Good Morning Lovelies,

Love is still all around us. In fact, it is so easy to feel the love, even with the most romantic month of the year now over. Thanks to Great! Romance, the epic channel celebrating all things love and romance, there are endless films to make your heart swell. 

Stars from all over the world are within them and luckily I got to speak to one of them! Marcus Rosner has featured in tons of features that the channel is celebrating, so I thought I would ask him what makes romance films so epic…

Thank you so much for speaking to us! What do you think makes a great romance movie? And why do we enjoy watching them so much?

I think all people are seeking companionship and nothing warms the heart more than spending some time with people who are discovering that for the first time. That’s what I think. It’s cliche at this point but these films are chicken soup for the soul. They’re for anyone willing to open themselves up to the whimsical possibility that one’s soulmate is a mysterious wine-maker or an old highschool sweetheart just waiting to be bumped into. They are the height of idealism in the best possible way…and we need that sometimes. I think what makes a GREAT version of one of these films is: Real, grounded, smart characters. These films lose themselves immediately if the audience can’t relate to the intelligence of the leading characters. Then you need genuine chemistry. The audience can tell when two people just don’t click and it’s agonising. If you’re not establishing that in some way then you don’t deserve to have them not change the channel. Then, among other things, one of the most important elements is a beautiful location. This helps the sense of idealism and escapism you’re trying to create. If you have all three of those things you’re off to a good start.

You’ve starred in some fantastic romance films such as A Vineyard Romance and Love Stories in Sunflower Valley which are airing on GREAT! romance. If you had a to pick a favourite, which would it be and why?

I’ve done so many of these at this point that it’s hard to choose but if I were to narrow it down and pick between these two I’d probably be compelled to say that A Vineyard Romance might take the slight edge. This film was just so much fun to make with friends old and new. I had the opportunity to work with a frequent collaborator in Lucie Guest who wrote and directed this one and I was also fortunate to meet Rebecca Olson for the first time, who starred alongside me. Both of these women are just fantastic talents and fantastic people. That, along with the incredible vineyard location we shot at, made this one feel like a little summer camp.

As well as romances, you’ve also been in action movies, thrillers, mysteries and more. How do you prepare for the dramatic genre shift?

Haha, I have indeed done an interesting array of projects during my tenure. Honestly, the preparation for all of these types of projects hardly differs. I prepare my character backstories and relationships during my prep in more or less the same ways. It’s just the circumstances that they find themselves in once the camera starts rolling that differs greatly.

Finally, what would your perfect Valentine’s Day look like?

My perfect Valentine’s Day? Wow. Well, off the top of my head…I’d be in Bali - one of my favourite places on earth. Deep in the jungle somewhere. I’d wake up late with my wife. We’d have waffles. Then we’d go for massages - ideally in some outdoor/waterfall type location. Something you’d see on one of those annoying influencer Instagram pages. Then we’d just chill for the afternoon. Maybe go for a swim. Then, in the evening we’d get pasta, cocktails, and spend the rest of the night sitting in the back of a moody lounge listening to a good DJ or live music.

Great! Romance is available on Freeview 52, Freesat 303, Sky 319 and Virgin 424 and is completely free to watch in the UK lovelies, so get stuck in! 

Joey X