Brigid Brannagh: A Crush on You Interview
By: Judith Wallace

She is popularly known as “Pamela,” one of the leading ladies in Army Wives. But in her upcoming Hallmark Original Movie “A Crush on You” she plays the character Charley who accidentally receives a romantic email that was meant for co-worker Chloe and as the story goes  it turns into a complicated situation. Premier Guide Media recently caught up with Brigid Brannagh where we spoke about her new movie, hair, and her trip to Afghanistan among other things. During our conversation we also spoke about her own secret crush which turned out to be her husband in real life. She is warm, funny and has good conversations.

Tell us about your upcoming Hallmark Channel Original Movie, A Crush on You in which you play Charley.
Brigid Brannagh: Yes its directed by Allison Andrews and stars myself and Sean Patrick Flannery and Christian Scott Bennett and also Michael Clark Duncan some really nice people. It is sort of along the lines of movies like You’ve Got Mail, Roxanne you know all of those sort of kinda mistaken identity situation where you think you’re speaking to one person but you are speaking to another. Sean Patrick Flannery’s character basically likes this one gal who works in the same place as me and by accident he emails me saying romantic things. I play a single mom who is virtually tired and puts herself on the back burner basically forgotten about herself. Initially she is thinking this has to be a joke what is this,you know sending her romantic notes etc. But eventually she met Sean Patrick Flannery’ character and she begins to feel little more herself again more feminine, warm, and alive again. She starts to feel better about herself which allows her to open up and accept the warmth and love of this guy only to find out that all this time he was emailing the wrong person. And then Chloe  finds out about the whole mishap and then she goes through the whole process of Should she pursue him (Sean Flannery’s Character)or not. Eventually both Sean and I came together worked out everything and moved pass it.

How was your experience working with Sean Flannery and the rest of the cast?
Brigid Brannagh: It was really great I was actually doing two jobs at the same time I was filming another movie as well. I was a bit exhausted during the second half of filming being that I was just working even on the weekends on two different things. But it is a testament to how nice a lot of these people who do the Hallmark Movies are because even though I was doing two separate things but they were such a great group. Allison Andrews is the director she was fantastic she was so easy  to work with such a delight really. Michael Clark Duncan only came for a short period but he was really incredibly sweet that was what I imagine he would be and he was. Christine Scott Bennett has not been acting for a very long time she is pretty new but she was sweet as well. She asked really funny questions (laughs) great girl. She would ask something and you would go like what? (laughs) And then Sean Patrick Flannery  whenever I  tend to be weary about my lines or something like that because I tend to take it very seriously People may say you work too hard you know but I never want to mess up even though sometimes you need to just crack up and call it a day. Sean is not that way he comes in and say hey you know what we could do (laughs) and my reply is you are making me nervous.

I know that you are married and no offense to your union but this question is soley based on what the movie is about. Have you ever had a secret crush on anyone or have you ever had any experience of anyone having a crush at any point in real life?
Brigid Brannagh: Well umm maybe I am gonna sound geeky again (laughs) I think that any crush that anybody ever had on me was a secret to me  because up until I met my husband if you did not say to me “hi I like you, I like to ask you out all those things (laughs) then I have no idea that you liked me. I tend to get caught up in whatever it is that I am doing and I don’t even know that you know so any crush that anybody ever had on me is probably a secret to me (laughs). And have I ever had a crush well my husband I had a secret crush on him but he was not available when I met him I knew him for a while before we ended up together and he was unavailable. And I saw him one day and I was thinking “wow he is cute”(laughs) now I did not tell a soul that I had a single bit of a crush on him until he was single and somebody saw it on my face. I am pretty sure that they were saying “ohh you like him” (laughs)

You are also a star and a fan fave on the hit show Army Wives where you play Pamela   but I have read that you will be leaving the show is that true?
Brigid Brannagh: Oh no last year they were doing a spin off of my character so we did an episode starting off with me being a detective and moving away. So that would have been true last year but Lifetime did not end up picking up the show.

You have done a lot of projects both on the small and the big screen which one do you prefer doing?
Brigid Brannagh: Basically the most important thing is what role I play and the freedom in which I get to play it. You know some people give you more room to do things as you feel them/as you feel it should go and I always appreciate that. I certainly don’t mind when I am confused or  certain things are out of my element a bit to get a good amount of direction. But I always like the chance to show what I can bring to the table. And when its really nicely written its like a great dance. You know its just like dancing to the right song, it really works so that’s my favorite thing to do big or small screen is something that is really written.

What is the most favorite role tat you have played so far throughout your career?
Brigid Brannagh: I have to admit that I love playing Pamela of course she has been my longest role. It has really been an honor to play an army wife because I do think that they are some of the most phenomenal women that I have ever met in my life. But I did play an army wife before Tamera on Over There  and I had so much freedom in that role .you know I was saying earlier that materials that are well written is what I am really drawn to. She had a huge drinking problem (a drunk), she was a single mother, she cheated on her husband she was just a disaster really. I have to admit that was very liberating. It was really one of my favorite things that I have done because I had so much room to play really. So I thoroughly enjoyed that.

The summer is here and you are a California Girl do you have anything specific that you like to do during the summer time?
Brigid Brannagh: Well I have to specify that I am actually a Northern California Girl by birth. So when I was a kid going to the beach it was like wearing ten blankets (laughs) I didn’t actually grow up with the blond and the sun and the surfboards you know (laughs). Yeah but my husband and I we do like to go to the beach . He loves the California life. We also do our version of outdoor movie nights in the back yard, we put up the screen because he is very talented with those things. So people sitting on the lawn watching movies you know old James Bond Movies. So we plan to do that a couple more times over the summer that is really fun.

Today it seems like you can find out what your favorite celebrities are doing by the click of a button are you into social media/networking?
Brigid Brannagh: Oh, no I am terrible (laughs) even for A Crush on You they needed someone to do stunts. I am really not a media gal. I don’t twitter , I don’t Facebook. I don’t even know really what twitter is. I am a bit more like my father from Ireland he is 76 and I am more similar to him (laughs) in terms of my media skills like its terrible.

I love your hair you have great hair what is the secret?
Brigid Brannagh: The funny thing is that I really have very curly hair naturally and so I either wear it curly or I will blow dry it out.’ One of the things that I have always noticed with other gals that have curly hair is that their hair would be so long and look so good and I would ask them what do you use and they would use the same thing that I use which is finesse from the grocery store (moisturizing shampoo and conditioner). I have been using it since I was like thirteen. And all of these gals that I know that their hair look so pretty they were using it. And I thought wow (laughs) five bucks maybe you don’t need all those expensive stuff and I am not a fan of the fancy stuff anyway. If it ain’t broke don’t fix it.

Apart from Army Wives and A Crush on You are there any other projects that you are currently involved in and up coming?
Brigid Brannagh: Well I just did an independent movie Not That Funny so we will see what happens with that and I just got back from a trip with the USO to Afghanistan. Overall its been a heck of a season in terms of the regular work and Afghanistan and I also went to the Military Luncheon in Washington at the White House. Its been crazy but amazing.