Andrew Walker Finds It Super Awkward To Kiss One Of His Hallmark Co-Stars

Kissing scenes are a given for most Hallmark romances, but that expectation didn't make it any easier for Andrew Walker to kiss his "Jingle Bell Run" co-star, Ashley Williams. While promoting their holiday film in November 2024, Walker dished on all the hilarious, awkward details about romantic onscreen moments. "This is the circus. It's a freak show," were the words Walker used to describe their smooching scenes to People. But don't worry, it's not as bad as it sounded. "I'm used to it now but we had our kissing scene at the end of last week and it's always more strange to do it when you know somebody so well," he explained, adding, "And I know her husband so well, we're very good friends."

The kids that Walker shares with his wife, Cassandra Troy, also contributed to the awkwardness around their father's kissing scenes. "West was in the car and said, 'So, Daddy, I was talking to Jonah and Jonah said that you and Gus's mommy are going to be making out in your next movie!'" the star shared about a conversation his nine-year-old had with Williams' son, Gus. However, Walker's kids went a step further by physically reprimanding him for kissing someone other than their mom. "The minute the kiss happens, they both will look at me," added the star. "My 4-year-old will say, 'Daddy, you can't do that!' Or he'll be really quiet and then he'll try to physically hurt me a little bit after." 

Given the Hallmark stars' explosive onscreen chemistry, you'd never know that this Canadian Hallmark star had trouble navigating his kissing scenes. We spoke to an expert who explained why the experience may have been so awful for the actors. But first, let's talk about why Williams wasn't exactly loving it either — though for her, it was for a slightly different reason.

Andrew Walker wasn't the only person weirded out by his Hallmark kissing scene. Ashley Williams also had an interesting reaction to their smooch. During "A Look Behind The Lens," Walker hilariously recounted her unexpected reaction to kissing Walker while filming "Jingle Bell Run." Kicking things off, she said, "I have been married for 20 years. I was not even excited for this kiss because, by the way, Andrew Walker is one of my best friends, and he's best friends with my husband, and his wife is one of my best friends." But because of their familiarity, Williams was like, "Yeah, yeah, we'll kiss, it's fine." However, her reaction after the kiss made the director ask if she was okay, and her response was surprising. "I go, 'He's a really good kisser,'" and she goes, "We can tell." Cue the audience's laughter.

Mutual awkwardness isn't the only thing they shared while filming. While speaking with Southern Living in November 2024, Walker revealed that he and Williams trained together to tackle the film's physical stunts. "All we did was run," admitted the star. "Every single day. Up stairs, through courtyards in the city. Running in and out of restaurants. Down highways. It was just constant running. Ashley, little do people know, is an incredible runner. She used to run competitively. I was always trying to catch up to Ashley. She's hardcore." 

He continued, "Everything that you see on camera just quadruple that and that was what we were doing behind the scenes because not every little portion of that makes the movie and so we would have to do every single take up to 10 times or so, so we were so physically exhausted at the end of the day." Makes sense.

Nicki Swift reached out to Patrick Wanis, PhD, Behavior & Relationship Expert, creator of SRTT Therapy (Subconscious Rapid Transformation Technique) — with a focus on trauma, eating disorders, and addiction — to get an expert's take on why kissing scenes could stir up awkwardness between co-stars who also happen to be friends.

"When two actors who are close friends off-screen are asked to kiss on-screen, the awkwardness isn't just about the act — it's about what that act represents emotionally and psychologically," said Wanis. "We compartmentalize people into relationship categories and boxes, and there is an emotional component or contract tied to each of those categories. Therefore, the kiss between two actors who are close friends off-screen breaks the subconscious emotional contract of the friendship." The relationship expert also explained that kissing between friends can lead to cognitive dissonance. "To break it down into simple terms: you're stepping outside the boundaries of a platonic relationship and performing an intimate act — one usually reserved for romance, love, or sexual chemistry — with someone whom your mind has already, firmly placed in the 'safe, non-romantic' category," he said. "That creates internal conflict — the cognitive dissonance."

In the case of Hallmark stars Ashley Williams and Andrew Walker, their kids were also friends, which further complicated their dynamic. "Now you've introduced multiple layers of relational tension," explained Wanis. It's no longer just about you and your friend. Now you will be concerned and fearful about its impact on your spouses and the children. How will they perceive or interpret that kiss on screen?"