Emilie Ullerup’s Donkey Disaster on Hallmark’s Missing the Boat

Anyone who’s ever fallen for the cozy charm of a Hallmark rom-com knows the truth: what looks sweet and effortless on screen is usually anything but. This time, a harmless-looking donkey ride spiraled into one of the wildest, most nerve-wracking, and—looking back—funniest stories to come out of a Hallmark set in ages.

Actress Emilie Ullerup recently shared a filming experience so unpredictable, she called it a movie in itself. What happened on that hillside? Stubborn animals, buzzing drones, missed cues, and a total loss of control that no acting class could prepare anyone for.

When a Hallmark Romance Goes Off the Rails

Hallmark movies are famous for their soothing predictability. You expect scenic spots, charming little misunderstandings, and just a sprinkle of chaos to make the romance feel earned.

No one expects a real-life survival scenario during a travel montage. But that’s exactly what happened while filming Missing the Boat, starring Emilie Ullerup and Kristoffer Polaha.

The film’s about two strangers who meet on a cruise and end up stranded together after missing their ship at a port stop. Naturally, they go through a series of escalating misadventures as they try to catch up—including, of course, an ill-fated donkey ride.

On paper, it sounds whimsical. In reality? Not so much.

A Scene That Refused to Be Controlled

One of the movie’s most memorable moments features the leads riding donkeys along a rugged path. According to Ullerup, any illusion of order vanished almost immediately.

Takes blurred together, commands lost all meaning, and the donkeys just did whatever they pleased. Instead of careful choreography, the crew just kept cameras rolling, hoping something usable would happen.

The donkeys ignored direction, cues, and pacing. The actors had to react in real time, with Ullerup basically surrendering to the chaos and bracing herself for whatever came next.

The Drone That Changed Everything

If stubborn donkeys weren’t enough, things got even more complicated thanks to some modern tech. The production used a drone for sweeping aerial shots, but there was one big oversight.

No one warned Ullerup that her donkey was absolutely terrified of drones.

A Sudden Descent Into Chaos

As soon as the drone got close, Ullerup’s donkey bolted. What followed was a wild downhill sprint, with a sharp drop just meters away.

She had no way to steer, stop, or even slow the animal. So, she did the only thing she could: held on for dear life.

She yelled for someone to move the drone, but the crew was too far away to hear her. It was a surreal moment—a Hallmark star, genuinely scared, racing downhill on a panicked donkey while cameras kept rolling.

Why Donkeys Are the Real Scene Stealers

Actors love to joke about the old advice: never work with kids or animals. Ullerup has updated that to something more specific.

Her advice? Don’t work with donkeys.

Why This Was Different From Other Animal Shoots

Not every animal encounter on a Hallmark set ends in chaos. Some actors have sweet stories—bottle-feeding calves, holding baby goats. Donkeys, though, play by their own rules.

Once a donkey decides what it’s doing, there’s no negotiating. Direction, rehearsals, safety planning—none of it matters to a stubborn donkey. That unpredictability made the scene both dangerous and, in hindsight, hilarious.

The Carrot That Could Not Save the Scene

If you watch closely, you’ll spot an odd detail in the final cut. Kristoffer Polaha’s character rides with a carrot in hand, using it to coax his donkey along.

This wasn’t just a random prop. Ullerup was offered a carrot too, but she quickly realized she was at her limit.

Too Many Things to Control at Once

Managing the donkey, staying balanced, reacting in character, and holding a carrot? It was just too much. Something had to go, and for Ullerup, the carrot was the first casualty.

• The donkey refused to cooperate
• The drone triggered panic
• The carrot was one task too many

In the end, the carrot trick worked better for Polaha than for Ullerup. It just added another layer of unintentional comedy to the whole ordeal.

From Terrifying to Hilarious in Retrospect

Looking back, what makes this story stick isn’t just the danger or the unpredictability. It’s that Ullerup can laugh about it now.

She’s called the whole ordeal a film within the film—plot twists, stunts, unscripted drama and all.

Why Fans Love These Behind-the-Scenes Confessions

Stories like this pull back the curtain on TV romance. They remind us that even the most comforting movies are built on genuine chaos.

There’s something irresistible about knowing a peaceful donkey ride nearly turned into a disaster, all while creating a scene that looks totally serene on screen.

What This Means for Future Hallmark Productions

No one expects Hallmark to ditch animal scenes for good, but stories like Ullerup’s might make folks a little more cautious. Drones, animals, and uneven ground—kind of a risky combo, especially when you’re on a tight schedule.

Still, these unpredictable moments often create the most memorable scenes. The tension, the laughter, and those surprises from real experiences can make performances feel truly alive.

A New Appreciation for On-Screen Simplicity

The next time you catch a peaceful countryside montage or a playful animal sidekick in a rom-com, you might pause. Was it really as easy to film as it looks?

Behind every effortless smile, there could be an actor gripping tightly and hoping things don’t go off the rails.

For Emilie Ullerup, it only took a runaway donkey, a buzzing drone, and an abandoned carrot to spark a story that’ll stick with fans long after the credits roll.

For Hallmark audiences, maybe it’s just more proof: sometimes the best drama sneaks in when the cameras aren’t supposed to catch it at all.