Crossville native Julie Ann Emery appears on the big screen again with actor Kevin James starting this weekend when the movie “Solo Mio” is released in theaters Friday, Feb. 6.
“I wanted to tell you my niece, Julie Ann Emery, is going to be in another movie,” said Carolyn Turner of Crossville. “I’m like her Crossville hometown publicist.”
In this romantic comedy, Emery plays Heather, the love interest of James, who leaves him at the altar in Rome.
Matt Taylor, played by James, chooses to go on his honeymoon alone. As he navigates the city meant for two, he begins a bittersweet journey of self-discovery.
Emery and James worked together in the movie “Hitch” with Will Smith in 2005. James remembered working with Emery.
“It’s a big reason he wanted me to play Heather. We had a wonderful time working together on Hitch, and our characters in ‘Solo Mio’ carry a little of the emotionality of the piece. It’s helpful to not be looking in a stranger’s eyes for scenes like that. Also, Kevin was so kind to my family at the ‘Hitch’ premiere. He spent time chatting with them. I never forgot that. Happy to work with him whenever he likes,” Emery said.
Emery explained her character in the movie, “Heather is the inciting incident for the movie, but she is not villainized. I appreciate that about this film. It takes a lot of spine to be in one of the most romantic cities on earth for a destination wedding and still have the wherewithal to do what is right for you. I hope I would have the courage and grace to do that if I were in that situation.”
Emery loved filming the movie.
“We filmed in Rome for four weeks, and my husband (Kevin Earley) and I happened to have our 25th wedding anniversary while we were there together. I don’t really think it gets better than that. It was a lucky and fortunate experience. And the cast was top notch. People who really know how to show up to set and get the work done. Also, a good portion of our crew were people I also worked with in Rome in 2018 while filming ‘Catch 22.’ It was so lovely to be with them again,” Emery said. “There is a scene in a famous Italian hotel where I am wearing the most stunning Italian wedding dress. Kevin James and I dance together and it just felt like one of those magical movie moments you only ever get on a film set.”
Emery said spending almost a month in Italy with her husband was one of her favorite experiences.
Emery is a Cumberland County High School graduate and performed in many shows at the Cumberland County Playhouse in her youth.
“She played Peter Pan at the Playhouse and my father, Julie’s grandfather, thought she was going to fall off the rope when they lifted her to fly. It was so funny,” Turner said.
Emery attended Webster University in St. Louis, MO.
She has been in numerous movies and TV shows including “Better Call Saul,” “Preacher,” “Fargo,” “Line of Fire,” “Commander in Chief,” “Taken,” “Suits,” “Dexter,” and “NCIS.”
“I have two films coming down the pike. ‘The Green River Killer’ where I play an FBI profiler. And a little movie called ‘BUSTED’ that I absolutely loved working on with Elsie Fisher and Mel Rodriguez directed by Maria Bissell. It is a coming-of-age dark comedy heist gone horribly wrong movie.”
Emery says she has two new, upcoming movies.
“I have two films coming down the pike. ‘The Green River Killer’ where I play an FBI profiler. And a little movie called ‘BUSTED’ that I absolutely loved working on with Elsie Fisher and Mel Rodriguez, directed by Maria Bissell. It is a coming-of-age dark comedy heist gone horribly wrong movie,” Emery said.
Although she is far from Crossville in her acting career, Emery always remembers her hometown and Tennessee fondly.
In 2017, Emery was in the film “Christmas on the Coast” and held a special screening in Crossville where she met with the audience and answered questions.
Emery loves Tennessee, “Go Vols!” she said.
“Solo Mio” is distributed by Angel Studios and is directed by Daniel Kinnane and Charles Kinnane.
Writers of the movie were Kevin James, John Kinnane, and Patrick Kinnane.
Producers of the movie are James, Jeffrey Greenstein and Mark Fasano.
Production companies are Nickel City Pictures and Kinnane Brothers.