The actress talks to ET about filming 'Love's Greek to Me' in Santorini and coming back to see Nick Gehlfuss off on 'Chicago Med.'
Torrey DeVitto is finding love in Greece.
The actress stars in Hallmark Channel's latest romantic movie, Love's Greek to Me, which follows Ilana (DeVitto) as she travels with her Greek boyfriend, Mike (Yannis Tsimitselis), for his sister's wedding, where she's the maid of honor. But after Mike surprises Ilana by proposing, she finds herself caught in the whirlwind created by his well-meaning and overly enthusiastic mother, Athena (Marina Sirtis).
"It has all the elements that you would want out of a sweet romance movie. And I feel very confident in saying that we, as the entire cast, had a blast filming it and I really think that chemistry will come forward," DeVitto exclusively tells ET, which premieres a sneak peek from the film.
Ahead of the movie's premiere on Saturday, DeVitto -- who celebrated her 39th birthday on Thursday -- answered a few of ET's questions over email about her new Hallmark Channel romance and her surprise return in the Chicago Med finale.
ET: You're back on Hallmark with a new movie! What can you tell us about what Love's Greek to Me is about and who you play?
Torrey DeVitto: I am very excited for people to see this film. It has all the elements that you would want out of a sweet romance movie. And I feel very confident in saying that we, as the entire cast, had a blast filming it and I really think that chemistry will come forward. I play Ilana Elbaz in the film. She is an archaeologist, which for me as an actor was so fun to explore. Her boyfriend is Mike, played by Yannis Tsimitselis, whom she is madly in love with, but commitments such as marriage make her very nervous and that nervousness is exacerbated by his mother (Marina Sirtis) when they travel to Santorini, Greece, for his sister’s wedding.
The movie revolves around an unlikely triangle involving Ilana, Mike and Mike's mother, Athena. What can you preview about the shenanigans that arise?
Mike’s mother, Athena, is very overwhelming to Ilana. Ilana grew up with a single mother and no siblings so the whole "big fat Greek wedding" vibe is very foreign to her. It’s fun to watch her navigate through it all.
The movie was filmed on location in Santorini. What memories come to you when you think about being in Greece for this job?
Filming in Santorini was an absolute dream. The sunsets alone were enough to take your breath away. I think the biggest memory that will stay with me forever though was the cast I got to experience Greece with. Every single one of us got along and genuinely loved being around each other both on and off set. It’s such a gift when that happens! To be able to be in such a stunning location with incredible people was just a perfect combination.
Did you learn anything about Greek culture or Greek cuisine that you'll take with you?
I learned that you will get funny looks every time you order a Greek salad and ask for "no feta please." That made me laugh every time. I had to say, "Yes, yes, I know it’s technically not a Greek salad anymore, but I’m vegan!" I loved being around the Greek culture. The passion they have in their daily conversations reminded me a lot of my Italian side of the family.
Romance is always a key driver in Hallmark movies. How romantic does this one get?
This one gets very romantic, I would say. You see two characters who love each other very much and have to go through some very real-life, hard problems. But as we all hope in any healthy relationship, those problems bring them closer in a more intimate way than I think either of them have experienced before.
You recently returned to Chicago Med to help see off Nick Gehlfuss. How did that opportunity arise? How did it feel stepping back into Natalie's shoes for a brief time again?
My agents got a call asking if I would come back and then I personally got a call from Nick Gehlfuss. Nick is like a brother to me. It was pretty much an instant yes to come back and see this out with him. He and I both felt like our characters didn’t get the ending they both deserved together, so it was really nice being able to come back and give them that "happily ever after." Stepping back into Natalie’s shoes felt like coming back home and seeing family. It felt like no time had passed. She will always be such a big part of me. It was a joy getting to step back into her [shoes].
How satisfying was it for you to see that Will and Natalie reunited romantically? Do you think they'll last this time?
So satisfying! I loved that they ended up together. I was always rooting for them. Right now I think it is the last time you will see them together, but I guess in the land of Dick Wolf, ya never know...
Segueing back to Love's Greek to Me, what do you want viewers to take away from the movie or feel when they sit down and watch?
I want them to feel happy and feel the love we all had when we made this film. I want them to root for Ilana and Mike. I want the characters to be relatable, because I know they were to all of us playing them. And I hope they walk away learning a little bit more about the Greek culture.
What else do you have coming up that people should look out for?
I have a couple things in pre-production that I am actually producing myself and very excited about!
Love's Greek to Me premieres Saturday, June 10 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on Hallmark Channel.
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