Katie Cassidy<\/strong><\/a> teased that her A Royal Christmas Crush<\/em> costar Stephen Huszar<\/strong><\/a>\u2019s facial features convinced her to act alongside him \u2014 and later date in real life.<\/p>\n \u201cWho doesn\u2019t want [to] be swept off their feet by Prince Henry? Or Jawline. Prince Jawline,\u201d Cassidy, 36, exclusively told Us Weekly<\/em> while speaking about what drew her to playing Ava Jensen in Hallmark\u2019s newest \u201cChristmas in July\u201d feature<\/a>.<\/p>\n Cassidy noted that her A Royal Christmas Crush<\/em>\u00a0character\u2019s career as an architect also drew her to the part. In the movie, Ava gets an opportunity to work at the Royal Ice Hotel, where she meets Prince Henry and finds her own happily ever after.<\/p>\n \u201cShe\u2019s a boss. But I love that she had a past,\u201d Cassidy explained while promoting the Saturday, July 8, release. \u201cI love that she kind of rose above the fact of her past and her ex-husband. And she is sort of, like, on this new path. \u2026 I think that I loved that she was filled [and complex]. There was some substance there.\u201d<\/p>\n Cassidy \u2014 who announced her real-life romance with Huszar<\/a>, 39, via Instagram in June \u2014 added: \u201cAnd I love a love story. It\u2019s a very sweet, cute love story.\u201d<\/p>\n Huszar, for his part, gushed to Us<\/em> over his scene partner and revealed how Cassidy\u2019s presence on set made the work even more fun. \u201cWe\u2019re dealing with such an incredible actor here. For me it was such a gift to be able to work off someone who\u2019s so present and has just so much to offer,\u201d the Chesapeake Shores<\/em><\/a> alum told Us<\/em> during a joint interview. \u201cI think there\u2019s a lot of layers to the film.\u201d<\/p>\n Huszar pointed out that the 2023 Hallmark rom-com is \u201cvery timely with a royal sort of twist to it as well\u201d amid all the changes in the U.K. following the death of Queen Elizabeth II<\/a> in September 2022.<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s so much pressure on the royals, especially with the handing off of the crown, but also with what\u2019s going on with the princes,\u201d he told Us<\/em>, referring to King Charles III<\/strong><\/a> taking over the throne and his sons, Prince William<\/strong><\/a> and Prince Harry<\/strong><\/a>, being at odds over the past few years<\/a>. \u201cSo, I think it\u2019s just a good \u2014 I think people will be able to identify with it. It\u2019s for the times really. I think that\u2019s what differentiates it.\u201d (Tension between William, 40, and Harry, 38, grew in January when Harry\u2019s memoir, Spare<\/em><\/a>, came out and slammed the royal family.)<\/p>\n Cassidy chimed in and called the project a \u201cfeel-good movie\u201d that made her feel wonderful while filming. \u201c[It] made me feel good too,\u201d Huszar gushed. \u201c[It\u2019s] still making me feel good.\u201d<\/p>\n In addition to finding love off camera \u2014 the twosome met in March while shooting the Hallmark romance<\/a> \u2014 both Cassidy and Huszar were over the moon about working for Hallmark.<\/p>\n While the Arrow<\/em><\/a> alum is new to the Hallmark family<\/a>, Cassidy told Us<\/em> she loved \u201cthe spirit\u201d and how \u201clight and loving\u201d everyone was on set. \u201cEveryone has each other\u2019s back, I feel like,\u201d she said. \u201cEveryone is just wonderful.\u201d<\/p>\n Huszar, who appeared his first Hallmark project in 2011, agreed with his girlfriend. \u201cIt really feels like family,\u201d he told Us<\/em>. \u201cIt\u2019s always nice to work with people you\u2019ve worked with before and that, as Katie says, has your back.\u201d<\/p>\n A Royal Christmas Crush<\/em> premieres on Hallmark Channel Saturday, July 8, at 8 p.m. ET.<\/p>\n
\n Katie Cassidy<\/span> Courtesy of Johnson Production Group<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n![\"Katie](\"https:\/\/www.usmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/Katie-Cassidy-Jokes-Stephen-Huszars-Prince-Jawline-Drew-Her-to-%E2%80%98A-Royal-Christmas-Crush-Role3.jpg?w=700&quality=86&strip=all\")
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