Hallmark Channel favorite Kristoffer Polaha stars in, directs new movie, 'Mimics'

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Kristoffer Polaha is 25 years into his career as an actor, with a decade as one of the Hallmark Channel's superstars. He is now starring in the big screen movie, "Mimics," which also marks his feature film directorial debut.

He plays an impressionist who really needs a break. When he finally gets one, did he unknowingly make a deal with the devil?

"I wanted to create a story that was spooky, not scary. So there's no gore in it and there's no, there's no real fright. It's 'fright light' as if we were sitting around a campfire and spooky enough that you want to make sure there's nothing coming out of the darkness behind you," Polaha said.

Veteran actor Stephen Tobolowsky, who has worked with Polaha before, came on board to play his grandfather.

"The script was like a classic kind of moral tale, thriller, comedy kind of slash thing," Tobolowsky said. "So I enjoyed it all and I figured throw caution to the wind!" Tobolowsky says he's Polaha's friend "and hopefully his employee in the future!"

As the director, Polaha had to deal with a challenge he's had his entire career -- being 6'4". Was it difficult to get himself in some of the movie's shots?

"I love that you noticed that," Polaha said. "You know, for my whole career, I've had to regulate how tall I am. And people, when they meet me in real life, they're like, 'Oh, you're much taller than you seem on camera.' I'm, like, yeah, I'm always finding a way to, like, get myself so you can keep everything in one frame."

As it turns out, he may have been born to play this role. I asked if he was mimicking his teacher when he was a kid.

"George, you hit it on the head! My writer and I have known each other since we were 8," Polaha said. He added, "And I used to do impersonations of Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck and, like, a fist hitting somebody or a gunshot or breaking glass."

Polaha said the writer tapped into that, making it "kind of tailor-made" for him.

"Mimics" is in theaters on Friday.