Louisville actor with Down syndrome lands major role as love interest in Hallmark movie

Kirby Adams, Louisville Courier Journal
·3 min read

Louisville native David DeSanctis has landed his latest role in the feature film "Color My World with Love," which premieres Sunday on The Hallmark Movies & Mysteries channel.

The film tells the story of Kendall, (Lily D. Moore,) a talented young artist with Down syndrome who falls in love with Brad (DeSanctis) another person with Down syndrome, whom she meets at a cooking class.

“Everyone has a dream to fall in love and get married one day, even people with disabilities,” Moore said. “I hope viewers take away that ‘Color My World with Love’ is about painting your own story through your emotions and that we all have endless possibilities.”

Of course, there is trouble in paradise when Moore and DeSanctis' characters decide to get engaged. Erica Durance (“North to Home,” “Open by Christmas”) who plays Kendall's mother, has concerns about the couple moving too fast. The film also stars actors Benjamin Ayres and Bobby Love.

This isn't the Louisville actor's first moment in the spotlight. DeSanctis got his big break when he landed the part of "Produce" in the 2015 independent film "Where Hope Grows" by writer/director Chris Dowling. The film tells the story of a washed-up former major league baseball player who meets a produce clerk with Down syndrome. Their friendship pulls the ballplayer’s life out of an alcoholic tailspin. The film was shot in many locations around Louisville including ValuMarket and Louisville Slugger Field.

Reno-native Kristoffer Polaha (right) co-stars with David DeSanctis (left) in “Where Hope Grows,” which premieres in Northern Nevada at Century 14 Theaters in Sparks on Friday, May 22, 2015.
Reno-native Kristoffer Polaha (right) co-stars with David DeSanctis (left) in “Where Hope Grows,” which premieres in Northern Nevada at Century 14 Theaters in Sparks on Friday, May 22, 2015.

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Always one to keep his eye on the prize (which in this case means acting in television and film,) DeSanctis has enjoyed performing since he was a student at Ballard High School where co-anchoring a news program and hosting a monthly cooking segment fueled his interest in acting.

“David’s such a ham, I knew he could do it,” Julie Wallace, David's mother, previously told the Courier Journal. “It’s been a dream of David’s for years. ‘I’m going to Hollywood and be a movie star,’ he says.”

His role in "Where Hope Grows" turned DeSanctis into a local celebrity. He served as Honorary Grand Marshal for the Kentucky Derby Festival's 60th annual Republic Bank Pegasus Parade in 2015. More recently, he attended the Unbridled Eve Derby Gala as a celebrity guest prior to the 148th Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs Racetrack.

Honorary Grand Marshal and actor David DeSanctis waves.
Honorary Grand Marshal and actor David DeSanctis waves.

In his spare time, DeSanctis participates in the Special Olympics in multiple areas, rows with the Louisville Adaptive Rowing Team, loves a good game of tennis and bike rides with his family. He is also a public outreach associate for the National Down syndrome Society and also works with Down Syndrome of Louisville.

For his part in "Color My World with Love," DeSanctis and his cast and crew spent most of March filming in Vancouver, British Columbia.

The movie airs Sunday, June 12, at 9 p.m. on the Hallmark Movie and Mysteries channel. If you miss the premiere, "Color My World with Love" will be rebroadcast on Thursday, June 16 at 9 p.m., Sunday, June 19 at 7 p.m. and Wednesday, June 22 at 9 p.m.

Reach Kirby Adams at kadams@courier-journal.com or Twitter @kirbylouisville. 

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Actor David DeSanctis stars in 'Color My World with Love' on Hallmark