Love is officially in the air — and this time, it comes with a little Greek mythology, a splash of whiskey, and a love potion gone wildly wrong.
After kicking off “Loveuary” with The Way To You, Hallmark Channel is doubling down on romance with Because of Cupid, a whimsical Valentine’s Day premiere starring fan-favorites Amy Groening and Evan Roderick.
When Celeb Secrets caught up with Groening ahead of the tonight’s big premiere, the actress was glowing — and counting down the seconds until fans could see the magic for themselves.
“I’m very excited,” she tells us exclusively in a virtual interview. “I just watched it yesterday and so I feel all of the excitement of the filming again… I think it turned out really, really well. So I’m very, very excited. I just want it to come out. I just want everyone to see it.”
In Because of Cupid, Groening stars as Naomi, a bartender and scientist working at an adorable Buffalo, New York bar called The Agora alongside her best friend Marcus (played by Roderick). When they discover the beloved bar is being sold to a parking garage developer, the duo hatches a bold plan: enter a Valentine’s Day cocktail competition to raise the funds and save their jobs.
But this is Hallmark with a twist. A mysterious, charismatic stranger hands Marcus a love elixir — and after seven drinks are accidentally spiked, chaos (and romance) quickly follow.
“So the whole film takes place kind of trying to buy the Agora and also trying to solve this kind of elixir riddle and how to get people out of this love potion,” Groening explains. “And of course also finding out if we’re meant for each other. So there’s a lot going on. It’s super fun. It’s very, very — like, it’s a very fresh Hallmark take.”
Fresh is the word she keeps coming back to — and for good reason.
“Oh, I mean, it’s got it all,” she says of why it’s the ultimate Valentine’s Day treat. “There’s riddles, there’s Greek mythology, there’s romance out the wazoo, there’s dancing, there’s a wedding… It’s just very romantic. And I think that Evan’s and my chemistry also is sweet to watch, and I think it’ll bring people joy.”
When watching the trailer, one can’t seem to acknowledge the chemistry both Naomi and Marcus have throughout this story. It almost seems as if it was real, and that’s because it truly was. According to Groening, she and Roderick bonded instantly — to the point where their castmates started noticing.
“The other cast members were like, ‘What have you guys worked on together?’” she laughs. “Because we were just so annoyingly… we had inside jokes by the end of day one. And they were constant — probably annoying for everyone else.”
They even developed their own silent language on set.
“We have these little nods and things, this little dialect between us. But we got along incredibly well. He’s an absolute gem.”
(Also, Celeb Secret unlocked: Evan Roderick is “obsessed with mints” and can apparently crush an entire tin in a day.
While the film sparkles with fantasy and flirtation, its emotional core is surprisingly grounded. At its heart, Because of Cupid asks a big question: What if friendship is the greatest love story of all?
“I think that’s really well said,” Groening tells us. “The core of this movie is our friendship. And I think that’s what my character really struggles with — she loves Marcus so much. That’s undisputable. But to break that friendship and to go further and to be brave enough to see what else there is, is really scary.”
For Groening, the message hits close to home.
“A hundred percent,” she says when asked whether the strongest romantic relationships are built on friendship first. “If you’re not friends with the person, it doesn’t have room to grow into something lasting. You have to be able to laugh with someone and feel safe.”
What truly sets Because of Cupid apart from the typical Hallmark formula is its whimsical, almost fantasy-like edge.
“This movie has some things that you really don’t see in Hallmark movies that often,” Groening says. “It is a little bit of that fantasy and that whim. What I love about it is just that it’s so different. I think it’s so fresh. I think it’s so fun.”
And while the love potion mystery may be impossible to “solve,” Groening hopes audiences enjoy the journey just as much as the characters do.
“I hope that they find it as magical as we do.”
Above all, she wants viewers to walk away feeling inspired.
“I think the message that Naomi — slash me, Amy — wants people to take is to be brave and put yourself out of your comfort zone,” she shares. “Take a risk. Do something that feels scary. Jump off the edge of the cliff and let the wings appear.”
Whether you’re celebrating Valentine’s Day with your partner, your best friends or yourself with a cozy solo night in, Because of Cupid promises romance, laughter, magic — and maybe even a reminder that the greatest love stories sometimes start with friendship.
Make sure to watch our full interview with Amy below, and don’t forget to catch this sweet and slightly chaotic romcom when it debuts on Hallmark Channel TONIGHT, February 14th @ 8/7c. You can also stream it the next day on Hallmark+.
Interview quotes have been edited and condensed for clarity.
