How Heather Hemmens Really Felt About Working With Hallmark Costar Luke Mitchell

Heather Hemmens has collaborated with some notable Hallmark names since she debuted on the network in 2019, including Luke MacFarlane in "Christmas in My Heart" and Niall Matter in "Come Fly With Me." However, she's also had the opportunity to team up with actors who are more known for their work outside the feel-good channel.

For the cooking-inspired romcom "A Pinch of Portugal," Hemmens teamed up with Australian actor Luke Mitchell, who's known for TV shows such as "Home and Away," "Blindspot," and "Big Sky." Turns out, the Maine native really enjoyed working with the TV star on his first Hallmark movie, which is something she opened up about in an interview with Digital Journal.

"Working with Luke Mitchell was a dream," Hemmens told the outlet. "It was my first time working with him and I hope it won't be my last." Luckily for us, this off-screen chemistry really made for a heartwarming on-screen connection in Hallmark's "A Pinch of Portugal."

"A Pinch of Portugal" stars Heather Hemmens as Anna, a prep cook for a celebrity cooking show who's unexpectedly pushed into the spotlight when her superstar boss doesn't show up in Portugal to film on location. With the support of Luke Mitchell's character Russ, her friend and the show's Australian cameraman, Anna not only finds herself rising to the challenge, but finding love along the way.

Viewers who adore Hemmens and Mitchell's on-screen chemistry will be pleased to know that the actors enjoyed working together. "Luke was such a fun partner, and he was playful and supportive both on and off set," Hemmens said. "He was a great scene partner for me." The "Caribbean Summer" star also opened up about the experience in a Hallmark livestream for the romance movie.

"Luke is so sweet, so fun, very funny," she added. "The Australian accent is not bad to listen to and it was really nice that he actually got to keep his accent for this movie." Though starring alongside Mitchell in "A Pinch of Portugal" seemed to be a highlight for Hemmens, it wasn't the only thing she appreciated about filming the Hallmark flick.

While working on "A Pinch of Portugal," Heather Hemmens got to exercise her hidden talent as a trained chef. "I went to culinary school several years ago just for fun," she told TV Fanatic. "It was something to do on my time off, and I've always loved to cook." Though this background in cooking helped the "Roswell, New Mexico" actor multi-task on-camera, as she delivered lines while also prepping food, it also allowed her to connect to the character of Anna in a unique way.

"I have an amazing journey myself with food, and being able to live out Anna's dreams through her food journey was really, really fun," Hemmens explained. "And it's actually made me consider doing a little cooking blog or something because I really, really enjoyed it." Other than that, filming on location in Portugal was a huge highlight for the Hallmark star, as she got to sightsee and experience the cuisine right alongside her on-camera character. We love knowing that Hemmens connected with her co-star Luke Mitchell, but we're even happier knowing that "A Pinch of Portugal" was an all-around great experience for the actor.