a decade, Andrew Walker has been one of Hallmark’s most recognizable leading men — the kind of actor audiences instantly trust for sincerity, warmth, and the emotionally grounded presence he brings to every role. But off-screen, Walker is in a new era: deeper into fatherhood, more intentional about the work he takes on, and continually shaped by the values that define his family life.
His newest film opposite Lacey Chabert (Mean Girls), is She’s Making a List, which premiered December 6 on Hallmark+ in the U.S. and W Network in Canada, marking their first collaboration since My Secret Valentine in 2018. “It was a dream,” Walker explains of reuniting with Chabert. “Coming back now, we’re both more experienced as actors and parents, and I think it shows in how naturally we work together.
The film follows a widower (Walker) whose daughter lands under review by Chabert’s character, an auditor evaluating children for Santa’s Naughty or Nice list. It’s a playful premise layered with emotion, something that resonated immediately for Walker.
“When I read the script originally, it was very emotional,” he says. “The last thing I would ever want for my kids is for my wife and I to split and have to be solo parenting. But in this case, my character’s wife passed away. So it was a really serious situation he was going through.”
What grounded Walker most was working with his on-screen daughter, played by Cadence Compton, a young actress he can’t stop praising. “She was unbelievable in this movie,” he says. Part of her comfort came from having her father, also an actor, on set. “He’d encourage her, saying, ‘You know how you do this with me? Try it with Andrew.’ Having him there helped her relax and be playful. I didn’t have to do much — I just stayed present and followed her lead.”
Shot in Vancouver, the project brought him and Chabert back into an effortless rhythm. “Lacey and I work so well together. It felt so easy.”
Away from set, Walker’s holidays revolve around family, grounding his kids, and maintaining traditions that have evolved as they’ve grown. “It’s all about them and the magic of Christmas,” he says. Every year, the family returns to Montreal to celebrate with grandparents, great-grandparents, and extended family. “We go back every single year. We spend time with everyone; we just nest, and we eat and drink and be merry.”
And giving back is at the centre of it. “Most Christmases, we try to get the kids out there to work with charity organizations, food drives, and stuff like that.” This love of festive traditions and family moments naturally extends to Walker’s holiday fun — including creating drinks that bring a little sparkle to the season.
Cranberry is the flavour of the season, and when you add a little sparkle, it makes everything feel instantly festive, which is exactly why Walker partnered with Ocean Spray to feature their sparkling juices. “I loved playing with all their flavours and created a menu of mocktails and cocktails with the cranberry peach, cranberry pomegranate, and the cran-mango, which is my kids’ favourite,” he says. “I even mixed each flavour with a few extras, including some gingerbread syrup, to create a drink that tastes like Christmas in a glass.”
Bringing that playful, festive spirit to life comes naturally for Walker. Before acting full-time, he co-owned a juice bar with his wife, so experimenting with bright, bold flavours is second nature. He was recently in Toronto where SWAGGER caught up with him to reveal his holiday menu with Ocean Spray Sparkling, sharing these festive creations firsthand.
For the holidays, Walker created a drink with his son — available in a mocktail or cocktail version. See the recipe he created with his son below:
Andrew Walker’s Cranberry Mango Sparkle
Mocktail Ingredients:
4 oz Ocean Spray Sparkling Cranberry Mango
2 oz freshly squeezed orange juice
½ oz lemon juice
Cocktail Variation:
Add Champagne/Prosecco OR 1 oz vodka + ½ oz Triple Sec
Garnish:
Orange peel ice cubes with cranberries and rosemary
Method:
In a glass filled with ice, add the orange juice and lemon juice.
Top with Sparkling Cranberry Mango and stir gently.
Garnish with festive ice cubes made by filling an ice tray with a slice of orange, a few cranberries, and a sprig of rosemary. Add water and freeze.
Walker also wrapped the final installment of Three Wise Men and a Baby, now one of Hallmark’s most beloved modern trilogies. “It’s bittersweet,” he says. “I personally think this movie was the best one in the trilogy. It’s a little bit of a Christmas Vacation vibe—chaotic, funny, and full of family moments.”
Fans may not realize how close the cast is off-screen. “Tyler Hynes is actually my wife’s cousin,” he laughs. “It is crazy that we’ve found ourselves in this world together.”
Whether it’s the Wise Men or his new role in She’s Making a List, Walker keeps circling back to one truth — both in his work and his life.
“I think at the end of the day, it just comes back to spending time with each other,” he says. “That’s what the holidays are about. Everything else — the lights, the food, the gifts — they’re great, but it’s the connection that makes it all matter.”.
Catch Andrew Walker in She’s Making a List, now streaming on Hallmark+ and airing on W Network in Canada, or follow him on Instagram @AWALK35.
