Why Hallmark's Brennan Elliott Struggled Behind The Scenes Of The Gift Of Peace
As one of the Hallmark Channel's hallmark figures, Brennan Elliott has been capturing audience attention with his charming performances since the actor's network debut all the way back in 2008. Elliott soon showcased his versatility by starring in a wide array of Hallmark movies, including rom-coms, holiday flicks, and mysteries. While many of these projects hold a special place in his heart, there's one Hallmark movie that Elliott related to on a profound level.
In 2022, the actor took on a role in "The Gift of Peace," a Hallmark Movies & Mysteries original centered around Traci (played by Nikki DeLoach), who seeks support in a Christian grief group after the loss of her husband. The storyline hit close to home for Elliott as he was dealing with a real-life health crisis in his own family at the time, which ultimately prompted the actor to join a support group himself. Just months before filming started, Elliott shared the devastating news of his wife's cancer diagnosis, revealing that Camilla Row had Stage IV metastatic gastric cancer.
Reflecting on his experience working on "The Gift of Peace," Elliott opened up to MediaVillage about the struggles he faced behind the scenes — unbeknownst to everybody else. "I would have these moments where the scene would be over, and I didn't really remember acting. I was so in it because I'm living it at times," he poignantly shared. Ultimately, the experience helped him heal.
Elliott similarly found solace by sharing his story
Brennan Elliott's portrayal of Michael, the pastor leading the grief support group in "The Gift of Peace," echoed the actor's personal experience so much that he described the project as his most challenging to date when speaking to MediaVillage. Despite Michael being the leader, it takes him over an hour into the story to open up about his own loss, mirroring Elliott's journey facing his wife's health crisis.
"Someone said to me, 'You're not doing well with your wife's illness.' I replied, 'No, I'm fine. She's the one dealing with cancer, not me,'" he revealed, adding, "That's when I first learned about anticipatory grief." When the actor eventually sought help through an online support group, he found solace in hearing the other participants' stories, and vice versa. "In helping others, you find healing," Elliott emphasized.
Likewise, as he pointed out, "That's a throughline in ['The Gift of Peace']." Elliot wasn't the only Hallmark star who identified with the narrative of loss in the movie either. Sadly, his co-star Nikki DeLoach also had a deeply personal connection to her role in the Hallmark movie, having grappled with the loss of her father.
Elliott and DeLoach bonded over their experiences
Nikki DeLoach has been candid about her father's passing in 2021 due to Pick's disease, aka frontotemporal dementia, a rare form of dementia that is ultimately fatal. "When I was pregnant with Bennet, my youngest [son], we found out that he had four heart defects [...] and in the same month I found out that my dad was diagnosed with Pick's disease," the actor explained during an appearance on the "Judging Meghan" podcast.
DeLoach emphasized the importance of prayer in helping her navigate the challenging time, acknowledging that it is a crucial practice of her daily routine. "I pray over everything," the actor proudly informed Guideposts. The Hallmark stalwart's strong religious beliefs actually played a significant role in her decision to join "The Gift of Peace" too as she appreciated the incorporation of Christian themes in the narrative.
"This movie is kind of a blueprint [for] how to find joy and light amid the grief," DeLoach argued in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter. As both Brennan Elliott and DeLoach faced difficult situations prior to filming they were able to help each other get through some painfully relatable scenes. "It's the one movie I've done in my life where honestly, I felt like the cast, the crew, all of us, it was familial," Elliott told MediaVillage.