Actress Ashley Williams has revealed the details of a prank she executed on her Hallmark co-star Andrew Walker during the filming of the docuseries 'Christmas at Sea.' For an episode titled "Shining Stars," Williams adopted the persona of "Aunt Diana," a character inspired by her aunt who is a fervent Hallmark fan, to fool Walker.
Williams, known for her roles in Hallmark films, donned a blonde wig and a prosthetic nose to disguise herself as an unassuming fan. Her plan was to infiltrate a group of fans and interact with Walker, who was unaware of her true identity. The elaborate disguise was part of a larger concept Williams had pitched to Hallmark for unscripted content, including a show about starting a honey farm with Walker and a blooper compilation show. Another idea involved her and fellow actor Paul Campbell attending the Hallmark Christmas Cruise disguised as fans.
Williams recounted how the concept for the cruise prank was scaled down from her original pitch. "What if we do a little mini version of that this year on the cruise? What if we had you dress up like a fan and see if we can trick your colleagues at Hallmark?" she recalled being asked by a network contact. "So I got to do that this year, which was a hoot!"
During a fan photoshoot, Williams, as Aunt Diana, approached Walker and engaged with him as a superfan, even making a comment about his scent. Walker, whom Williams described as a "golden retriever" for his affable nature, reportedly did not recognize her. The deception ended when Williams removed her wig and nose, revealing her identity and eliciting a surprised and amused reaction from Walker.
Williams expressed satisfaction with her choice of target, noting that her long-standing friendship with other actresses like Nikki DeLoach would have made a similar prank impossible. She described the experience of interacting with genuine Hallmark fans as a meaningful part of her career, often leading to deep personal conversations.
The next episode of 'Christmas at Sea' Season 2 is scheduled to stream on Wednesday on Hallmark+.