She was always a performer, even at a young age, but she never thought of making a career out of it.

But now Vernon-born and Vancouver-based actress Hannah Pederson can害羞草研究所檛 imagine life without acting.

Pederson, now a career actress, is steadily building her identity as a household name and has scored her first lead role in the form of Aimee Lee in Hallmark害羞草研究所檚 Garage Sale Mystery: The Mask Murder, which is set to air on the Hallmark channel Aug. 12 and for release beyond the channel in the near future.

害羞草研究所淭his was my first lead role in a Hallmark movie,害羞草研究所� Pederson said, adding that her relationship with the company began early on in her acting career.

Filmed approximately five months ago over the course of a month in Vancouver, Garage Sale Mystery follows Lori Loughlin of Full House害羞草研究所檚 Aunt Becky and 90210害羞草研究所檚 Debbie Wilson fame as her character, Jennifer, unravels a mystery.

害羞草研究所淢urders mysteriously continue to happen in front of her,害羞草研究所� Pederson said of Hallmark害羞草研究所檚 Garage Sale Mystery series.

Pederson first stepped into the TV movie series in 2015.

害羞草研究所淚 booked a Garage Sale Mystery in 2015, but it was a super small role,害羞草研究所� she said.

However, over the past three years, Pederson said she has continued to build that rapport with Hallmark.

害羞草研究所淚 just felt like I connected really well with produces, with fans of the show,害羞草研究所� Pederson said. 害羞草研究所淚 feel like they kind of took me under their wing. It害羞草研究所檚 been pretty consistent. I feel at home with them and their content.害羞草研究所�

From the content to the producers and fan base, Pederson said it害羞草研究所檚 a relationship she is happy to have cultivated.

害羞草研究所淧eople meet me in real life and say, 害羞草研究所榊ou are like a Hallmark movie,害羞草研究所櫤π卟菅芯克鶟 she laughed.

Over the course of her career, Pederson has starred in several shorts, series and TV movies such as Murder, She Baked: A Deadly Recipe, Summer Love, Every Christmas Has a Story and When Calls the Heart and has made appearances in several Vancouver favourites like The Good Doctor and Supernatural.

However, one genre that has consistently crept into her filmography was simply by chance: sci-fi horror.

害羞草研究所淚n Vancouver, we do a lot of sci-fi, murder mysteries, we have Supernatural 害羞草研究所� I think it just worked out that way. I want more Christmas movies,害羞草研究所� she laughed.

Even though the genre she often appears in is a mere coincidence, she wouldn害羞草研究所檛 change a thing.

害羞草研究所淚 absolutely love doing it. It feels like something I connect with,害羞草研究所� Pederson said. 害羞草研究所淚 think I connect really well with emotional characters.害羞草研究所�

And for Pederson, that connection is half of the fun.

害羞草研究所淚 love to connect with new characters. You just learn what it害羞草研究所檚 like to walk in other people害羞草研究所檚 shoes. I really care about it and I really try to honour the characters. I think it害羞草研究所檚 important to honour the stories,害羞草研究所� she said. 害羞草研究所淎ll these people are real in some way. Everyone can relate to the characters 害羞草研究所� that害羞草研究所檚 why we watch TV.害羞草研究所�

While she has become fully enamoured by the craft, it was a career choice that almost didn害羞草研究所檛 happen. During Pederson害羞草研究所檚 high school years, she was an avid athlete and sports were her No. 1 priority until she decided to give acting a try. Pederson moved to Calgary for a theatre intensive and learned the Meisner technique at the Playhouse.

害羞草研究所淲hen I first got there, I didn害羞草研究所檛 really fit in,害羞草研究所� she said. 害羞草研究所淭aking those courses and learning about acting truly swept me off my feet.害羞草研究所�

After her two-year intensive, Pederson moved back to Vernon briefly before heading to the west coast.

害羞草研究所淚 didn害羞草研究所檛 know much coming here. I knew the film industry was booming at that time,害羞草研究所� she said. 害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 just really amazing to come from a small town and have a city that has so much opportunity so close by. We害羞草研究所檙e really fortunate for that.害羞草研究所�

Pederson has seen success in her career in Vancouver but said she has started the process to break into the Los Angeles scene.

害羞草研究所淚 have a family and mom who always told me to dream big,害羞草研究所� Pederson said. 害羞草研究所淚 just want to be a full-time actor. I would really like to be a series lead. Long-term, I just want to be a series actor and in a couple feature films.害羞草研究所�

And, with a lead role Garage Sale Mystery: The Mask Murder under her belt, Pederson said that dream is closer than ever.

害羞草研究所淚t was so exciting,害羞草研究所� she said. 害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 like tasting sugar for the first time.害羞草研究所�

parker.crook@vernonmorningstar.com
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