‘BANNER 4TH OF JULY’ CAST BIOS BROOKE WHITE

‘BANNER 4TH OF JULY’
CAST BIOS
BROOKE WHITE (Desiree Banner) — The magic of Brooke White resonates within “High
Hopes & Heartbreak,” the former nanny’s first full-length release after she became an
“American Idol” finalist. White made her first impression on “American Idol’s” seventh season
when she told the judges that she had never watched an R-rated movie, prompting Simon
Cowell to offer to bring her “to the dark side.” As viewer’s found out throughout her charmed
run to a Top 5 finish, however, the Phoenix, AZ native exists like a beacon of light that shines
through that dark, a passionate swirl of willowing soul and ‘70s flavored gold.
The oldest of four siblings, her parents passed their love of music on to their children and that
love has blossomed in White. She now looks to share the music of her parents’ generation with
a new generation. She and her husband Dave welcomed their first child, daughter London Ray,
in May 2012. The one-time nanny has come full circle, now balancing her passions of
motherhood and music.
After supporting “High Hopes & Heartbreak” on the road playing shows and making radio
appearances, White took some time off from music, briefly, to film her first movie, FOX’s
“Change of Plans,” which aired in 2011. She starred as Sally Danville, a singer-songwriter, who,
with her husband, is granted custody of her childhood best friend’s four kids. “Change of Plans”
was White’s first experience acting and to her surprise, she was a natural.
In addition to acting in the film, White managed to write, record and perform three original
songs in the movie and on the soundtrack album. The songs were recorded and produced by
Randy Jackson.
White kept busy throughout 2011 working on two projects: musical duo Jack and White and her
online web-show, “The Girls With Glasses.” “Jack and White,” with singer-songwriter Jack
Matranga, released three EP’s between August 2011 and May 2012. “The Girls With Glasses,”
with model and Eliza magazine editor Summer Bellessa, is an online blog and web-show.
After giving birth to her first child, daughter London, White jumped right back into the studio to
record her first full length Christmas album aptly titled “White Christmas.” The 11-song album
included holiday classics plus three original Christmas songs.
The beautiful thing about White is her story tells itself. She is living and breathing the same
dream that she has reveled in since her childhood. Music is her love, her pain, her joy and her
sorrow. It is her life, unguarded, open and vulnerable.
###
CHRISTIAN CAMPBELL (Mitchell Banner) — Christian Campbell is best known for his roles
as Gabriel in the film “Trick,” Greg Ivey in the HBO series “Big Love,” Peter Webster in the
controversial NBC series “Book of Daniel” and Jimmy Harper in the Emmy® award-winning
(more)
HALLMARK CHANNEL/ ‘BANNER 4TH OF JULY’ – Cast Bios – Page 2
musical movie “Reefer Madness.” He is also known to daytime audiences for his role as Bobby
Warner in “All My Children.”
Actor, singer, producer and director, Campbell was born in Toronto, to parents from Glasgow
and Amsterdam. Raised by a family of performers, he was working professionally on stage by
age 16 when he joined the cast of the Canadian television series “Degrassi High.” His maternal
grandparents were actors back in Amsterdam; his father, an acting teacher, director, writer; his
mother an actress and psychologist; his siblings, actors Neve Campbell and Alex Campbell,
round out the family tradition. Another brother, Damian McDonald, runs a printing and
publishing company.
Campbell majored in theatre at Claude Watson School For The Arts in Toronto, followed by a
year of acting study at Ryerson University before landing his first leading role in the feature film
“City Boy,” the entry-point of his full time acting career. Soon thereafter, in the early 90’s, he
moved to Europe for two years living and working in France and Germany. A stint at the
Nürnberg Schauspielhaus in a staged production of A Clockwork Orange initiated his start in
European theatre, after which he toured in the Commedia dell’Arte plays of Lope de Vega under
the direction of Friedhelm Ptok, performing on stages throughout Western and Eastern Europe.
Campbell moved to Los Angeles in 1995 when cast in his first series regular role for Aaron
Spelling’s “Malibu Shores.” Soon after arriving in Los Angeles, he helped to establish the
theater company Blue Sphere Alliance, serving as producing director. The theatre company
quickly gained renown during the West Coast premiere of W. Colin McKay's Nagasaki Dust, with
Campbell in the lead role receiving warm accolades from the Los Angeles press and theatre
world. The troupe swelled to 50 members by the end of 1997 and the company followed up
with world premieres (Home Sweet Hell and Kabbalah: Scary Jewish Stories), children's shows
(My Bed is a Boat), one-acts, revivals (Lovers and Other Strangers and the first American
revival of Tennessee Williams' Something Cloudy, Something Clear), solo shows and theme
programs (The Vietnam Chronicles, including A Piece of My Heart and Tracers).
During this time he directed several shows for Blue Sphere and produced his first film,
“Hairshirt,” with sister Neve Campbell in 1998. The film went on to open at the Toronto Film
Festival where it found distribution with Lionsgate Entertainment.
In 1998 Campbell received newfound attention for his breakout role as Gabriel in the gay theme
film “Trick.” The film became an instant classic with audiences, receiving accolades from the
Sundance Film Festival, Berlin Film Festival, Outfest and Satellite Awards as well as being
honored by MOMA as one of 10 classic New York City films.
It was also during this time that Campbell created the role of Jimmy Harper in the Los Angeles
stage musical Reefer Madness directed by Andy Fickman. The play became an instant hit in
the Los Angeles theater world, running for over a year and earning Campbell Ovation and
Drama Circle awards. The musical was moved to New York for its off Broadway debut in 2001
and then to the small screen as “Reefer Madness: The Movie Musical,” which also won him a
(more)
HALLMARK CHANNEL/ ‘BANNER 4TH OF JULY’ – Cast Bios – Page 3
Satellite Award for Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture. The now “cult musical” movie
debuted at the 2005 Sundance Film Festival before premiering on Showtime. It earned three
Emmy® nominations, - winning writers Dan Studney and Kevin Murphy Outstanding Music &
Lyrics for “Mary Jane/Mary Lane” performed by Campbell and co-star Kristen Bell.
In 2000, cast as a series regular in Darren Starr’s much touted but short-lived FOX television
series, “The $treet,” he returned to New York City. Building on the momentum of his Los
Angeles theater company’s success, Campbell created the New York extension of his Los
Angeles theater company and produced its first production, the off-Broadway debut of Steven
Dietz’s Trust.
Since 2000 Christian has called New York City his home. Theater credits include the lead role of
David in Jeremy Schonfeld’s Drift with its world premiere at the New York Musical Theater
Festival. Campbell’s performance earned him the festival’s Best Actor Award. He went on to
play the role of Pip in Great Expectations sharing the stage with Kathleen Chalfant at the Lucille
Lortel for director Will Pomerantz. To further critical acclaim, Campbell portrayed the tragicallyfated writer of Rent, Jonathan Larson, in the national tour of the rock musical tick… tick…
BOOM! directed by Scott Schwartz, reprising the role again in London at The Menier Theatre
and in Singapore for producer and friend Chin Han.
In 2010 Christian joined the cast of HBO’s “Big Love” in the role of Greg Ivey. He continued to
work with “Big Love” co-creator Will Sheffer, who wrote and directed him into his new play The
Green Book which premiered at the 59E59 Shorts Festival in 2011.
Other notable TV credits include series regular roles in creator Jack Kenny’s controversial “The
Book Of Daniel” for NBC, ABC’s “All My Children,” BBC’s “The Verdict,” CBS’s “Allies” and the
title character for the animated WB series “Max Steel.” He has guest starred on “Supernatural,”
“Warehouse 13,” “CSI: Miami,” “NCIS,” “CSI: NY,” “Ghost Whisperer,” “Jeremiah,” “Seventh
Heaven” and played leading roles in the television movies “Time Of Death,” “Banshee,” “You
Belong to Me,” “Picture Perfect,” “Cruel Justice,” “I’ve Been Waiting For You,” “Born To Run,”
and “Seduced By Madness” for NBC.
A huge fan of the indie film world, Campbell’s credits include Sundance favorite “Pretty Dead
Girl,” “Piano Man’s Daughter,” “One Night,” “Next Time,” “Thank You Good Night,” “Ibid,”
“Betrayed” and the Kevin Spacey film “Casino Jack,” in which he played Christian Coalitionist
Ralph Reed. Recent films, currently in post production, are “An Unkindness Of Ravens” directed
by Russell Friedenberg and “Malorie’s Final Score” for director Stephan Littger.
Campbell lives in New York City with his wife, actress America Olivo. They split their time
between New York City, Toronto and the family’s Nello Olivo Wine Vineyard in Northern
California. They are very proud to be part of a family that makes excellent “award winning”
wine. A published photographer, he has been capturing his life in the theatre and his travels to
far flung places for 20 years.
###
(more)
HALLMARK CHANNEL/ ‘BANNER 4TH OF JULY’ – Cast Bios – Page 4
MICHAEL BARBUTO (Johnny Banner) — Michael Barbuto was born and Raised in Toronto,
Canada and completed his Bachelor’s Degree in Theatre at the University of Guelph. While
there, he won numerous awards for playwriting as well as his performances on the stage.
Upon graduation, Barbuto decided to set his sights to Los Angeles. He was accepted to the
prestigious American Academy of Dramatic Arts in 2003. During his time at the Academy,
Barbuto matured as an actor and performed in over a dozen professional shows once joining
the elite Academy’s company in 2005. He starred in the North American Premiere of Aaron
Sorkin’s A Few Good Men.
Barbuto began his career in front of the camera shortly after. He has guest starred on
Lifetime’s hit sitcom “Sherri” and FX’s hit drama series “Nip/Tuck.” He has also appeared in a
number of Hallmark Channel Original Movies, including, “An Old Fashioned Thanksgiving,” along
with television movies for Lifetime, including “Reviving Ophelia.” Barbuto’s many feature film
projects include Luminol Entertainment’s “Bleed Out” and Hogtown Productions’ “Static Cling,”
“How to Fail in Advertising” and “Ride with a Girl.”
Most recently, Barbuto starred in the half hour comedy “Ash Global” with Lorenzo Lamas and is
starring in Flower Films latest horror “Happy Camp.”
###
MERCEDES RUEHL (Rosalind Banner) — Mercedes Ruehl, who won an Academy Award®,
as well as a Golden Globe®, L.A. Film Critics, and Venice Film Festival’s Passinetti awards for
best actress in Terry Gilliam’s film “The Fisher King,” began her career in regional theatre. After
studying with Uta Hagen in New York, she developed her craft performing the classics from
Euripides through Shakespeare, Chekhov, Shaw and Moliere in major theaters throughout the
country, from D.C. to Denver.
Once back in New York, Ruehl began performing at the Public Theatre, in new plays including
Albert Innaurato’s Coming of Age in Soho, Christopher Durang’s The Marriage of Bette and
Boo, for which she won an Obie and Len Jenkins’s American Notes. She created the role of
Kate in Other People’s Money off-Broadway, winning the Clarence Derwent Award and went on
to star off and on Broadway with Judd Hirsch and Cleavon Little in Herb Gardner’s I’m Not
Rappaport.
By the mid-eighties Ruehl’s film career got under way in “Big,” “Married to the Mob,”
“Heartburn,” “Funny People,” “Last Action Hero” and “Another You.” She returned to Broadway
to create the role of Bella in Neil Simon’s Lost in Yonkers, for which she won a Tony®, Outer
Critics’ Circle, Drama Desk and Helen Hays Award, reprising the role in the film opposite Richard
Dreyfuss. Other films of this period include the television films “Indictment” for HBO, “North
Shore Fish” for Showtime, “Guilt by Association” for Court TV, “A Girl Like Me” for Lifetime and
“Gia,” again for HBO and independent films “Amati Girls,” “What’s Cooking” and “Minus Man.”
(more)
HALLMARK CHANNEL/ ‘BANNER 4TH OF JULY’ – Cast Bios – Page 5
In the late nineties Ruehl performed in the Circle In the Square’s productions of Shadowbox by
Michel Christopher - for which she received a Tony nomination and Tennessee William’s Rose
Tattoo. Shortly afterwards she returned to her regional roots to star in Edward Albee’s Who’s
Afraid of Virginia Woolf opposite Patrick Stewart at the Guthrie Theatre in Minneapolis. Back on
Broadway she starred in Edward Albee’s The Goat or Who is Sylvia? for which she won a
Drama Desk Award and a Tony nomination. Off-Broadway, she created the role of Peggy
Guggenheim, winning a second Obie Award in Woman Before a Glass. More recently she
created the role of Louise Nevelson in Edward Albee’s Occupant at the Signature Theatre and
starred in Richard Greenberg’s The American Plan for The Manhattan Theatre Club, as well as
in a revival of Neil Simon’s Prisoner of Second Avenue, opposite Jeff Goldblum, at London’s Old
Vic Theatre.
Ruehl has created memorable roles for the television series “Frasier,” “Luck,” “Entourage,” “Law
& Order” and “Monday Mornings.” Most recently, she has been cast as a series regular
alongside Carla Gugino, Steve Coogan, Kacey Rohl and Greg Grunberg in “Doubt,” David
Shore’s new pilot for ABC.
###
CHAD CONNELL (Colin Roth) — Originally from Ottawa, Chad Connell started acting at the
age of 11. Since then, he has become a recognizable face spanning film, television and theatre.
Connell has appeared in both feature films and television films. Most notably, he starred in
Philms Pictures’s “Prom Wars,” Lifetime’s “Double Wedding” alongside Tia and Tamera Mowry,
ABC Family’s “Nature of the Beast” and the Hallmark Channel Original Movie “Taking a Chance
on Love.”
He has guest starred in many prominent television series including the CW’s “Nikkita,” USA’s
“Suits,” Showcase’s “Lost Girl,” CBS/CTV’s “Flashpoint,” CBC’s “Being Erica,” Comedy Network’s
“Almost Audrey,” CBS’s “Wild Roses,” CTV/The N’s “Degrassi: The Next Generation,” CBS’s
“Rumours” and a lead role in MTV’s “Undressed.”
Connell has graced the stage throughout his career including the Ryerson productions of The
Widows Tears, Richard III and Agamemnon as the title character, JCC Theatreworks’s
production of Peter Pan, Merivale Productions’s Pirates of Penzance, Anything Goes Billy and
Little Shop of Horrors and Liza Balkan’s production of Enemies.
This summer, Connell can be seen in the Columbia Pictures feature film “White House Down,”
directed by Rolland Emerich and starring Channing Tatum, Jamie Foxx, James Woods and
Maggie Gyllenhaal.
--HALLMARK CHANNEL--