Lisa Durupt – Murder She Baked

By: Ruth Hill

If you are a Hallmark Movies & Mysteries Network aficionado, you will no doubt recognize the one and only Lisa Durupt as the buoyant and feisty Andrea from the popular movie series, Murder She Baked. She was first brought to my attention as a result of her insatiable love for endearing fan engagement on her twitter page. All of her interactions abound with winsome and ebullient sentiments laced with her signature wit and charm. And as I recently had the opportunity to chat with her, I discovered that every bit of that precious and delightful nature she brings to her roles is merely a reflection of who she genuinely is and more.

Have you had an opportunity to read any of the books in the Murder She Baked series?

I have read every book that has been included in our film series thus far. I am one who has always enjoyed mysteries. I was never much of a reader, but I enjoyed the Baby-Sitters Club mysteries and I used to always watch “Murder She Wrote.” I really liked trying to figure out who did it and since this series is just like that, I was very excited to be cast as Andrea.

Can you reveal whether your character is going to have a boy or a girl?

If they know, they haven’t told me yet. And if they’re smart, they won’t tell because they know I can’t be trusted to keep a secret like that very well.

What is it like working with the other actors in the Murder She Baked series?

Cameron (Mathison) is even cuter in person than he is on the screen,and he is one of the nicest guys ever. In fact, I would say he is as attentive as a golden retriever and from the moment you meet him, you sense that he is a kind human. He is like family. In fact, the whole cast is like family. Barbara (Niven) is the perfect mother and Ali (Sweeney) really is like a sister to me.

If Hallmark cast you as a lead in a future movie, which male actor would you like to have as your co-star?

While he has not yet done a Hallmark film, I would love it if they brought on Eric Winter. He would make a great love interest.

What do you hope is in store for your character (Andrea) in the next Murder She Baked film?

Well, she had better be having her baby first of all. But I do hope that the writers change it up a little bit. While I want Andrea to be faithful to her beliefs, I would like to see a bit more action for her. Maybe if she and Hannah combine forces–I don’t know, we’ll see. No matter what, it’s bound to be an adventure for all of the cast.

Are you “Team Mike” or “Team Norman?”

Oh, that’s a hard one. Well, of course I HAVE to be “Team Mike,” but it’s hard because Gabe (Gabriel Hogan) is such a lovely person as well. The roles are written just perfectly. But I have to remain true to what I think is best for Hannah. And, of course, I have to go opposite our mother. She’s “Team Norman” all the way!

I understand one of your upcoming works is entitled Puppet Killer. What can you tell us about that?

Since it is a horror film, it is a completely different adventure from Murder She Baked or anything else I’ve ever done. It is the creation of the Soska Sisters, better known as the “Twisted Sisters.” Before I did this film, I was always scared of horror films. Now that I have actually worked on one, I have seen the way they create the creatures, they use of prosthetics and all the behind-the-scenes stuff. I don’t feel so scared any more as it kind of took the scare away. Now, I can watch a horror film and think, “Now I know how they did that!”

Recently, you were featured in Nickelodeon’s film Rufus. What was that experience like?

It was the first time I had worked with Nickelodeon and all my co-stars were no older than thirteen.  Although the studio has a different vibe than one like Hallmark, I was amazed at how mature these kids acted. I broke the cardinal rule for actors–don’t make a film with kids and animals. Rufus had both. The director, Savage Steve Holland, is very well-known and the atmosphere was very light-hearted. It was good to act with kids who were so talented and well-behaved.

What can you tell us about Preggoland?

In Preggoland, I got my biggest film role so far as the daughter of James Caan whose sister, Sonja Bennett, fakes a pregnancy. This film went to several film festivals and I even got a Leo Award nomination. Because Preggoland was seen at various festivals and won several awards, it had the distinction of getting a bigger release than most independent films. And it seems to have been very well-received by the audiences that got the chance to see it. Notable in the film is the performance of Danny Trejo (Machete) as his character is lovable and funny, but very hard for audiences to see as his character is in hiding during the film.

I see that you began your career in stunt work. Is that something you miss? Would you ever go back to it if given the chance?

When I was at the university, I was a hockey player, but I hurt my shoulder pretty badly. It was then that I took a stage conduct class and I really enjoyed it. While in Manitoba, I met the stunt coordinator and when it was discovered how athletic I was, I was initially put in stunt jobs. I was definitely at the right place at the right time.

Now that I no longer do that, and I’ve moved on to my true love of acting, I can’t tell you how grateful I am for people who do those stunts on camera. While I wouldn’t mind doing a prearranged fight on the screen, I much prefer leaving that up to the stunt people. I am still athletic, but I am in love with acting and couldn’t imagine doing anything else.

As the girl who has a deep passion for what she does and a sweet way of communicating with her vast array of admirers, it was an absolute pleasure to delve beneath the beauty of Lisa’s exterior and discover a heart of sincere gratitude. All of Lisa’s fans will notice how gracious appreciation is a way of life for her.  Furthermore, as Lisa mentioned, her mother would probably “kick her rear” if she ever got a big head (no danger of that happening, of that I am certain). If you have not had a chance to check out this exquisite woman, I would invite you to visit her website http://www.lisadurupt.com/  (her talents are quite varied) and be sure to follow her on twitter (https://twitter.com/thelisadurupt) for all her latest news.