Yet finding that courage can be scary for anyone. In the new Hallmark movie, A Second Chance At Love, Brenda (Gloria Reuben) is facing that very challenge. Brenda has all the passion in the world for her thriving career as a department chair of a dance and arts program at a prominent university. She also adores her adult daughter, Alicia (Alvina August). Yet, at the same time, she has more or less given up on love. Long divorced from Alicia’s father Jack, (Reuben’s ER co-star Eriq La Salle), Brenda has cut herself off from that part of her life. The story really resonated for both Reuben and La Salle, who were reunited for the first time since starring in ER together more than twenty years ago. “There was something about this that really connected with us. We moved into it really deeply when we were discussing the script and filming,” says Reuben, who was overjoyed to get to work with La Salle again. “It touched on fundamental human experiences.” The plot deepens as Brenda and Jack’s daughter, Alicia, struggles to connect with her husband, Arnold (Jarod Joseph). Rather than face her own issues—and guided by her sense of caring—Alicia meddles in her parents’ lives and sets them up on a dating app. “We can all relate to being willing to open up the heart again,” says Reuben of A Second Chance At Love (March 26, Hallmark Channel). “And sometimes dysfunctional relationships or breakups in a marriage can have a generational effect after the fact. The story touches on the willingness for people to want to learn and grow.” In addition to delving into these universal issues, Reuben also relished in showing her playful side in A Second Chance At Love. “I got to be fun, flirty, sexy, laugh and dance,” she shares. “I thought, yes, please.” Brenda is so courageous to take a risk and get herself out there after being dormant. How did you connect with that? When certain roles come my way, they can sometimes parallel certain healing in my own personal life. And this is definitely one of those projects. What you just said about putting oneself out there again and not being dormant anymore is part of many things, like Covid. It’s also changing the kaleidoscope of what does life mean. No one knows, of course, how long we have on this planet. But what is it that I have missed or really want to experience? No matter what that is, whether it’s romance or creativity or travel or moving, it requires openness and a willingness to maybe fall flat on your face. But least give it a shot and do the best you can. What was it like to be back in a room with Eriq after more than twenty years? Also, since you worked together on ER do you have some kind shorthand between you both? Working with Eriq was so great. There was definitely a shorthand. But at the same time the sexy, fun, romantic story in this script were not elements that we were given on ER, in the relationship between Jeanie Boulet and Dr. Benton. Being able to laugh on screen and have that kind of playfulness and sexiness was new for us. But at the same time, because we trust each other so much, creatively, it was like no time had passed. Two days or so after we both arrived in Vancouver just the two of us had dinner. I hadn’t seen Eriq in around twenty years. A long time had passed, but it was just so easy and fun. We’ve both grown a lot. He’s such a goofball with that laugh of his. We had the best time. How did you stay creatively nourished during the shutdown? In March 2020, when there was no opportunity to sing or act or be on stage—when everything shut down, I shut down too. Then, in July 2020, I started to pick up my pen. I continued to write my full autobiography. And then other types of creativity, like producing, began to flourish. I optioned two books that I am in the process of developing, which I cannot talk about just yet. I also did the Showtime series, The First Lady and the film Firestarter, an exciting remake of the Stephen King thriller. You have so many strings to your proverbial guitar. In addition to acting, you are an author, an activist with Waterkeeper Alliance, a singer and now a producer. How do all your talents enrich and add to your life? All my interests offer various outlets for creativity and connecting. With Waterkeeper Alliance, there are over 300 licensed Waterkeepers around the globe, fighting for clean water for their communities. And music has always been my first love. There is nothing like live music or theater. The anticipation, that sweet feeling of butterflies stirring around. Just a drop of terror—heathy fear, keeps you on your game. You can feel when someone is connected to their heart when they’re singing, even if you don’t even understand the words. There’s no filter between the heart and what comes out of their mouth. I was in a rock band when I was 15, singing in bars. I really wanted to be Pat Benatar. Music really saved me. I needed to express through music what I couldn’t express at home. Next, The Complete List of Hallmark Stars Who’ve Moved to GAC Family
