‘Hearts of Stars’ Puts Wholesome Rom-Com Celebrities in the Spotlight

Jennifer Silliman got the idea to create a podcast centered around interviewing celebrities back in 2021 as she was watching Hallmark. She enjoys feel-good romantic comedies and currently Hallmark films are some of the most feel-good content out there. Since then, she has gone on to interview many popular actors and actresses like Ryan Paevey, Andrew Walker, and Nikki DeLoach.

Now, Jennifer’s Hearts of Stars is coming to Reveel as a TV series where she spends time with and interviews your favorite celebrities from feel-good entertainment networks. We have interviewed Jennifer to learn about what led her to create Hearts of Stars and what makes interviewing celebrities so rewarding.

Jennifer Silliman – The Host of Hearts of Stars

The following interview has been edited for clarity and length.

1. Can you tell us what Hearts of Stars is and how it came about?

Jennifer: Yeah sure! There is a little bit of backstory actually. So, I actually have two podcasts. I created the first one back in 2018 and that podcast is based on a documentary film I created in 2015. The documentary and podcast are titled Dark Side of the Full Moon and it centers around maternal mental health and postpartum depression. I am a huge mental health advocate and it’s great to share those stories, but those conversations were really heavy.

For 2022, I decided that I needed to do something lighter. I love storytelling and interviewing. I am also a huge Hallmark fan. I always love their movies. So one day I was wondering if I could start a podcast where I just interview celebrities. That sounds fun. I did a search to see if there are any podcasts doing that. There was and that’s great, but what was even cooler was how easy it seemed to get the talent. I was like how are these people so accessible!

I had the idea right before Christmas 2021 and reached out to my first celebrity in January 2022 and had my first interview by Valentine’s Day. I started reaching out to more well-known celebs and they were getting back to me agreeing to do the podcast. It was strange because I was reaching out through social media and they would respond to me agreeing to do the podcast.

It’s also interesting because these celebrities have such big fan bases and yet you don’t see them on the mainstream talk shows. There isn’t a lot of press that surrounds the Hallmark movies coming out except on the channel itself.

2. What inspired you to create a podcast centered around interviewing actors and filmmakers from romantic comedies?

Jennifer: I love that genre but I think it comes back to mental health. As someone who lives with depression and anxiety, I have to be careful with what I watch. Hallmark is a great place to land because I know what these films are. Even though they are all pretty much the same and they follow the same formula, it’s comforting to know that it was going to end on a positive note. For me, who better to interview than the people who are doing these movies. And they are all so incredibly nice and they love their fans!

That’s unusual in Hollywood where you don’t see that all of the time. It’s been a nice surprise to see that they are not too far off from the characters that they play. I can understand why they have such a following because they do give their fans a lot of access. The Hallmark community is super small when it comes to talent and crew. They all know each other.

3. With so many great actors and filmmakers on your podcast, did you have any previous experience with the entertainment industry when starting the podcast? How did you get in contact with the interviewees?

Jennifer: I went to school for media broadcasting and worked at local news for a while. I also worked on a nationally syndicated show right when I was graduating college. I worked in advertising for a little and then did my documentary in 2015. It was my first taste of doing a project independently. The entertainment world is very hard to get into and difficult when you want to start a family. The documentary film was fantastic and I did that as a new mom actually. It was an indie film and it was super fun to make.

I knew I was probably never going to do a film again because it was so expensive so I was like why don’t I do a podcast instead because there are still so many stories that need to be heard. With Hearts of Stars, I have found that people are not listening to the show, they are watching it. I create the video content and upload it on YouTube. One of the videos has almost reached 60,000 views in 6 months.

For the second question, just reaching out on social media is how we contacted them which is so cool. I have relationships with them now. Some of them even gave me their phone number. It’s also such a small community so I think that they put in a good word for me. I don’t know what they say but I’m assuming they say I’m cool and that they should do the show!

4. You launched the podcast on Valentine’s Day of this year, what surprised you the most about the experience and the audience you have found?

Jennifer: I love being in the company of creative people. I find the whole media world fascinating. I really just love talking to them and then being able to bring that content to the fans. To have viewers reach out to me thanking me for bringing this content to them made me realize that these fans don’t get content like this. These actors and actresses don’t get the opportunity to do this kind of press.

So, I want to change that and give these celebrities the opportunities that other A-list celebs get to do like playing games on Jimmy Fallon. The rewarding thing for me is getting feedback from the fans saying thank you for asking those questions so that we can get to learn more about our favorite celebrities.

5. Podcasts have become more and more popular in recent years. What do you love about podcasting and what are some positive takeaways you’ve gotten from the journey?

Jennifer: I love the accessibility for the user with podcasting. It’s been positive to see that filming one interview means it will be available on multiple platforms which extends our reach.

6. Do you have any advice for anyone who is thinking about starting a podcast?

Jennifer: I would say just do it. It’s probably the easiest type of media to create. You don’t have to invest a lot of money in it, at least at the beginning. It’s very easy so if you are a storyteller or want to be a platform for others to share their story, I think it’s a great place for people to express themselves.

7. What is one interview question you really love asking? Why?

Jennifer: It’s actually a question I haven’t asked yet! It’s this one that I want to ask but I’m really nervous to ask it. When I’m interviewing an actor, I always want to ask them what is the last thing that they auditioned for but did not get. I don’t want to make them upset that they didn’t get it but I think it’s interesting to find out what they are auditioning for. It’s about building relationships and I think as we develop our relationship, I can ask better, deeper questions.

I actually don’t like to prepare questions before an interview. I don’t even like to know too much about the actors because I want to be curious just like the viewers are curious. I actually just look at their Instagram’s to see what they are up to. It’s better when the questions come up organically. To put it simply, I know enough to not look stupid, but not enough so that the questions are actually interesting.

8. What’s coming up for you? What are you working on currently?

Jennifer: Motherhood keeps me busy. I have one daughter back at school. Other than the new Hearts of Stars show on Reveel, that’s about it. I have reached out to a few of the guests already and they have been very excited to be interviewed in the same way you see celebrities all of the time.

Hearts of Stars Season 2 is Coming To Reveel on April 15th

Attention Ryan Paevey fans! On April 15th, Ryan gives us an exclusive, inside look into his life for the talk show Hearts of Stars. Kicking off Season 2, the show allows you to experience Ryan’s life in San Diego, including watching as he crafts jewelry for his business, Fortunate Wanderer, and visits his best friend’s sushi restaurant, Shiku Sushi. Check out part 1 of Ryan Paevey’s Hearts of Stars episode on Reveel. Part 2 of Ryan Paevey’s interview will be released this Saturday on April 22nd.