Hallmark Channel brings Karen Kingsbury’s beloved book, The Bridge to life just in time for the holidays. The beautiful story is set in a charming bookstore that serves as much more than a place to buy the latest best-seller. Its proprietors Donna and Charlie (Faith Ford and Ted McGinley) created the store as a place where its patrons can find a sense of community and count themselves members of an extended family.
“It really focuses a lot on community and people all supporting each other through the tough times in life that we sometimes find ourselves in,” says actor Wyatt Nash, who plays one of the shop patrons, and is a special part of The Bridge’s community. He adds that the story “Is really just about supporting and loving each other.” Nash and Katie Findlay play two young college students who spend their study hours dreaming about their future and sharing a special bond with everyone they meet.
Nash and I chatted about the role and the unbelievable connection he found to his character.
Channel Guide: Wyatt, tell us a little about your character, Ryan.
Wyatt Nash: Ryan grew up in Franklin, TN, and is a big friend of The Bridge bookstore, and as he goes into college his freshman year he’s sort of trying to decide which path to take, whether he wants to play it safe, or if he wants to pursue his true passion, music. In his freshman year, one of the first days, he meets a girl named Molly Allen, and kind of turns his life upside down a little bit. Together they both just sort of try to find their way and help each other decide which path they truly want to go on, and The Bridge is sort of a center stage for their relationship.
CG: This is the second time you’ve brought a famous literary character to life (Nash played Christopher Dollanganger in the 2014 TV film, Petals on the Wind, a sequel to Flowers in the Attic.) Tell us about giving a face to someone who comes from a beloved book…
WN: I read the book in about two days, before I even read the script, and I definitely empathized with Ryan’s plight, and his life, and the character of who he is. I felt a strong connection to him, and a lot of similarities to myself, so I was just really excited to bring a lot of myself to the character.
CG: You mention that you felt connected to Ryan, how so?
WN: Well, he’s from Franklin, Tennessee, and I’m from about ten minutes north of Franklin, so I grew up in the same area, which was pretty ironic to me. My jaw dropped when I started reading the book and I read that. He’s really torn between, like I said, playing it safe — pursuing a different type of type of degree — and supporting those around him, or to pursue music, which is his true passion.
I found my self in a very similar situation in college; I had to decide whether I wanted to continue down the pathway to medical school, or if I wanted to become an actor. Ultimately, I’m an actor, but it’s not an easy decision to figure out what direction you want to go sometimes. You don’t want to let people down in your life, but you also want to be true to yourself. I definitely strongly felt that tension.
Photographer: Duane Prentice
CG: You mentioned Nashville. Karen Kingsbury lives in Nashville too. Is that a world that you two could talk about? Did having a location as a touchstone for the character, and knowing that that’s where Karen’s heart is, make it easier to know your character?
WN: Oh, definitely. There were several times in the script where Ryan would be talking about something from his past, be it a festival or a history of the area, and I remember, as a kid, going to these festivals and going on field trips, learning about the history of Franklin and of Nashville. It was definitely a touchstone.
I was able to talk with Karen a lot. She was on set for a couple of weeks, and I spoke with her beforehand, as well. She continued to encourage me to keep going down the path that I was on, because to her, she said, it was just kind of spot-on, and to keep doing what I’m doing. She was really great.
Photographer: Duane Prentice
CG: Tell me about working with Kate, who plays Molly. How were you able to build that friendship that’s so paramount to the roles?
WN: That was kind of nerve wracking, because I hadn’t met her. I met her right before we filmed the first scene, which, ironically, was the first time that we met on camera … I was really nervous, because I didn’t know how she was, or anything like that, but as soon as we starting taking to each other — and just kind of joking and laughing and being absolutely ridiculous — I wasn’t worried about that anymore. She’s a wonderful actress and I learned a lot from her, but she’s a great person, too, and we got along really, really well.
CG: Did you have that same kind of fun chemistry with Ted and Faith?
WN: Yes, for sure. Ted McGinley makes me laugh like no other person I’ve met. He is always joking around and always playing games, and is just so much fun to be around on-set. He just brings a great energy, as well as Faith. They’re just both so professional and so seasoned, and know exactly what they’re doing, and so they were so much fun to be around on-set, for sure.
CG: Having read the books, did you think that Ted and Faith were the perfect casting choice for the roles?
WN: Yeah, I think they were perfect. I think Ted fully embodies Charlie and Faith is definitely Donna, in my mind. They did a great job with what they brought to both the characters, and I’m really looking forward to seeing the final cut. It’s so much fun to watch on-screen, and they have great chemistry themselves.
Photographer: Duane Prentice
CG: Did you all become an on-set family? In the book and film, The Bridge becomes kind of a home away from home for a lot of people. Did you find yourselves falling into that family?
WN: Yeah, in a way. We were away from L.A. — we filmed up in Canada — and you hang out with the people that you know, and the only people you know are the people you work with. I got to spend a lot of time with both Ted and Faith outside of filming and especially Katie. We all definitely enjoyed getting along together up there. Yeah, I think we had a real strong connection between the four of us.
CG: Hallmark is calling this The Bridge, Part One. Is there going to be a part two, is the story left unfinished?
WN: Yes. Yes, it is, indeed. They took Karen’s book, The Bridge, and split it into two parts. There’s so much juicy story in her book, it’s so dense, there’s so much to tell, that they thought it would be better if we split it into two pieces, instead of brushing over and rushing through it. I think they made the right call. We actually filmed both parts back-to-back, and this year, you’re only going to be seeing the first half of the book. I believe the second half will air sometime next year around the same time.
CG: That’s incredible; so next year we’ll have another movie to look forward to?
WN: Yes. It’ll be The Bridge, Part Two — basically the second half of the book.
Karen Kingsbury’s The Bridge > Hallmark Channel > Sunday, Dec. 6 at 8pm ET/7pm CT
All movie images Copyright 2015 Crown Media United States, LLC/Photographer: Duane Prentice
I am 73 May be dead by next year really sad it was just left hanging for a year
The movie was so good however I was so disappointed with the ending …really next year. You could of told us. When I seen Christmas of 2016 I thought I was dreaming, until I looked online.
PLEASE don’t make us wait.
NOT TELLING BEFORE HAND THAT ITS IN TWO PARTS WAS HORRIBLE ILL NEVER WATCH ANOTHER HALLMARK MOVIE
most people have to wait their enitre live for good things and a good movie is hard to find to why make us wait for the second part of it every christmas season i watch hallmark back to back bc i love your movies so inspiring and a joy you hqve always outdone yourselves and uplifted your reputation to an all time high…..until now that is what a waste all these years wit. Making it to whr you are bc of us your loyal fans/audience and this is how you repay us showing half a movie without any fore knowledge to anyone before hand your reputation just went in the toilet and I canceled my programming with yiur channel on it through my dish provider and mailed all my dvd copies of movie back to your home office location wow…what a slap in the face…whats next… porn????? #HALLMARKMOVIESHOULDBEASHAMEDOFSHOWINGHALFAMOVIE. HALF A MOVIE…Gonna find a child without legs and taketheir wheel chair away tooooo…
So disappointed! It was such a good movie and then you pull this! Forget next year! It is so unfair…..makes me not wanting to see another Hallmark movie!
Like everyone else I was really upset that part two is not until next year. I’m through watching Hallmark channel this season if they are going to do something stupid like that.
Love the Hallmark channel this time of year. I enjoy your feel good movies in a tumultuous world. But, I really would have appreciated knowing upfront, that part 2 was … Next Year! Very disappointed. I wouldn’t have watched the movie had I known. Next week, next Sunday, but next year is not even a realistic expectation. Hope this is the first of its kind and the last.
I was so disappointed that the second half of the movie is not until next Christmas. Especially since Hallmark didn’t let us know it was 2 parts until the end of the show. Rethink that idea. Please.
Same from as many others, this was deceptive and unlike Hallmark. You have sullied your reputation by not forewarning your viewers as to the two parts and the YEAR in between. Very poor taste on your part and a stain on your name.
The Bridge is a captivating Love story. My family and I just finished the movie. We were stunned when Hallmark lowered the boom that Part 2 will not be released until December 2016! Okay, this isn’t the Hobbit Trilogy. Why not have Part 2 next Sunday evening, considering they filmed the movies back-to-back ( straight from Wyatt Nash’s interview )? We are so disappointed. Now I’m tempted to cheat and read the book…
Unfortunately I’m sure thats why they didnt show the 2nd part right away. Hallmark is probably making a profit off the second part of Karen Kingsbury’s book. So u going to buy the book to read, would be them winning. There is a reason for why people do what they do. Hallmark definitely sunk to a low with the way they did they’re viewer
I agree with most all of the previous comments concerning delaying the second part of The Bridge until next year. Why on earth would Hallmark do this? Are we to think that next year they will possibly get to the end and announce that there will be a part 3 that we’ll have to wait until Dec. 2017 to see the end? It was a deception on their part not to advertise this.
This has got to be one of the dumbest moves by Hallmark! Really? Part Two next Christmas season? If ever there was a time when we needed something uplifting, it is NOW. Who knows where we are all going to be in a year’s time? I guarantee, I may just have a sit-in and NOT watch Part Two. And, I really don’t care how the book ends either. You guys must be getting a cut from the author when the book sales go through the roof! By the way, I am not going to buy the book! Right now, I don’t care how it ends!
The Bridge part 2 next year? Who were the PR geniuses who thought this was a good idea? Hallmark exec that signed off on this brilliant plan probably won’t have a job when they get around to part 2. Waste of time!!!
WHAT? Wait a year, has Hallmark lost their mind? Don’t the big wigs understand that we have choices on what to watch and tonight you lost an audience. I will get the book and move on…..who knows what will be happening in a year. This isn’t Downton Abbey!
I like the movie a lot until about 5 minutes left and I couldn’t figure out how they would wrap it up in that short amount of time. I was severely disappointed that it’s a two-part series and the second part won’t be shown for another year. I would have waited until next year to watch it in it’s entirety. Hallmark made no mention of this and I think it’s underhanded of them not to mention this fact in the ads or press releases.
Inexcusable that Part 2, 2nd half of this book, will not be shown until next year. That’s a terrible decision by Hallmark. Totally inconsiderate to their viewers. I would not have watched tonight if I had known Hallmark was going to do this.
If I had know you weren’t going to show part 2 until next year, I would NOT have watched it. Unbelievable that you are waiting until next year around this time to show part 2. I have the book and I have read it but this is crazy.
Watched in Hallmark tonight. I immediately fell in love with Ryan and Molly. Did not know it was a two parter and have not read the book I was totally bummed. I knew 5 minutes before it ended it was going to be a series or there was more. HALLMARK…MAKE IT A SERIES.. We love “When Calls the Heart” and we would love “The Bridge”! Wyatt Nash your future is astronomical.. Beautiful Acting, and if that was you really singing, you really are the total package. Can’t wait for more!
Great movie. I loved it. Can’t wait to see part two. Please email me to remind me next year that’s it out.
Will The Bridge be available on DVD? We have to be at Church to see our grandchildren in a Christmas program and will probably miss part of the Movie. Please reply. Thanks I have the book, love all your books!
I watches it tonight on hallmark and they said they will be doing an encore presentation soon so you might want to check the schedule