Ali Skovbye plays an heiress who witnesses a murder in the new Hallmark movie Gilded Newport Mysteries: Murder at the Breakers. The movie, which takes place in Newport, Rhode Island in 1895, also stars Nathan Witte and Brady Cross. It is based on the book by Alyssa Maxwell.
New Hallmark mystery
In Gilded Newport Mysteries: Murder at the Breakers, Skovbye stars as Emma Vanderbilt-Cross, a distant relative of Cornelius Vanderbilt and a writer for the Newport Observer. When New York society decamps to Newport for the summer season, Emma prepares to cover various balls and parties for the society pages.
But during a ball at the Vanderbilt’s summer home, the family’s financial advisor is murdered and the prime suspect is Emma’s half-brother Brady (played by James Drew Dean). She decides to take matters into her own hands and sets out to prove her half-brother’s innocence.
With help from local detective Jesse Whyte (played by Danny Griffin) and the household staff, Emma sets out to figure out whodunnit. But as she gets closer to the truth, the murderer goes on the offensive, putting Emma — and everyone who helps her — in danger.
About the location
The movie takes place at The Breakers, the summer home of Cornelius Vanderbilt II. The mansion, which is open to tourists, took two years to build and has more than 70 rooms, including 48 bedrooms. Gilded Newport Mysteries: Murder at the Breakers was shot at historical mansions in Victoria, BC.
About the cast
Ali Skovbye plays the teenage version of Tully Hart on the Netflix series Firefly Lane. She has appeared in Hallmark’s Gourmet Detective Mysteries series as Abigail and played Becking Hastings on When Calls the Heart.
Danny Griffin has appeared on the TV shows Fate: The Winx Saga, Get Even, So Awkward, and Free Rein.
Nathan Witte has starred in the Hallmark movies Romance to the Rescue (2022), Cut, Color, Murder (2022), The Nine Kittens of Christmas (2021), A Christmas Treasure (2021), Sealed With a Kiss: Wedding March 6 (2021), and Sweet Carolina (2021).
Andrew Walker tells fans they can expect two more movies in popular mystery series
Andrew Walker recently revealed that there will be at least two more movies in the popular Curious Caterer mystery series. The actor co-stars with Nikki DeLoach in the movies, which are based on a series of books by Diane Mott Davidson.
Walker and DeLoach were appearing at a fan convention when they got the news.
“We were together, it was amazing,” Walker told Heavy. “Nikki and I are, you know, seven movies deep now and people still want to see us. We got approved for another — we actually got approved for two more ‘Curious Caterers.’ The executive producer called us and it was a nice little birthday gift.”
Popular mystery series
The first movie in the series premiered in April 2022. In Dying For Chocolate, DeLoach played caterer and single mom Goldy Berry. When her best friend is killed, Goldy becomes determined to find the murderer. She ends up joining forces with local detective Tom Shultz (played by Walker).
A second movie, Curious Caterer: Grilling Season, followed in February 2023. In a Facebook Live event to promote the movie, Walker asked fans to keep watching the series so he could continue to work with DeLoach.
In addition to the Curious Caterer movies, Walker and DeLoach have paired up in the Hallmark films A Dream of Christmas (2016), The Perfect Catch ( 2017), and Sweet Autumn (2020).
Andrew Walker
A native of Canada, Andrew Walker got his start on TV in the series Student Bodies. He had roles on NYPD Blue, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, ER, and the Big Bang Theory.
He has starred in more than 20 movies for Hallmark, including The 27-Hour Day, Three Wise Men and a Baby, and A Safari Romance. In an interview, he talked about how great it was to work with the network.
“You know, there’s no stability anywhere out there,” he said. “And here are all of these actors in our 40s, where in the general landscape of our industry we would be kind of at the tail end, which is sad to say. But here we are now…. [The fans] watch the movies and give us that ability to continue to thrive and to bring them new stories with the same faces, just different combinations and storylines.”
Jocelyn Hudon and Olivier Renaud find romance among the rafters in new movie
Jocelyn Hudon shows off her aerial skills in the new movie Romance With a Twist. The Hallmark rom-com, which also stars Olivier Renaud, will premiere this weekend as part of Hallmark’s New Year New Movies programming event.
New movie
In Romance With a Twist, Hudon stars as Luna, a former dancer who left behind her dream to help her family manage its construction business. When she is tasked with converting a gymnasium into a studio for aerials, she can’t resist giving the silks a try. She’s transported back to her days on stage for just a moment when Bennett (Renaud), a professional aerialist, interrupts her.
Though he is annoyed at first to find her using the silks he realizes Luna may be useful. His partner has canceled on him only weeks before a local festival. Seeing that Luna has natural talent he asks if she will perform with him. They begin training together.
“As the hard work of this dynamic sport teaches them both to face their fears and brings them closer together, will their relationship crash or will they find a way to reach new heights?” reads a synopsis from Hallmark.
About the cast
Jocelyn Hudon trained at the National Ballet School of Canada. She has appeared on the television shows Criminal Minds, The Order, The Rookie: Feds, Acapulco, and Dave.
In 2018, she appeared on the Hallmark series When Calls the Heart as Grace Bennett, a woman trying to reunite with her sister after they were orphaned as children. The storyline led to a spinoff series, When Hope Calls, which aired for one season on Hallmark.
She has also appeared in the movies Eat, Drink And Be Married (2019), One of a Kind Love (2021), and Baby, It’s Cold Inside (2021). In 2023, she co-starred with her husband, Jake Manley, in the Hallmark movie Love in the Maldives.
Olivier Renaud
Olivier Renaud is a trained aerialist who has appeared in several Cirque de Soleil productions. Before making the move to acting he studied clowning in Paris under Philippe Gaulier.
He plays Brutus on the TV series Astrid and Lilly Save the World and has appeared in the movies A Christmas Exchange (2020), Christmas at Maple Creek (2020), Wrapped Up in Love (2021), Christmas on 5th Avenue (2021), Planes, Trains, and Christmas Trees (2022), Christmas on the Slopes (2022), Christmas in Big Sky Country (2023), and Merry Mystery Christmas (2023).
In an interview with Digital Journal, he said he hopes Romance With a Twist speaks to aerialists around the world.
“It’s an aerial movie and hopefully, we are reaching to aerialists around the world,” he said. “I hope the audience gains an understanding that being an aerialist is difficult and we hope that they keep going.”
Hallmark announces premiere date for 11th season of popular series
Hallmark has announced a return date for Season 11 of its hit series When Calls the Heart. The network also shared a poster for the new season, which showed Elizabeth (Erin Krakow) and Nathan (Kevin McGarry) gazing at each other with longing.
“Season 11 poster & premiere date hard launch!” wrote Erin Krakow in an Instagram post.
“Ahhhhhh!!! We just binged S10 and are so eagerly awaiting S11!!” wrote one fan in the comments.
Another said she was glad to see Elizabeth and Nathan together.
“Elizabeth and Nathan always made better sense. Much better chemistry too,” she wrote.
11th season
The 11th season of the hit series will premiere on April 7, 2024. The news was a welcome surprise for fans, who had to wait until July for the premiere of Season 10.
“Time has flown by since the end of season 10 and I cannot put into words how thrilled I am for the premiere of season 11 of When Calls the Heart,” said Krakow in a statement to Entertainment Tonight. “It’s such a warm feeling to know that we have the loyalty, love, and longevity to make it this far and that is a true testament to our viewers.”
Lisa Hamilton Daly, executive vice president of programming with Hallmark, also weighed in.
“If there’s anything we can take away from the success of When Calls the Heart, it’s that these stories, these characters, and essentially their lives, is that they resonate and they matter deeply to so many of our viewers,” she said. “Eleven seasons is a celebration of the kind of heartwarming content that we strive to bring to the fans every year.”
Season 11 poster
The Season 11 poster has already been breaking the Internet. Though the Season 10 finale hinted at a new romance for Elizabeth, fans were shocked to see that she might — maybe, possibly, if the writers aren’t just messing with us — end up with Nathan after all.
Many Hearties expressed disappointment at the end of Season 8 when a love triangle between Elizabeth, Nathan, and Lucas (Chris McNally) ended with Elizabeth choosing Lucas.
The couple became engaged in Season 9 but began to face troubles while planning their wedding during Season 10. The rift grew as Lucas hit the road to campaign for governor. The two finally split at the end of the season.
Krakow, who is also an executive producer on the series, says, she can’t wait for fans to see the new season.
“I’m beyond proud and grateful to our hardworking crew, writers, producers, cast, and Hallmark Channel for their vision and support,” she continues. “I cannot wait for viewers to tune in to this season and to continue on this journey with all of us! Season 11 delivers more heart than ever before!”
Seven fascinating facts about The Way Home star Andie MacDowell
As Hallmark’s hit series The Way Home heads into its second season, fans have been anxiously awaiting answers to the questions brought up in the Season 1 finale. (What did happen to Jacob? Why are Del and Kat still on such bad terms? Are the Landry women witches?)
The show’s stars have been out and about promoting new episodes but we’ve decided to focus on the actress who plays Del Landry, the family matriarch. Andie MacDowell is a fan favorite on the Hallmark Channel, having played Judge Olivia Lockhart on the short-lived series Cedar Cove (2013-2015). She’s also a writer, producer, model, mom, and lover of the simple life. Read on for a list of fascinating facts about Andie MacDowell.
1. Her first name is Rosalie
MacDowell was born in 1958 as Rosalie Anderson MacDowell. In an essay for Guide Posts, MacDowell talked about how people in her hometown of Gaffney, South Carolina still use that name for her.
“Folks in Gaffney would stop me on the street. ‘Rosie, how are you?’ ‘Rosie, tell me about your mother,’ ‘Rosie, are you and your sisters going up to Asheville again for the summer?’ they would say.”
2. She’s a Southern gal at heart
Though MacDowell left South Carolina to pursue a modeling career in her early 20s, she returned often to her hometown of Gaffney to visit. When she had her own children — Justin, Rainey, and Margaret — she chose to raise them in Asheville, North Carolina.
Some fans may have trouble catching a hint of a Southern accent on MacDowell these days but when she began acting, directors didn’t know what to do with her South Carolina drawl. When she booked her first movie gig in 1984 playing Jane in Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes, the producers ended up dubbing her voice using Glenn Close because they felt MacDowell’s Southern accent was too pronounced.
3. She loves small-town living
In her Guide Posts essay, MacDowell talked about identifying with the town of Cedar Cove when Hallmark offered her the role.
“The first thing I thought when I read the script for the Hallmark Channel series Debbie Macomber’s Cedar Cove was, ‘I know this place,” she wrote. “…My hometown of Gaffney, in upcountry South Carolina, with its blossoming peach trees and Southern drawls, is thousands of miles from the mist-shrouded coast of the Pacific Northwest, where the fictional Cedar Cove sits, but they have that same small-town spirit.”
Of small towns, she wrote, “I know, deep in my heart and soul, the wonders and blessings of such places.”
4. From a young age, MacDowell was a caretaker
MacDowell has been open about her mother’s struggle with alcohol. In an interview with the British newspaper The Guardian, the actress talked about getting up in the middle of the night when she was 10 years old just to check that her mother had extinguished her cigarettes.
“There were burn marks all over the floor and on the couch; it’s amazing we didn’t burn down,” she says. “…I think I’ve felt responsible all my life. But I’m good at it. I’ve been in training for a long time.”
5. She almost gave up on her career as a model
MacDowell was spotted by a scout for Wilhelmina Models when she was only 20 years old. But in her early days in New York City, the Gaffney girl almost quit. She found herself in the 1979 world of Studio 54 and was extremely uncomfortable.
“There was a lot of cocaine around,” she told the Guardian. “…I actually went into my agency and said I wanted to go home, and they said: ‘You need new friends. You’re around the wrong people.’”
John Casablancas, the founder of Elite Model Management, flew with her to Paris and introduced her to a new companion, a young man who didn’t drink, smoke, or do drugs.
“…And it was like, I had a boyfriend,” she said
The young man in question was Olivier Chandon de Brailles, the heir to Moët & Chandon. From there, MacDowell went from strength to strength.
“I don’t know if they prearranged the whole thing, but it sure did work out well for me. I started working non-stop and my whole life opened up. I was about to go home for a few seconds there.”
6. She was one of the first models to make the move successfully to acting
These days there are scores of actresses who got their start in modeling but when MacDowell made the transition in the 1980s, it was practically unheard of. But she blew critics away with her Golden Globe-nominated performance in Steven Soderbergh’s 1989 movie Sex, Lies, and Videotape.
“Everything changed when that movie came out,” says Andie. “That’s the way it goes in this business. Nobody believes in you but then if you get the right job, everyone believes in you. You’re the same person but the perception changes.”
7. She has a soft spot for Hallmark
MacDowell has made it clear that she appreciates the stories Hallmark chooses to tell.
“We have got so used to extremes of horror, terror, and darkness on TV,” she said in an interview with The Express.
Hallmark, on the other hand, chooses to tell real stories.
“Cedar Cove is warmer and fuzzier than most TV and that’s why we are successful,” she said. “I also think that makes us one of the most creative things around, because we’re different. And there are enough reality shows – I don’t know why people watch them. Who wants to see women yelling at each other?”
How a family health crisis changed Nikki DeLoach’s life
Nikki DeLoach has been in the public eye since she was a child. After starring in the Mickey Mouse Club alongside Britney Spears, Justin Timberlake, Ryan Gosling, and Christina Aguilera, she went on to appear in movies such as The House Bunny and TV shows such as Days of Our Lives, CSI: NY, Cold Case, NCIS, Mad Men, Criminal Minds, and Grey’s Anatomy. In an interview with Us Weekly, the actress said making a living as an actress has been a dream come true.
“It’s everything I wanted to do when I was a kid,” she said. “Every single day, I honestly go, ‘I cannot believe I am doing the thing that I wanted to do when I was three years old and getting paid to do it.’”
But in recent years, the actress and mother has pivoted in her career. Though she still stars in movies, DeLoach has also become a successful screenwriter. This change came about because of a health crisis in her family.
Family health crisis
Nikki DeLoach married her childhood sweetheart, Ryan Goodell, and went on to have two sons, William and Bennett. But it was during her pregnancy with her second son, Bennett, that the actress realized her life was about to change dramatically.
While undergoing a prenatal scan, DeLoach noticed that the technician was focusing on a specific area. When she asked if there was a problem, the technician replied, “You’ll have to wait for the doctor.” In an interview with People, DeLoach said that was when she knew something was wrong.
It turned out that Bennett had multiple heart defects.
“For an entire month we were waiting to find out if our pregnancy was something that we would be able to continue with,” she said. “I didn’t know if my son would live. It was paralyzing.”
Bennett was born in September 2017. Days after his birth, he underwent a heart transplant. DeLoach knew she would no longer be able to continue on the same career path.
“I didn’t know if I was going to be able to act again,” she told Retaility. “I had no idea what we were up against and we were told a lot of really scary scenarios. So I said, ‘Listen, if I can never leave him or I don’t want to leave him, I’ll pivot. I will write. I can do that from home and that’ll be the new way forward.’”
She turned to friend and writing partner Megan McNulty and the two began churning out scripts.
Screenwriter
DeLoach said she was fortunate to have a good relationship with Hallmark Media. Not only have they produced some of the scripts she has written with McNulty — Christmas For Keeps (2021) and True Justice: Family Ties (2024) among them — they have given her the opportunity to continue to work in front of the camera.
“Luckily, Hallmark wanted to use me,” she told Retaility. “It was perfect because I could work for three weeks and come back, be a mom, and take care of Bennett.”
Laci J. Mailey is unlucky in love in new movie
Chesapeake Shores star Laci J. Mailey plays a woman who is unlucky in love in the new Hallmark romcom Betty’s Bad Luck in Love. The movie, which will premiere this weekend as part of Hallmark Channel’s New Year New Movies lineup, also stars Virgin River’s Marco Grazzini.
In an Instagram post, Grazzini talked about how much fun the cast and crew had making the movie.
“Truth? I’ve never, EVER, had so much fun filming like I did on this one. The perfect storm of script, director/producers & fellow castmates, where every energy was pulling in the same direction — a big ol’ laugh. And yes it’s got a lot of rom to go with the com,” he wrote in the caption.
New Hallmark romance
In Betty’s Bad Luck in Love, Laci J. Mailey stars as Betty, who believes a curse placed upon her in childhood is the reason for all her failed relationships.
After a long series of calamitous relationships that always ended in disaster for her boyfriends, Betty stopped dating entirely. She has taken to playing it safe, focusing on her career while she helps to plan her best friend’s wedding.
Marco Grazzini plays Alex, a danger-seeking news photographer who becomes intrigued by Betty and asks her on a date. With encouragement from her friend, Betty decides to face her fears and go out with him. As the two spend time together — and nothing bad happens to Alex — Betty begins to wonder if she really is cursed.
But then Alex falls down a set of stairs and Betty becomes determined to track down the person who cursed her when she was a little girl.
Laci J. Mailey
From 2016 to 2022, Laci J. Mailey starred on the Hallmark series Chesapeake Shores. She has also appeared in the TV shows Falling Skies, Supernatural, iZombie, The Magicians, and Hudson & Rex.
Marco Grazzini
Marco Grazzini plays Mike Valenzuela on the TV series Virgin River. He has appeared in the movies A Taste of Summer (2019), A Valentine’s Match (2020), Christmas Unwrapped (2020), Lonestar Christmas (2020), Designing Christmas (2022), Hearts in the Game (2023), and Haunted Harmony Mysteries: Murder in G Major (2023).
New EMT drama set to premiere on Great American Family
A new EMT drama called County Rescue is set to premiere on Great American Family. The show, which stars Julia Reilly, will be the first scripted series to debut on the network since it was founded in 2021 by former Hallmark CEO Bill Abbott.
In a statement to Deadline, Abbott talked about how the show was part of a strategy to introduce more original content on the network. He said that cozy mysteries would be next.
“We are continuing to build on the phenomenal growth of our media brand and are excited to now fully capitalize on the synergies now available with Sony and Great American Pure Flix,” Abbott said. “Our portfolio of content is a trusted source of family-friendly and faith-based entertainment, and our 2023 results greatly exceeded our expectations. “We are looking forward to having a positive impact on viewers and the entertainment business by creating quality content that can be enjoyed by the entire family.”
New EMT drama
In County Rescue, Stranger Things actress Julia Reilly stars as an EMT in training vying for one of three open spots on the team. The show also stars Stacey Patino, Percy Bell, Tim Perez-Ross, Riley Hough, Keller Fornes, Angel Luis, Kristin Wollett, and Brett Varvel.
The 5-episode first season will premiere on PureFlix — the streaming platform owned by Great American Media — on February 16. It will have its debut on Great American Family — the company’s cable network — on February 17.
Great American Family
Great American Family is one of two cable networks run by Bill Abbott, the former CEO of Hallmark Media.
Abbott made headlines in June 2021 when he announced he had partnered with Dallas-based Hicks Equity Partners to purchase two networks in a deal Bloomberg estimated at $90 million. Programming on the two channels began in September 2021. One network, which has been renamed Great American Family, ran romantic comedies and TV series including I Dream of Jeannie, Full House, Fuller House, Who’s the Boss, and Bewitched. The other, Great American Living, airs lifestyle programs including First Time Flippers, Aloha Builds, Growing Up Gator, and Kimberly’s Southern Kitchen.
The company also unveiled a host of original holiday movies starring Hallmark favorites such as Jen Lilley, Danica McKellar, Trevor Donovan, Jesse Metcalfe, and Jessica Lowndes.
In April 2022, Candace Cameron Bure announced that she was leaving Hallmark to work with Great American Media in an executive role.
“I am constantly looking for ways that I can inspire people to live life with purpose,” Bure said. “[Great American Media] fits my brand perfectly; we share a vision of creating compelling wholesome content for an audience who wants to watch programming for and with the whole family. Great, quality entertainment with a positive message is what my partnership with [Great American Media] is all about!”
County Rescue will premiere on PureFlix on February 16. It will premiere on Great American Family on February 17.
Tyler Hynes and Janel Parrish join Donna Kelce in new promo for Kansas City Chiefs
Hallmark stars Tyler Hynes and Janel Parrish joined Donna Kelce in a promotional video made to look like a Hallmark movie. In the three-minute video, which was made to promote the playoffs, Hynes and Parrish star in a mock trailer for a Hallmark-esque movie titled Falling For Football.
“A lot of creativity and lovely people come together to put something like this together,” Hynes wrote in an Instagram post. “Few as lovely as these folks.”
Kansas City Chiefs
In the video, Parrish plays Amber, a woman who was left at the altar by her football-crazed fiancé. Hynes plays Ben, the sports-loving owner of a store that appears to carry only Kansas City Chiefs merchandise. The two meet and — of course — sparks fly.
“When these opposites meet it’s anything but a touchdown,” claims the narrator for the video.
Both Ben and Amber receive advice from acquaintances.
“Forget it, Ben, she’ll never go for you,” says a co-worker played by Mitch Holthus. “She’s lost the postseason spirit.”
In another scene, Amber sits at the counter of a diner saying she doesn’t know how she could trust a man who loves football so much.
“How can he love me and football?” she asks.
Her waitress, played by Donna Kelce, replies, “The heart can be in two places at once.”
The video also featured players Tommy Townsend, Creed Humphrey, and Dante Hall. Even the team mascot, KC Wolf, made an appearance.
Video
Fans loved the video, which had close to half a million views within a few days of being posted.
“Love it!! Wish it would become a real film,” wrote one fan on Instagram.
“I can’t stop watching these videos!! Love them! Now we need @donnakelce to make a Hallmark movie with @tyler_hynes and @janelparrish,” wrote another.
Tyler Hynes and Janel Parrish
Parrish also shared behind-the-scenes footage on her Instagram account. Though the trailer isn’t for a real movies, Hynes and Parrish have shared the small screen before. The pair starred in the 2023 Countdown to Christmas movie Never Been Chris’d.
Hallmark and competitor Great American Media announce layoffs
Both Hallmark Media and its main competitor, Great American Media, have announced layoffs. Four executives have been laid off at Hallmark, including the company’s chief marketing officer.
At Great American Family, 13 executives were affected, including the CFO and head of marketing. Some of the layoffs at Great American Family were attributed to a recent merger with the streaming service Pure Flix.
Hallmark
In a statement to Deadline, a Hallmark spokesperson said that some positions were eliminated while others have been added.
“Hallmark Media organizational changes were announced internally today representing a new, more streamlined structure,” read the statement. “As such, some executive leadership roles were eliminated, while new and expanded roles were created in order to forge new opportunities that will strengthen our focus on our core, and build new capabilities for our consumers and viewers. The Hallmark Media business remains committed to creating compelling content and Hallmark Channel recently closed out the entire 2023 year as the #1 most-viewed cable entertainment network among key demos, demonstrating a clear pathway for continued success.”
The executives affected were Chief Marketing Officer Lara Richardson, Chief People Officer Pamela Wolfe, EVP Research Strategy Robin Thomas, and Head of Distribution Judi Lopez.
Great American Media
A spokesperson for Great American Media told Deadline that the changes had to do with creating synergy between both the broadcast and streaming elements of its business.
“We are now looking to maximize the synergies of our brands just as NetFlix narrowed its focus this year, we are taking steps to focus on our strengths,” read the statement. “We are a streaming platform with a linear audience approaching 70 million viewers in our platforms and our objective is to maximize the synergies between the audiences. Technology is critical to our success, so the decision was made to align the technology intersection with content marketing to enhance the viewer and consumer experience across platforms, [and] meet our viewers where they are with the content they want. With an experienced CTO, we consolidated key marketing functions into our technology team to align our marketing and technology platforms to ensure we maximize synergies between our estimated 70 million linear/cable viewers and our leading faith, family and streaming offering, Great American Pure Flix.”
The executives affected by layoffs at Great American Pure Flix include Loren Schwartz, Chief Marketing Officer; Jamie Kramer, EVP Digital & Strategic Growth; Max Pinigin, Chief Financial Officer; Angela Sullivan, VP Corporate Communications, Brian Pancarik, Exec VP User Experience & Operations; Michael Hough, Head of Financial Planning and Analysis; and Nicole Gardner, Pure Flix Creative Director.
Erica Durance finds romance in Scotland in new movie
Erica Durance will star in the new Hallmark movie A Scottish Love Scheme. The romantic comedy, which will premiere as part of the network’s New Year New Movies lineup, also stars Scottish actor Jordan Young.
“So excited for you all to see my new Movie!” Durance wrote in an Instagram post promoting the movie. “Dream come true….Love a Scottish Crew and Love Love Love Scotland!!!!!”
Romance in Scotland
In A Scottish Love Scheme, Durance stars as Lily, who is preparing to accompany her mother, Cait (Jo Cameron Brown), on her annual trip to visit her hometown in Scotland. Lily thinks her mother may be trying to get her mind off her recent divorce since she is making the trip earlier than usual.
When they arrive in Scotland, Cait reunites with her childhood friend Mairi (played by Juliet Cadzow) and Lily reunites with Mairi’s son Logan. Cait and Mairi decide to set their children up romantically. Things seem to be going well until Cait feels faint and Lily discovers her mother has cancer, a diagnosis she has been hiding.
Lily and Logan come up with their own scheme. They arrange a scavenger hunt for their mothers to give them a final memory together.
About the cast
Erica Durance played Lois Lane on the WB series Smallville. She also played Dr. Alex Reid in the TV show Saving Hope and Lauren Campbell in Private Eyes. She has starred in the Hallmark movies Wedding Planner Mystery (2014), Open By Christmas (2021), North to Home (2022), Color My World With Love (2022), We Need a Little Christmas (2022), Unexpected Grace (2023), and Mrs. Christmas Comes to Town (2023).
Jordan Young has starred as Alex on the TV series River City since 2013. He has also appeared on the shows Vigil, Scot Squad, and Doctors. A Scottish Love Scheme is his first Hallmark movie.
A Scottish Love Scheme will premiere on Hallmark Channel on Saturday, January 13 at 8/7c.
Katherine McNamara fights to save her brother in new Hallmark mystery
Katherine McNamara stars as a law student trying to free her brother when he is indicted for murder in the new Hallmark mystery True Justice: Family Ties. The movie, which will premiere this weekend on Hallmark Movies and Mysteries, was written by Hallmark star Nikki DeLoach and her writing partner Megan McNulty.
In an Instagram post from the set of the film, DeLoach said she was thrilled to see the script being brought to life.
“My writing partner @megmcnut and I had the honor of bringing to life a new mystery on @hallmarkmovie,” she wrote in the caption. “We wrote the character of DA Quinn with @benjaminayres in mind. Thank God he said yes. And we couldn’t have asked for a more perfect leading lady in @kat.mcnamara, our Casey Barlowe.”
Ayres responded in the comments section.
“When the character description was ‘Very Attractive Late 20’s’ I knew it was written for me,” he wrote. “Jokes aside, I’m still absolutely flattered/honored that you did this for me. I am SO proud of this project and your writing ability along with @megmcnut.”
New mystery
In True Justice: Family Ties, Katherine McNamara stars as law student Casey Barlowe. When her brother (Sam Ashe Arnold) is falsely accused of murdering her friend from college, Casey becomes determined to prove his innocence. She turns to her classmates (played by Markian Tarisuk, Marisa McIntyre, and Sabrina Saudin) and her friend Liam (Alexander Nunez), who is a private investigator, for help.
Her law professor (played by DeLoach) gives her a tip that helps the group get started, but the closer they get to discovering the truth, the more they begin to question their own safety.
Katherine McNamara
Katherine McNamara has appeared on the TV shows Drop Dead Dive, Law and Order: SVU, and CSI: Crime Scene Investigators. From 2016 to 2019 she starred as Clary Fray on Shadowhunters. She played Mia Smoak on Arrow and Abby Walker on Walker: Independence. In addition to True Justice: Family Ties, McNamara starred in the 2022 Hallmark movie Love, Classified.
The romantic scene Tyler Hynes had added to a Hallmark movie
Tyler Hynes is an unapologetic romantic. The actor has appeared in 17 movies for Hallmark, including Sweet Carolina with Lacey Chabert, An Unexpected Christmas with Bethany Joy Lenz, and It Was Always You with Erin Krakow. In more than one interview, he has made it clear that he is a big fan of movies about love.
“…I mean, what is life without love?” he said during an interview with TV Fanatic. “It’s truly, this is the centerpiece of living essentially. And so all the stories that are to be told in that arena is a very worthwhile thing ’cause that is truly, in life, the center of…it all still.”
Tyler Hynes
Hallmark is known for romantic story lines that end in a kiss. But in the 2023 movie A Picture of Her, Tyler Hynes shared a kiss with his co-star at the end that left fans swooning.
“Yeah, there’s some COVID being passed in those kisses for sure,” he joked.
In the movie, Hynes plays Jake, a photographer who snaps a photo of a stranger that ends up being used on the cover of a magazine. The woman in the photo ends up tracking Jake down and the two become romantically involved.
That kiss, though
In the final scene of the movie, Tyler’s character Jake gives co-star Rhiannon Fish a longing kiss before the two climb on his motorcycle and take off. It was a scene that Hynes had added in.
“Yeah, that final scene was something that wasn’t originally there and I was like, look guys, I think we’re missing an opportunity here,” he said. “I know legally it’s tough to get Rhiannon on the back of the bike with me, but there’s something to the image of the simplicity of her and I just in that moment together that’s sort of deeply simple and romantic and I’m really glad that we found the time and energy to be able to make that last sort of shot and sequence happen because I think it bookends the movie in a nice way and gives you a nice lasting image that can stay with you.”
Um, you can say that again, Tyler.
Marcus Rosner and Ashley Newbrough find romance in new Hallmark movie
Marcus Rosner and Ashley Newbrough will star in the new Hallmark movie Love On the Right Course.The romantic comedy, which was filmed in Hungary, will premiere as part of the network’s New Year New Movies lineup.
Newbrough posted photos on her Instagram of her time in Hungary. In one photo, she posed with fellow Hallmark star Brittany Bristow, who produced the movie.
“Learned how to say ‘cheers’ in Hungarian but definitely didn’t learn how to spell it,” she wrote in the caption.
New Hallmark movie
In Love On the Right Course, Ashley plays Whitney, a professional golfer who is struggling to make the cut to qualify for her next tournament in Europe. She decides to head to Budapest, where her family has a golf course.
When she arrives, she finds that her father (played by Roy McCrerey) is still reeling from the death of his wife two years earlier. He has turned over day-to-day operations of the course to a laid-back golf pro named Dnaiel (Marcus Rosner).
Daniel’s casual style is at odds with Whitney’s and it throws her off her game, literally. But as the pair get to know each other, their perspective changes and a romance develops.
“But when Whitney’s former trainer returns and pushes Daniel out, it might just cost Whitney her best shot at love,” reads a synopsis from Hallmark Media.
About the cast
This is the second movie Rosner and Newbrough have made together. In 2023, they starred in the Countdown to Christmas movie Flipping For Christmas. (The film was directed by Good Witch star Kat Barrell.)
Ashley Newbrough began her acting career at the age of 10. She landed her first starring role on the ABC Family series The Zack Files in 2000 and went on to appear in the shows Privileged, Degrassi: The Next Generation, and The Best Years.
She has starred in the movies Love Under the Stars (2015), Snowmance (2017), Small Town Christmas (2018), A Merry Christmas Match (2019), Christmas Love Letter (2019), The Valentine Competition (2021), Flowers and Honey (2021), Blue Moon Ball (2021), Christmas For Keeps (2021), Saving Christmas Spirit (2022) Love in Glacier National Park (2023).
Marcus Rosner
Marcus Rosner appeared on Season 2 of the hit series When Calls the Heart and played Austin McMurray on Season 1 of the Hallmark series Ride.
He has appeared in the Hallmark movies Garage Sale Mysteries: All That Glitters (2014), A Christmas Detour (2015), Appetite For Love (2016), Summer Dreams (2016), Autumn in the Vineyard (2016), A Firehouse Christmas (2016), Fixer Upper Mysteries (2017), The Birthday Wish (2017), Summer in the Vineyard (2017), A Harvest Wedding (2017), Christmas in Evergreen (2017), Yes, I Do (2018), Valentine in the Vineyard (2019), Love on Harbor Island (2020), Christmas With a Crown (2020), Romance to the Rescue (2022), and Notes of Autumn (2023).
When Calls the Heart co-creator weighs in on Lori Loughlin return to Hallmark
The co-creator of Hallmark’s hit series When Calls the Heart told fans that “good conversations” are happening about Lori Loughlin returning to the show.
“Our attitude always has been, as the producing team around the writing team around When Calls the Heart, that what better place for second chances than Hope Valley?” Bird said in an interview on the “Heart to Hearties” podcast. “So, in theory, it should work, right? But again, can’t fully promise it, but we’re working on it.”
Fans have been asking if Loughlin would return ever since the Season 10 finale of When Calls the Heart aired. In that episode, titled “Starry Nights,” Henry Gowen (Martin Cummins) was shown standing in front of a house with “A. Stanton” written on the mailbox. (Abigail Stanton was the name of Loughlin’s character on the show.) After he knocked on the door, someone opened it and Henry said, “Abigail.”
When Calls the Heart
Lori Loughlin played widow Abigail Stanton on the Hallmark series from 2014 to 2019. Her character served as a mentor for Elizabeth (Erin Krakow). She challenged the mining company, opened a cafe, and eventually became mayor of Hope Valley.
Loughlin was working on Season 6 of the series when news broke of her involvement in a college admissions scandal. The show took a month-long hiatus as writers and producers decided what to do with her character. They eventually wrote her out of the show.
In March of 2019, Loughlin and her husband, J. Mossimo Giannulli, were among 50 people charged by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Massachusetts with falsifying their children’s test scores and athletic abilities to gain admission to top universities. Both Loughlin and her husband pleaded guilty to charges of wire and mail fraud. She served two months in prison, paid a $150,000 fine, and was ordered to complete 150 hours of community service.
Lori Loughlin return
Brian Bird has made it clear that he thinks Loughlin belongs back on the show. During a June 2021 interview, he said, “If anyone should return to Hope Valley, it should be Abigail.”
Loughlin has largely been absent from the small screen since the admissions scandal became public. She did reprise her role as Abigail Stanton for a Christmas special for When Hope Calls, a spinoff of When Calls the Heart. She also starred in Fall Into Winter, a movie for Great American Family, a network founded by former Hallmark CEO Bill Abbott.
A representative for Hallmark media said that the company was not talking with Loughlin about a return.