For Andrew Walker, the best part of shooting his latest Hallmark Channel film was giving back.
The Canadian actor, 44, revealed on Instagram that the “highlight” of shooting A Safari Romance earlier this year was being able to help fix up a school in South Africa.
Walker shared a short video to the platform on Thursday, showing costar Brit Bristow and several of their peers painting the interior and exterior of a building, laying some bricks outside, and coming together to give a local school an updated look.
“The one story I haven’t shared yet… @britbristow @leifbristow @agnes.bristow and a team of other crew members rehabilitated the school we shot one of the scenes at,” he said of himself, producers, fellow actors, crew members and director Leif Bristow.
“We weren’t able to see the kids’ faces when they showed up to a new classroom, freshly painted exterior, new park, new soccer balls, and a new brick patio, Monday morning…. but I’m sure it was sweet!!”
The actor added that he was able to tap both his sister JenniMay and father Bruce to assist.
“Putting my sis and pops to work day 1 after 20 hrs of travel was also a highlight 😆,” Walker wrote. “Thanks for initiating this Leif & Agnes Bristow, this is what makes you two who you are. ❤️”
Walker has been updating fans on his time in South Africa over the last few months, from sharing a clip of his day with elephants in May, to uploading a heartfelt video of the moments he danced with local students.
In his elephant clip, Walker stood underneath the animal, pet it from different angles, and looked enthused as he posed for a few images. “Looking into his eyes you could see his kindness,” Walker wrote. “I’ve always appreciated elephants but this experience really took it to a whole new level. Love that I got to have my dad and sis with me.”
Walker also noted the “tragic fact” that “there’s still anywhere between 20,000 – 35,000 African elephants being poached each year” and encouraged his followers to look into the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust.
A Safari Romance, which premiered Aug. 12, marks the latest of Walker’s work with Hallmark. He’s previously starred in 2022’s Three Wise Men and a Baby, 2021’s The 27-Hour Day, and 2020’s Sweet Autumn, among many other projects.
In 2020, he and frequent costar Nikki DeLoach opened up to PEOPLE about their natural chemistry on screen for Sweet Autumn, and how they “immediately connected over kids” as new parents.
“I felt like I had known him my entire life,” DeLoach said at the time. “There’s just such an ease with Andrew. I do think that there is something that happens, and it doesn’t happen for everyone.”
Source : People
