The Rosemead House – Story by Carrie Genzel

While filming in Esquimalt, British Columbia, on a Hallmark Agatha Christie-style murder mystery, the location couldn’t have been more fitting—it was haunted. We shot at what’s now called The Rosemead Inn, formerly the English Inn, a historic property. I asked a staff member if it was haunted, and he said, “Yes, a lot happens here.” On a whim, I asked, “Do you think they’re okay with us being here?” He paused and said, “I’m not sure—they might not be.” That morning, a large mirror—secure for years—fell off the wall. He took it as a sign that the spirits weren’t thrilled.

The cast didn’t stay overnight; we stayed at a nearby hotel, but one production person did for security. One night, alone in a room we were told had a protective spirit, they heard their name spoken aloud. They ran out, refusing to stay alone in the Inn again.

As for me, I was doing EPK (Electronic Press Kit) interviews in a quiet room. Sitting in the middle of the room under a light fixture, I kept feeling a spinning sensation above me. I looked up several times, but the light fixture wasn’t moving. I thought maybe I was dehydrated, so I drank some water, but the spinning persisted. I mentioned it to the interviewer, whose face fell. She told me other actors had felt the same, and that someone had told her someone had once hanged themselves in that room. My stomach dropped, wondering if that’s what I sensed.

There were also a series of props and items that disappeared from the set while we shot at that location, adding another layer of mystery to the already mysterious plot of the movie.

Needless to say, the inn is absolutely gorgeous with a rich history. But for me, the whole experience added an extra layer to our spooky whodunit. It almost felt like we had some unseen spirit co-stars walking behind the scenes, enjoying the show, and maybe trying to solve the mystery right along with us, or, creating more of their own.