Julie Gonzalo moved to Los Angeles from Miami when she was in her very early 20s to learn about acting. It worked as she has been steadily performing in TV and films since making her feature film debut in the 2002 romantic comedy "I'm With Lucy."
But there's one thing that has become a huge part of the acting profession that the Argentina-born actor got no training for during all her classes: Nothing prepared Gonzalo for the attention from fans and the media that she would have to deal with as part of her chosen profession.
Gonzalo gets stopped all the time by people wanting to talk about a variety of different acting roles dating all the way back to the 2003 film "Freaky Friday." It really surprises her how many people want to talk about her work on "Veronica Mars" although she only had a small role in the TV series. And, of course, the attention got cranked to high when she signed on to play Pamela Rebecca Barnes on the TNT revival of the popular primetime soap opera "Dallas."
"It's a very odd world to live in where people where people know you for something you worked on. I really wasn't aware of how to handle it when someone looks at you like they know you," Gonzalo says. "You realize after a certain time that it comes with the territory but it is odd that people approach you and say they know you.
"I didn't go into this business to find fame. I love being creative. I love being an actor. I love performing."
Gonzalo stresses that the attention she gets isn't as huge as some actors face, but even on her level there are plenty of times when she can't escape the public eye. She laughs and says that the previous evening she had been approached in the bathroom by someone who recognized her. As she has seen more and more of the attention, there were times when Gonzalo felt like being a recluse might not be a bad idea.
Then it dawned on her that attention is a good thing because it means people are not only watching the work she's doing but they are remembering her for it. So, instead of fighting it, she decided to channel what was going on in her real life. Having to deal with this part of the acting world came in handy as Gonzalo prepared for her role in "Falling for Vermont," debuting at 9 p.m. Saturday on the Hallmark Channel.
She plays bestselling author Angela Young who is in the middle of a publicity frenzy because her popular series of books has been turned into a major motion picture. As the pressure from her fans, the media and her boyfriend/manager (Peter Benson) increases, Young decides to get away by driving to Vermont to enjoy a few hours of quiet among the fall foliage.
A freak accident leaves Young with temporary memory loss. The handsome small town doctor and single father (Benjamin Ayres) who treats her invites her to stay in his guest house until the mystery of her identity can be solved. It wouldn't be a Hallmark Channel movie if the pair didn't begin to find an attraction for each other.
As for whether or not she's a romantic at heart, Gonzalo laughs and asks "Who isn't?"
"I think there is something very beautiful to working on these films and watching these kinds of films especially with all the stuff that is happening in the world. There has been so much happening lately that a little bit of romance and a little bit of comedy really does go a long way."
Doing press for the movie was a little bit of a distraction for Gonzalo because she also was monitoring the situation as Hurricane Irma stormed through Florida. Many of her family members and friends live in the Sunshine State and she was keeping updated on their status.
After a long and worrisome weekend, Gonzalo was feeling a little more comfortable because her mother had returned home after being evacuated to find everything generally intact. Her brother rode out the storm in Miami but his area was not hit too hard.
"I really had a hard weekend hurting for my home state but it is a relief to know everyone is fine and didn't suffer any major damage," Gonzalo says.
Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
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