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'Sullivan's Crossing' stars Chad Michael Murray, Scott Patterson think Nova Scotia is 'magic'

"It's the type of place you want to set up shop and stay," Chad Michael Murray said about Halifax

While the characters of Tristin and Luke didn't cross paths in Gilmore Girls, actors Chad Michael Murray and Scott Patterson seem to be thick as thieves on the Nova Scotia set of Sullivan's Crossing (Sundays at 7:00 p.m. ET/PT on CTV, CTV.ca, and the CTV app).

For those who didn't watch the 2000s hit show Gilmore Girls, before Murray went on to One Tree Hill he was Tristin, one of Rory's (Alexis Bledel) rebellious classmates, with a hint of a romantic spark between the two characters, in the first two seasons the series. Patterson of course played Luke in Gilmore Girls throughout the show's entire run and Netflix reunion series as well. So this new Canadian show is a bit of a reunion.

"I always thought of Scott as like the cool uncle and so we always had a bond," Murray told Yahoo Canada. "We bond over sports, ... we have a lot in common and we get to bring that here to the show."

"It was nice when I was coming on board, and I already knew a little bit about who was coming on board as well, and I was like, oh I get to go back and hang out with Scott. That was comfort food for me."

Patterson was also quick to praise Murray's talent, saying that he thinks Murray's a "star."

"He's a wonderful actor," Patterson said.

"I think he understands how to be in front of a camera more than most people. I think he understands what he has to offer. I think he understands camera angles. ... I learn a lot when I'm working with him. I watch him and I see what he's doing, and it's always interesting to me."

Chad Michael Murray as Cal in CTV's Sullivan's Crossing (Michael Tompkins)
Chad Michael Murray as Cal in CTV's Sullivan's Crossing (Michael Tompkins)

'Halifax is magic'

Something Murray and Patterson also bonded over was their love of Nova Scotia, which developed while filming Sullivan's Crossing.

"I love Halifax, it might be my favourite place right now," Murray said. "Halifax is magic."

"I loved being there. I loved going there. I loved living there. [My family] got so invested in the community. Our kids were on different sports teams. ... Whenever I wasn't working I was coaching practice with my kids. [We] had so many different friendships, so many different relationships. Love the food, love the people. It really does feel like a home for us. So God willing, we're actually there for quite a few years because we really, really love Halifax. It's the type of place you want to set up shop and stay."

Scott Patterson as Sully Sullivan in the CTV Original Drama
Scott Patterson as Sully Sullivan in the CTV Original Drama "Sullivan’s Crossing" (Michael Tompkins)

We really, really love Halifax. It's the type of place you want to set up shop and stay.

As Patterson explained, much of the shooting for the series happened about 30 to 40 minutes away from Halifax in the woods, at a lakefront property.

"Chad and I were going to buy a house up here, because the prices are very reasonable," Patterson said. "It's really beautiful up there."

"We had a blast shooting in Halifax and outside of Halifax as well. There's a lot of wide open spaces, the wonderful people, wonderful food, best seafood I've ever had. I actually had to stop eating the deep fried stuff because I was gaining too much weight. ... Now I see why it's such a popular destination."

The way Sullivan's Crossing used its location is also a core reason why Patterson wanted to take on the role of Sully in the first place.

"The first thing that appealed to me and that made me look a little deeper was that it was going to be shot on location," Patterson explained. "I liked that aspect of it because pretty much everything that I have shot while doing TV has been indoors, with a little bit of reprieve shooting the rare outdoor scene. So that part of it appealed to me."

Morgan Kohan as Maggie in CTV's Sullivan's Crossing (Michael Tompkins)
Morgan Kohan as Maggie in CTV's Sullivan's Crossing (Michael Tompkins)

While Morgan Kohan is the Canadian lead of Sullivan's Crossing (playing Maggie), this was actually her first time on the East Coast.

"I'm in love with that place," Kohan told Yahoo Canada. "I'm like, get me back there. It is absolutely stunning."

Aside from showcasing Nova Scotia's beauty, Kohan also feels proud that Sullivan's Crossing actually takes place in the province as well.

"I think a really integral part of it is that we aren't shying away from it being a Canadian show, from it being set in Nova Scotia and seeing all of that," Kohan said. "I hope other people are, but I'm proud to see that on the screen and reflect it and being like, oh yeah this is this is a part of our country and we're not pretending it's somewhere it isn't."