Actress Laura Bertram-Bula is a dedicated wife and mother who honors her family and her faith with the roles she chooses and the stories she tells. Known for her work in 1990s family drama Ready or Not, as well as more recent roles in Hallmark Channel’s When Calls the Heart and the great American Family movie Blessings of Christmas, Laura kindly shares a bit more about her work and her creative endeavors.

Karen: I was first introduced to your work when you portrayed Mary Dunbar in seasons 1, 2, and 3 of When Calls the Heart. What did you enjoy most about working on the show?

Laura: I enjoyed the history part of it because I am a huge fan of period pieces and history. I liked playing a mother on the show since I have 2 kids in real life, and my son’s name is the same name as the character that played my son in the show (but spelled a different way, and they are different ages, too).

Karen: That’s crazy! You did a wonderful job bringing the complex emotions of the character of Mary to life. Prior to that, your acting roles were many and varied, everything from teen drama in Ready or Not to science fiction in Andromeda. It is obvious that you are a versatile actress. What draws you to a particular role?

Laura: It depends on if I would like it or not, and if I thought it was right for me at the time. I still think that way as I get older. I like to play different kinds of roles that I have not played before or that remind me of my real life, like playing a mother, teacher or something like that. I am a fan of family and Christian roles these days.

Karen: In one of those faith-based roles recently, you reunited with Lori Loughlin in Blessings of Christmas, also starring Jason Cermak – another When Calls the Heart alum – and Jesse Hutch. The movie was also your first for the GAC Network. Can you share a memorable moment from your time with the cast?

Laura: I enjoyed meeting all of the new people and acting with Lori again. We had some good times on and off set, like good laughs and good pictures taken for behind the scenes and stuff like that. I would not mind doing a part 2 with them or acting with them in something else in the near future.

Karen: A “part 2” would be wonderful. There is definitely a growing audience for shows with faith as a foundation. Both When Calls the Heart and Blessings of Christmas highlight elements of faith and family. How do those themes ring true for you in your own life?

Laura: I am a Christian, and I am someone that likes to give back and spend time with my family these days.

Karen: So many of the roles you are accepting these days mirror your own values. What a blessing that must be. Since your career as an actress began in the early 1990s, what role have you found the most elusive – the one that you would consider to be your “dream role”?

Laura: My dream role was playing in history pieces like When Calls the Heart and the movie Gunless that I did years ago. Both were set in period history and good roles for me because I played a mother in When Calls the Heart and a teacher in Gunless.

Karen: Historical pieces are fun to watch, and imagine the roles are even more fun to portray. Many actors also enjoy working behind the scenes on an episode of their series, either as producers or directors. What are your thoughts on building your production portfolio? Do any of those creative outlets intrigue you?

Laura: I would like to help produce more and write scripts. I write scripts in my spare time but have not put any of it to work yet. Maybe someday I will.

Karen: Well, that’s another thing we have in common. I also write screenplays in my spare time away from teaching. I know some television series hire actors to work behind the scenes. Imagine a new series is in development and you have been asked to act as a consulting producer. What topics or expertise would you bring to the production?

Laura: I am actually doing something like that now, and I would probably consult on a show about parents taking care of kids or teenagers or something like that. Maybe some with mystery in the show or movie, too, and maybe some history. I have a couple of topics that would be good for shows and movies, and I hope to help bring them to movies and shows in the future.

Karen: It sounds like you have quite a creative spirit. I have also noticed that you prioritize your family. How do you maintain a separation between your personal life and your work? What core values do you hold dear that allow you to
stay so grounded?

Laura: I like to keep my private pictures and private information on my profiles, and my public information and pictures on my pages.  I do not talk about my family on my public pages too much. People just mostly know that I am a mother and wife, unless they are on my profile and page, too. I like being a mother and sheltering my family from the public when I can. I hear crazy stories about celebrity kids these days, and I do not like to do anything to put them in harm’s way or anything like that.

Karen: That’s admirable. Finding balance, especially within social media, can be a real challenge. I’m sure you get notifications off and on all day from your fans who are eagerly awaiting your next project, whether it’s a reboot of Ready or Not or a new movie with GAC or Hallmark. What can you share about your upcoming projects in the new year?

Laura: Right now, I am finishing up on the reboot of Ready or Not. There is a possibility of it coming out in the summer of 2024, and I am hoping it finally comes out because the fans of the show have been wanting this kind of reboot ever since 2020. I want to make them happy without any more setbacks. There have been a couple of them because of different reasons over the years. There have been talks about a part 2 of A Christmas Blessing, and I hope to do it. I am also looking over scripts for Great American Family, but that is all I can say for now, without giving too much away.

It sounds as though Laura will have plenty new projects in the new year. To keep up-to-date on the reboot of Ready or Not, as well as Laura’s other projects, follow her on Facebook and Instragram. Laura’s warm and welcoming spirit will keep you coming back to her page for updates and a kind word or two.