Actor Jesse Metcalfe teams up with Cheez-It, declares: 'Hollywood is back'

With movie theaters slowly starting to open up after COVID-19 shutdowns, and industry players increasingly hopeful for a return to normal, television actor Jesse Metcalfe is optimistic about the near future.

Despite a slowdown during the pandemic, Metcalfe competed on "Dancing With The Stars" and debuted in a new Hallmark movie "A Beautiful Place to Die: A Martha's Vineyard Mystery" earlier in the year.

With theaters mostly out of commission, streaming platforms have become a go-to for new movie offerings, raising questions as to whether consumers will come out of hibernation — or if they're even ready. Metcalfe, however, is optimistic that "Hollywood's back" and "we're almost back as a nation."

"There's no doubt about that, there's still a lot of protocols. I think it's important to be careful," Metcalfe told Yahoo Finance in a recent interview. He added that there are still major health concerns on set, as well as financial considerations.

COVID-19 "can shut down to production and that's very costly," he explained. For that reason, "every morning, we come to set, you have to get our temperature taken, we have to sign an affidavit saying that we're not feeling any symptoms, we have to wear masks...there's certain protocols to adhere to."

Still, the actor is confident in both the present and the future of the entertainment industry. "Nothing can keep the entertainment industry down," said the actor, who starred in the ABC hit series "Desperate Housewives," and the reboot of "Dallas."

He added: "I think there's more of a need for new content now than ever because people are at home."

Making the living room a movie theater

(Courtesy: Dylaina Gollub)

Over the course of a year marked by shuttered movies and lost jobs, streaming platforms have boomed. Netflix (NFLX) — which has Hallmark Movies & Mysteries — Comcast Corporation (CMCSA), Disney+ (DIS), Apple TV+ (AAPL) all added new subscribers. It's part of what Metcalfe noted was everyone "trying to create the movie going experience at home these days."

As part of that push, the actor teamed up with Cheez-It (K) to promote a new brand of "loaded" popcorn — which he called "the quintessential movie snack." He first sampled the new product on a movie shoot in British Columbia, and "I ate the entire delivery."

The limited launch includes two types of loaded popcorns: cheddar and white cheddar.

Brooke DiPalma is a producer and reporter for Yahoo Finance. Follow her on Twitter at @BrookeDiPalma

READ MORE:

• Lakers star Anthony Davis talks ventures, looking to All-Star LeBron as 'reliable resource'

• Yahoo Finance Lady Gaga Oreos hit the shelves, and her gang of 'monsters' can't wait to get them

• Singer Michael Bublé sees return to normal for live music after COVID-19, 'whatever that normal is'

Follow Yahoo Finance on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Flipboard, SmartNews, LinkedIn, YouTube, and reddit