Meghan Ory and Christopher Russell will headline the new Hallmark movie The Secret Gift of Christmas. The film will premiere as part of Hallmark Channel’s Countdown to Christmas lineup.
In an Instagram post, Ory promoted the movie, which she also helped produce.
“This is my first time producing and it was SO fun! Can’t wait for you to see what we whipped up!” she wrote in the caption.
Her Chesapeake Shores co-stars weighed in with their own comments.
“Yessss,” wrote Jessica Sipos, who played Sarah Mercer O’Brien on the show.
“You look like the version of Meghan who took me new wardrobe shopping when I first moved to LA,” added Laci J. Mailey, who played Jess O’Brien in the series.
Robert Buckley, who played Evan Kincaid, wrote, “CONGRATS!!!”
New Hallmark movie
In The Secret Gift of Christmas, Ory stars as Bonnie, a self-proclaimed bachelorette. As a personal shopper with a vibrant social presence, she has parlayed her passion into a successful business. When she is hired by gruff contractor Patrick (played by Christopher Russell), she finds she has her work cut out for her.
Though Patrick is less than impressed with some of the items Bonnie picks out, when he sees a friendship blossoming between Bonnie and his daughter, Phoebe (Ellie Cluett), he begins to appreciate her knack for understanding others. But things become complicated when Bonnie’s thoughtfulness leads another woman to set her sights on Patrick.
“If Bonnie and Patrick can tear down the walls between them, they just might get the greatest gift of all — love,” reads a synopsis from Hallmark.
About the cast
From 2016 to 2022 Meghan Ory starred as Abby O’Brien on the Hallmark series Chesapeake Shores. She also appeared in Once Upon a Time, Supernatural, Hudson & Rex, and NCIS: New Orleans. She starred in the 2015 movie Debbie Macomber’s Dashing Through the Snow.
Christopher Russell has starred in the movies Catch a Christmas Star (2013), Midnight Masquerade (2014), Love, Again (2015), Merry Matrimony (2015), Love in the Vineyard (2016), Wedding Bells (2016), A Puppy for Christmas (2016), A Dream of Christmas (2016), My Perfect Romance (2018), Forever Christmas (2018), Love Unleashed (2019), All Summer Long (2019), The Mistletoe Secret (2019), A Doggone Christmas (2019), Love & Glamping (2020), Love in the Forecast (2020), Chasing Waterfalls (2021), Kite Festival of Love (2021), Warming Up to you (2021), A Lot Like Christmas (2021), Where Your Heart Belongs (2022), Love on Fire (2022), Yellowstone Romance (2022), The Most Colorful Time of the Year (2022), A Dash of Christmas (2023), and Peppermint and Postcards (2023).
The Secret Gift of Christmas will premiere on Friday, December 15 at 8/7c.
Meghan Ory was pregnant while filming Season 6 of Chesapeake Shores
Meghan Ory was pregnant while filming Season 6 of Chesapeake Shores. The actress announced the news on Instagram in a post celebrating the end of shooting Season 6 of Chesapeake Shores.
“I started this season with #hyperemesisgravidarum and ended it with #covid — it has been quite the run!,” she wrote, “thank you so much to our amazing cast and crew for having so much patience with me while I tried not to barf on anyone.”
Ory, 39, has a son with her husband, actor John Reardon. In an Instagram post announcing the birth of her son, Ory shared a photo of herself right before he was born.
“Feeling very grateful to say goodbye to my built in coffee table and hello to Baby who is here and healthy! So much gratitude this #canadianthanksgiving,” she wrote.
Months later, she shared a photo of herself feeding her son.
“Anyone else get the #breastfeeding face smash?! #momlife,” she wrote.
Meghan Ory pregnant
Ory’s fans and her castmates responded with enthusiasm to the news that she is expecting.
“BRAVA bella,” one wrote in a response to the post. “You are strength incarnate.”
Robert Buckley, who plays Ory’s love interest on Chesapeake Shores, replied with, “You are unstoppable.”
Ory has played Abby O’Brien on the hit Hallmark series since it debuted in 2016. Based on a series of books by Sherryl Woods, the show followed a single mother (Ory), who returns to her small hometown in Maryland following a divorce. She is thrown right back into the drama of her large Irish family and reconnects with her ex-boyfriend Trace Riley, who was played by Jesse Metcalfe on the series.
Fans were shocked when Metcalfe announced he was leaving the series shortly before filming began on Season 5.
“I just felt that there wasn’t really anything else I could do with the character,” he said in an interview.
Writers introduced a new character in Season 5, an eccentric billionaire developer who falls for Abby despite their widely different personalities.
About Meghan Ory
A native of Victoria, Canada, Ory made her television debut in the film The Darklings. She went on to star in the series Higher Ground, The Outer Limits, and Dark Angel. In 2006 she made her Hallmark debut on the mini-series Merlin’s Apprentice. While filming the show she fell for her co-star, John Reardon. The couple married in 2008.
From 2011 to 2016 she played Ruby Lucas/Little Red Riding Hood on the TV series Once Upon a Time. After starring in the Hallmark movie Debbie Macomber’s Dashing Through the Snow, she was cast as Abby O’Brien in the network’s new series Chesapeake Shores.
Season 6 of Chesapeake Shores will premiere on Hallmark Channel on Sunday, August 14 at 8/7c.