Luke Macfarlane plays a detective who needs the help of a famous actress to solve a murder in the new movie Crimetime: Freefall. Lyndie Greenwood will co-star in the mystery, which will premiere on Hallmark Movies and Mysteries.
Greenwood promoted the film on Instagram from the Television Critics Association Winter Press Tour.
“I’m honored to be part of this Hallmark family,” she wrote in the caption of a photo. “There are some incredible new projects on their way to you soon — not to mention my new movie CrimeTime: Freefall, which airs Feb 23 on Hallmark Mystery. I can’t wait for y’all to see it!!”
New movie
In Crimetime: Freefall, Greenwood plays Hadley Warner, a famous crime series actress who finds herself at a loss when her show is canceled. She decides to move her family from Los Angeles to the small town of Mystic, Colo. But her attempt to lead a quiet life goes horribly wrong when a body falls from the sky and lands in her backyard.
Unable to resist solving the murder, Hadley begins using the skills she used playing a detective to figure out whodunnit. Though her attempts to help are at first rejected by the local detective assigned to the case (played by Macfarlane), he soon realizes she is a big help. As the two work together, he begins to develop feelings for her.
About the cast
Lyndie Greenwood has appeared in the TV shows Flashpoint, Being Erica, Covert Affairs, Saving Hope, Degrassi: The Next Generation, S.W.A.T., and Sleepy Hollow. She has starred in the Hallmark movies Every Time a Bell Rings (2021), Girlfriendship (2022), and Magic in Mistletoe (2023).
Luke Macfarlane
From 2006 to 2011, Luke Macfarlane played Scotty Wandell on the ABC series Brothers & Sisters. He has also appeared on Beauty & the Beast, Iron Road, Supergirl, and Mercy Street.
Macfarlane has starred in the Hallmark movies Christmas Land (2015), The Mistletoe Promise (2016), A Birthday Wish (2017), Karen Kingsbury’s Maggie’s Christmas Miracle (2017), A Shoe Addict’s Christmas (2018), Just Add Romance (2019), Sense, Sensibility and Snowmen (2019), A Valentine’s Match (2020), Chateau Christmas (2020), Taking a Shot at Love (2021), Christmas in My Heart (2021), Moriah’s Lighthouse (2022), A Magical Christmas Village (2022), Notes of Autumn (2023), and Catch Me If You Claus (2023).
Luke Macfarlane had nothing but nice things to say about this former co-star
Don’t expect Luke Macfarlane to trash his colleagues anytime soon. In a recent interview with comedian Daniel Tosh, the actor had only nice things to say about former co-star Candace Cameron Bure.
Macfarlane played opposite Candace Cameron Bure in the 2018 Countdown to Christmas movie A Shoe Addict’s Christmas.
“I will admit that I was nervous to work with her, but she could not have been more lovely,” he said during an appearance on the Tosh Show.
When Tosh asked if the two discussed Macfarlane’s sexual orientation — the actor is gay — he said they had not, adding, “She has a lot of gay friends.”
Luke Macfarlane
Macfarlane rose to fame playing Scotty Wandell on the ABC series Brothers & Sisters. He said when Hallmark first approached him to do a movie, he asked his agent if it would hurt his career.
“They’re like, ‘They’re not on people’s radars,’” he said. “And I’m like, ‘They kind of are.’”
Over the years, Macfarlane has starred in a long list of Hallmark movies:
Christmas Land (2015),
The Mistletoe Promise (2016)
A Birthday Wish (2017),
Karen Kingsbury’s Maggie’s Christmas Miracle (2017)
A Shoe Addict’s Christmas (2018)
Just Add Romance (2019)
Sense, Sensibility and Snowmen (2019)
A Valentine’s Match (2020)
Chateau Christmas (2020)
Taking a Shot at Love (2021)
Christmas in My Heart (2021)
Moriah’s Lighthouse (2022)
A Magical Christmas Village (2022)
Notes of Autumn (2023)
Catch Me If You Claus (2023)
Candace Cameron Bure
Candace Cameron Bure made headlines in April 2022 when she announced she was leaving Hallmark to work at Great American Family, a new network started by former Hallmark CEO Bill Abbott.
“My heart wants to tell stories that have more meaning and purpose and depth behind them,” she said.
In an interview with the Wall Street Journal, Bure was asked if any of her films would include same-sex romances. The actress said her films would focus on “traditional marriage.”
Some fans were supportive of her comments but others were furious. Actor Neal Bledsoe, who co-starred with Danica McKellar in the Great American Family romcom The Winter Palace, publicly condemned Bure’s comments and said he would not work with the network again.
Bill Abbott, who was part of the Wall Street Journal interview, clarified that the network could eventually include same-sex romance but that in its initial stages, it would focus on movies with messages of faith.
“Spiritual or faith-based content is grossly underserved,” he said.
Leaving Hallmark
In September of 2022, the actor told the LA Times that he wouldn’t be working with Hallmark anymore.
“They’ve been very good to me, but I think I’ve told my story for now with those folks,” he said. “I mean, how many firefighters can I play?”
Macfarlane made it clear there were no hard feelings behind the decision, even saying that Hallmark had taught him some important skills.
“One thing that I really enjoyed about making Hallmark movies is it’s really fun to flirt,” he said. “It’s fun to play that energy on camera, where relationships are at their best in those early times. I guess Hallmark has given me a lot of flirting lessons.”
Macfarlane delighted fans when he announced in the summer of 2023 that — surprise — he was working with Hallmark again. The actor starred in Notes of Autumn, in which he played a gay man who finds romance when he swaps apartments with his friend, played by Ashley Williams.
Luke MacFarlane is a Santa-in-training in new Hallmark movie
Luke Macfarlane plays a first-time Santa who gets mistaken for a burglar in the new Hallmark movie Catch Me If You Claus. The film, which also stars Italia Ricci, will premiere on Thanksgiving Day as part of Hallmark Channel’s Countdown to Christmas lineup.
New Hallmark movie
In Catch Me If You Claus, Italia Ricci plays aspiring news anchor Avery. When she finds a strange man in her living room one night, she is convinced she has caught a local burglar who keeps eluding the police.
When the man (played by Luke Macfarlane) tells her he is the son of Santa Claus, she doesn’t believe him. But before she can turn him over to the cops, he convinces her he is the real deal. The two then set their sights on catching the real burglar and along the way, sparks fly.
About the cast
Italia Ricci has appeared in the TV shows Supergirl, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, Designated Survivor, and The Good Doctor.
She has also starred in the movies Late Bloomer (2016), Rome in Love (2019), Love in Winterland (2020), and Don’t Go Breaking My Heart (2021).
Luke MacFarlane
From 2006 to 2011, Luke MacFarlane played Scotty Wandell on the ABC series Brothers & Sisters. He has also appeared on Beauty & the Beast, Iron Road, Supergirl, and Mercy Street.
Macfarlane has starred in the Hallmark movies Christmas Land (2015), The Mistletoe Promise (2016), A Birthday Wish (2017), Karen Kingsbury’s Maggie’s Christmas Miracle (2017), A Shoe Addict’s Christmas (2018), Just Add Romance (2019), Sense, Sensibility and Snowmen (2019), A Valentine’s Match (2020), Chateau Christmas (2020), Taking a Shot at Love (2021), Christmas in My Heart (2021), Moriah’s Lighthouse (2022), and A Magical Christmas Village (2022).
Catch Me If You Claus will premiere on Hallmark Channel on Thursday, November 23 at 8/7c.