Hallmark stars
New fan convention
RELATED NEWS: Hallmark gets into the Christmas convention game with new “Hallmark Christmas Experience” in Kansas City
Event details
Hallmark star Nik Sanchez makes directing debut in new movie for Easterseals Disability Film Challenge
Easterseals Disability Film Challenge
Awesomely autistic
Hallmark star
Interview
Good Witch star James Denton injured while preparing for TV appearance
Good Witch star James Denton has been injured while training to appear on a French television show. The actor, 61, told fans on Instagram that he hurt himself during rehearsals for the French version of Dancing With the Stars.
“Grade 3 hamstring tear in rehearsal — a frustrating setback,” he wrote in the caption. “Sincere apologies to the Danse Avec Les Stars audience and other contestants for not being able to participate last night.”
James Denton
Fans were thrilled when Denton announced he would be appearing on the 13th season of Danse Avec Les Stars. The actor admitted he was nervous because he couldn’t dance and didn’t speak French but fans were supportive.
“You’re going to hit that show out of the park,” wrote one fan on Instagram.
“I can’t wait to see you dance,” wrote another. “I wish you lots of fun and good luck.”
TV show
In a promotional interview for Danse Avec Les Stars, Denton admitted that his initial response to appearing on the show was negative.
“When I was asked I said no,” he said.
But his children convinced him otherwise.
“Then I thought about it and I asked my kids and they both said, ‘No, it’s very cool. You have to do it,’” he said.
Denton said that part of his reluctance had to do with the fact that he had little experience.
“I’m not a dancer,” he said. “I’ve never danced in my life at all. So it was a little bit scary, which is the main reason I decided to do it.”
The actor admitted that he had some advantages.
“If I have a strength it is maybe that I’m a musician,” he said. “…And I was an athlete in my younger days.”
Injured
Last week, Denton posted a photo to Instagram sharing the news. Since then, he has added messages updating fans on his progress.
“My new daily routine with the amazing Cyril Msika,” he wrote, sharing a photo of his physical therapist at work. “I’ll be back.”
Denton has been paired with dancer Candice Pascal. When asked who he would love to dance with, he immediately mentioned his Desperate Housewives co-star Teri Hatcher.
Good Witch
For seven seasons, Denton starred on the hit Hallmark series Good Witch as Dr. Sam Radford. Hallmark abruptly canceled the series in 2021. But Denton and Bell were reunited on the small screen in the 2023 Countdown to Christmas movie Christmas on Cherry Lane.
Denton also starred on the ABC series Desperate Housewives as Mike Delfino.
Dancing With the Stars
Denton is not the only contestant to face an injury while filming the series. Participants in both the French and American versions have suffered everything from bruised ribs to broken limbs while competing on the reality show.
Denton remains optimistic about getting back on his feet. He said he would love to dance to the song Singing in the Rain.
“When his son was young that was his favorite song,” he said.
Fans are in a frenzy after seeing this post on Kayla Wallace’s Instagram
Some Hallmark fans are in a frenzy over a recent Instagram post on Kayla Wallace’s account. The photo shows a Polaroid of Wallace and her When Calls the Heart co-star and fiancé Kevin McGarry smiling at the camera. The only caption is a heart.
While some fans thought it was just a sweet nod to her romance with McGarry, others are convinced the photo is proof that the pair are married.
“Photo evidence,” wrote one fan in the comments section.
Kayla Wallace’s Instagram
Kayla Wallace and Kevin McGarry announced in December 2022 that they were engaged. The couple posted a video to Instagram with the caption, “Forever.”
Fans were thrilled.
“Best couple EVER,” wrote one. “I love the way you look at each other.”
Their When Calls the Heart co-star Erin Krakow weighed in with, “Our forever friends found their forever! So happy for you both! Still haven’t recovered from this beautiful moment!”
Wallace and McGarry met on the set of Hallmark’s longest-running original series When Calls the Heart in 2019. Both actors joined the series in its sixth season.
McGarry was cast as Mountie Nathan Grant, who was brought on the show as a suitor for widow Elizabeth Thornton (played by Erin Krakow). Wallace joined the cast as Fiona Miller, an independent young woman who was brought to Hope Valley to help set up the town’s first switchboard.
Wallace and McGarry announced they were a couple in 2020. In March 2022 they starred in the Hallmark rom-com Feeling Butterflies. The movie was so popular Hallmark featured the couple again in the 2022 Christmas in July movie My Grown-Up Christmas List.
Instagram post
Over the years, both McGarry and Wallace have shared photos and messages to each other on Instagram. But it was a Valentine’s Day post that got fans excited.
In the photo, Wallace is wearing a white dress and has her hand on McGarry’s shoulder. Some fans claim she is wearing two rings on her finger. (Every single staff member here at TV Cheddar has taken a look and we cannot agree on whether there is a second ring or not.)
“Did you get married?” one fan wrote. “You are wearing 2 rings. Congratulations!!!!”
“Zoomed in on photo and your ring finger,” wrote another. “You got two rings on it looks like. Is this maybe photo evidence of more than just being engaged?”
Neither Wallace nor McGarry responded immediately to the rumors. We will update this article as soon as more information becomes available.
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.
Hallmark gets its Jane Austen on in February movie lineup
Hallmark is mixing things up with its Loveuary lineup. The network announced that all four new movies premiering in February will have a Jane Austen theme.
“Jane Austen’s stories are timeless and continue to resonate with readers and viewers of all ages,” said Lisa Hamilton Daly, executive vice president of programming at Hallmark Media. “Our movies will bring her beloved characters to life in fresh, new ways and honor the many women who continue to be inspired by them.”
In addition to the Jane Austen-themed lineup, Hallmark will launch a virtual book club.
Jane Austen
The first of the four new movies to premiere will be Paging Mr. Darcy, starring Mallory Jansen and Will Kemp. Alison Sweeney will headline the second movie, Love & Jane, along with Benjamin Ayres.
The Days of Our Lives actress shared a photo on Instagram promoting the film, which will premiere on February 10.
“Celebrating Jane Austen’s birthday by sharing that my movie, #Love&Jane will premiere on @hallmarkchannel February 10th,” she wrote in the caption. “I’m so proud of this fun romantic comedy based on a lifelong love of everything Jane Austen. #janeausten #romcom.”
Benjamin Ayres responded in the comments with, “You are SO GOOD and funny in this movie. Can’t wait for everyone to see it.”
Loveuary
The next film to premiere will be An American in Austen, starring Eliza Bennett, Nicholas Bishop, and Nell Barlow. In the movie, Bennett stars as a librarian who wonders if any man could ever live up to the romantic ideals set by Austen’s character Mr. Darcy. She gets to find out for herself when comes face to the face with him.
Finally, Hallmark will air an adaptation of Sense & Sensibility. Starring Deborah Ayorinde, Bethany Antonia, Dan Jeannotte, and Akil Largie, the movie will be part of Hallmark’s Mahogany series.
Book Club
Chief Fan Officer Jenny Forwark will host the online meetings of the new Hallmark Channel Book Club. The first virtual gathering will take place on January 25. Members will be invited to discuss the Jane Austen book “Pride & Prejudice. The second meeting, in which readers will discuss Sense & Sensibility, will take place on February 15.
Paging Mr. Darcy will premiere on Hallmark Channel on Saturday, February 3 at 8/7c.
Love & Jane will premiere on Hallmark Channel on Saturday, February 10 at 8/7c.
An American in Austen will premiere on Hallmark Channel on Saturday, February 17 at 8/7c.
Sense & Sensibility will premiere on Hallmark Channel on Saturday, February 24 at 8/7c.
Everything you need to know about watching Hallmark without cable
As cable prices soar and providers drop and add channels seemingly at random, more and more viewers are looking for alternatives.
For Hallmark fans who want to cut the cord with cable — or for those who have lost one or more of Hallmark’s three networks with their cable provider — there are alternatives.
We have compiled a list of cable alternatives that will provide viewers access to Hallmark movies and shows for as little as $6 a month.* Also included in the list is an app that will let Hallmarkies access their favorite movies and shows for free.
Watching Hallmark without cable:
1. Peacock TV
The NBC streaming service Peacock TV made a deal last year with Hallmark to include its content. Plans start at $5.99 a month. The website can be found here.
2. Hallmark Movies Now
Hallmark Media owns this platform, which includes content from Hallmark Channel, Hallmark Movies and Mysteries, and Hallmark Drama. Plans start at $59.99 a year, though viewers can opt to pay month-by-month for $5.99 a month. The website can be found here.
3. Frndly TV
Frndly TV is another streaming platform that includes Hallmark content. The service has Hallmark Channel, Hallmark Movies and Mysteries, and Hallmark Drama, as well as material from UPtv, Great American Family, Lifetime, and Heartland TV. Plans start at $6.99 per month. The website can be found here.
4. Amazon Prime Video
A slew of Hallmark movies are available to stream on Amazon Prime Video. Fans can also purchase DVD compilations of some of their favorite Hallmark shows and movies. For all the information about watching on Amazon Prime, click here.
5. Sling
Sling is a streaming service that allows viewers to watch cable content over the Internet. Hallmark content is included with the platform’s Lifestyle Extra package which is $6 a month on top of the basic package, which starts at $20. The website can be accessed here.
6. Fubo TV
Fubo TV has Hallmark Channel, Hallmark Movies and Mysteries, and Hallmark Drama included in its Pro Package, available for $74.99. Access the website here.
7. Philo TV
Philo TV is another streaming service. It is available for $25 a month and includes Hallmark content. Their website can be accessed here.
8. Hulu + Live TV
Not to be confused with regular ol’ Hulu, Hulu + Live TV lets viewers stream cable channels and not just individual programs and movies. Hallmark Channel is included in the $76.99 a month package. Access their website here.
9. YouTube TV
In addition to the free version of YouTube, there is YouTube TV, which allows viewers to watch cable channels. The current introductory sign-up rate is $50.99. After three months, the price goes up to $72.99. The site can be accessed here.
10. Hoopla
If you’d rather not sign up for a streaming service, you can get Hallmark for free. Check with your local library to see if it’s connected to the Hoopla app.
Hoopla Digital is an all-in-one app for public libraries that allows users to access books, magazines, comic books, movies, TV shows, and documentaries. In 2023, the company’s founder announced the company had partnered with Hallmark Media to include its materials.
“Our goal at hoopla is to provide the best content available to libraries and their patrons,” Jeff Jankowski told PR Newswire. “We pursued this partnership with Hallmark Movies Now to give access to this celebrated range of movies, specials and original series. As the needs of libraries evolve, we are too, to ensure the way library patrons consume content on hoopla meets demand. When we launched BingePass, we pledged to continue adding more diverse content and this new agreement with Hallmark Movies Now adds a beloved entertainment brand that is a natural for bingeing.”
For more information on Hoopla, visit their website.
*Prices listed are current as of December 2023. Rates change often so check the included links for the most up-to-date prices.
How to watch your favorite Hallmark Christmas movies without cable
It’s that time of year again: Hallmark Channel and Hallmark movies and Mysteries are playing round-the-clock Christmas movies. More than 40 new titles are being released this year alone, joining the hundreds of movies in Hallmark Media’s collection. (For a full schedule of this year’s new movies, click here.)
But if you don’t have cable, all is not lost. Many Hallmark titles can be streamed online or purchased on DVD.
Hallmark Christmas movies
The following titles can either be streamed or purchased on Amazon:
Three Wise Men and a Baby
This Christmas comedy was the most-watched cable movie of 2022. Starring Andrew Walker, Tyler Hynes, and Paul Campbell, the movie follows three brothers who do their best to take care of a baby left at a fire station just before Christmas.
In this 2008 comedy, Henry Winkler stars as a retired cop who brings a stranger stranded at the airport home for Christmas with his daughter and grandson. Also stars Brooke Burns and Warren Christie.
This 2012 Hallmark classic stars Andrew Walker as a single man trying to win a bet by getting a woman (Arielle Kebbel) to marry him by Christmas. Also stars Kimberley Sustad.
This Christmas movie was written by Hallmark star Paul Campbell in 2021. Tyler Hynes and Bethany Joy Lenz star as exes who pretend to be together over the holidays.
Alicia Witt and Mark Wiebe played strangers who end up snowed in at his family’s home for Christmas in this 2013 romantic comedy.
Hallmark Christmas Collection 16 (A Gift For Christmas / A Christmas To Cherish / Merry & Bright)
This compilation includes the original and sequel of A Gift for Christmas, a series that starred Ali Liebert and Peter Porte. In these movies, Liebert plays bookstore employee Darcy Archer, who falls for wealthy businessman Aiden Harris.
The third movie on the DVD, Merry & Bright (2019), stars Andrew Walker and Jodie Sweetin.
Candace Cameron Bure 4-Film Collection
Love her or hate her, Candace Cameron Bure has headlined some of Hallmark’s best movies. This DVD collection includes:
A Christmas Detour (released in 2015, co-stars Paul Greene)
Christmas Under Wraps (released in 2014, co-stars David O’Donnell and Brian Doyle-Murray)
Journey Back to Christmas (released 2016, co-stars Oliver Hudson and Tom Skerritt)
Switched for Christmas (released 2017, co-stars Mark Deklin and Natasha Bure)
This DVD contains a whopping 12 hours and 36 minutes of Christmas movie goodness. The titles include:
Check Inn to Christmas
Christmas Comes Twice
Christmas Land
12 Gifts of Christmas
Christmas in Love
With Love, Christmas
Window Wonderland
Looks Like Christmas
Christmas List
So Fetch! Lacey Chabert is getting her own Hallmark show
Lacey Chabert will host and produce a new unscripted TV show for Hallmark Media. Celebrations With Lacey Chabert will follow the actress as she helps deserving kids, families and adults, who are making a positive impact in their communities by throwing them the celebration of a lifetime.
“As a lifelong DIY enthusiast, I fell in love with party planning while coming up with creative ways to bring my daughter’s birthday parties to life,” said Chabert in a statement through the company. “I am so excited to lend my love of crafts to create joyous moments for deserving people. This is going to be an epic party as we celebrate real-life heroes, complete with the ups and downs that only unscripted television can capture.”
Lacey Chabert
Lacey Chabert is a Hallmark Media staple, having appeared in 38 movies for the network. The Mean Girls star is also active in charity, working with the non-profits the American Humane Association, Starkey Hearing Foundation, Opportunity Village, and Race to Erase MS.
“Lacey Chabert shares the same passion for celebrating everyday heroes as we do at Hallmark,” said Lisa Hamilton Daly, executive vice president of programming at Hallmark Media. “Lacey’s natural warmth and genuine nature make her a perfect fit for this series that is sure to leave our Hallmark audience feeling uplifted as they experience these heartwarming stories and spectacular events. This show provides the perfect opportunity to expand our work with Lacey in meaningful and innovative new ways.”
In Celebrations With Lacey Chabert, the actress will have three days to plan a party to give back to kids, families, and special adults who are making an extraordinary impact on their communities. According to Hallmark, “With the help of professional party planners, loving family members and a team of volunteers, Chabert will have just three days to plan and execute a mind-blowing, one-of-a-kind event that will create lasting memories for each worthy guest of honor and their families.”
Hallmark show
Chabert’s series will be the third Hallmark Media show to premiere in recent years. In 2023 it launched two new shows: The Way Home, starring Andie MacDowell and Chyler Leigh, and Ride, starring Nancy Travis. Though The Way Home was renewed for a second season — it will premiere in January 2024 — Ride was canceled.
Where to watch
Hallmark has not yet given a premiere date for the series. The company indicated that the show, which will debut sometime in 2024, will be available through Hallmark Media’s subscription service.
We will update this story as more information becomes available.
Arielle Kebbel and Zach Roerig find love in new Hallmark movie
The new Hallmark movie Love in the Great Smoky Mountains: A National Park Romance will feature a reunion between two members of the popular CW series The Vampire Diaries. Arielle Kebbel, who played Lexi Branson on the show, and Zach Roerig, who starred as Matt Donovan, will headline the new movie, which will premiere as part of Hallmark Channel’s Fall Into Love lineup.
In an Instagram post, Hallmark teased the new movie with a picture of the pair.
“Will searching for historic artifacts also bring back old feelings for former college sweethearts…?” reads the caption.
New Hallmark movie
Arielle Kebbel stars as Haley and Zach Roerig stars as Rob, exes who reunite when both are on an archaeological excavation site in the Great Smoky Mountains.
Though Rob is eager to rekindle their relationship, Haley is determined to remain professional. It turns out she is still upset because when they were both seniors, they applied for the same research grant but Rob won.
“The two eventually reconnect over their common love of nature and history, spending time together exploring the park,” reads a synopsis from Hallmark. “But when Haley finds pictographs in a cave that may lead to the existence of a mythical Cherokee diamond, Rob struggles to keep up with her adventurous nature. And to complicate their relationship even more, they discover they are once again competing for the same research grant. They work together and finally find the cave, and slowly realize that the journey is perhaps more important than the destination – and love is more valuable than any research grant.”
About the cast
Arielle Kebbel starred in the TV series 90210. She has also appeared on Gilmore Girls, CSI: Miami, True Blood, The Vampire Diaries, unREAL, and American Dad. She had starring roles in the movies John Tucker Must Die, Fifty Shades Freed, and The Grudge 2.
Kebbel has appeared in the Hallmark movies A Bride For Christmas (2012), Bridal Wave (2015), and A Brush With Love (2019).
Zach Roerig starred as Matt Donovan on The Vampire Diaries. He has also starred in the TV shows The Gifted, Legacies, Dare Me, and Step Up: High Water.
Love in the Great Smoky Mountains: A National Park Romance will premiere on Hallmark Channel on Saturday, September 2 at 8/7c.
A complete list of Tamera Mowry-Housley’s Hallmark movies
One of Hallmark’s most popular stars, Tamera Mowry-Housley has starred in half a dozen movies for the network, including Christmas flicks, romantic comedies, and a film in Hallmark Channel’s Mahogany series.
Tamera Mowry-Housley rose to fame with her twin sister Tia Mowry on the ABC/WB sitcom Sister, Sister. What some fans may not know is that Tamera and Tia pitched the show to network executives.
“My sister and I met with Irene Dreyer and Suzanne de Passe, and we loved Sweet Valley High, that show, and of course The Parent Trap,” she said in a 2022 interview with Parade. “We just got our heads together, thought of an idea with Kim Bass as well, who’s known for all that, and we would go to different networks and pitch it, and sometimes do a scene.”
Tamera Mowry-Housley
Following her success on Sister, Sister, Tamera went on to become one of the hosts of the daytime show The Real. She also starred in movies for Disney and Pure Flix. In 2011, she married journalist Adam Housley after six years of dating. They have two children.
In 2022, she published a memoir titled You Should Sit Down for This: A Memoir About Life, Wine, and Cookies. In the book, she shared stories about the pressures of being a teenage star, the challenges of balancing family and career, and why it’s okay for women to hide out in their closets when they just need a few minutes of peace.
According to a promotion for the book, “Being raised in Hawaii as an army brat instilled in her the discipline needed to succeed and conquer her dreams, but she felt secluded and sheltered, and wondered if living on her own terms would ever be her reality. Then, she decided it would. Tamera stopped letting other people define her, tapped into her faith, and tossed away negativity to hone her own happiness and create a unique path forward for herself.”
Hallmark movies
A Christmas Miracle (2019)
In this Miracles of Christmas movie, Mowry-Housley starred as Emma, a single mom who has just moved to Denver with her son to start a new job as an executive assistant at a lifestyle magazine.
Hoping to get a job as a writer, Emma pitches a story about a Christmas miracle. While working on the article, she develops a friendship with the magazine’s photographer (played by Marcus Welsh). The two decide to help make a wish come true for a lonely local street musician known as Santa Dean (played by Barry Bostwick).
Christmas Comes Twice (2020)
Mowry-Housley played Cheryl, an astrophysicist who works for the National Science Foundation.
When she returns home for the holidays, she heads to the local Christmas carnival with her sister (played by Zarrin Darnell-Martin). She takes a ride on a carousel, only to find out that she has somehow traveled back in time to five years earlier.
She makes contact with her science teacher (played by Sheryl Lee Ralph) and her former “frenemy” George (played by Michael Xavier). As she is reminded of why she loves science, she also develops new feelings for George. But when she finally figures out how to reverse time travel, she must ask herself if she wants to leave this new life behind.
The Santa Stakeout (2021)
In this Christmas rom-com, Mowry-Housley and Paul Campbell starred as police detectives assigned to go undercover as a couple to solve a series of heists taking place at high-profile holiday parties.
Though the detectives at first clash, they soon find they have more in common than they thought. As they participate in the neighborhood’s holiday activities, they become swept up by Christmas. They begin to see each other in a new light and start to fall in love.
Girlfriendship (2022)
In this movie, one in Hallmark’s Mahogany series, Mowry-Housley starred as one of three friends headed on a girls’ weekend. In an interview with Parade, Mowry-Housley shared what she liked about the movie.
“Each of these girls is at a pivotal moment in their life where they’re existing, but they’re not living,” she said. “This trip challenges them to search within and not live for their mom or their dad, or not live just for their children. Don’t forget who you are even though you’re married and have kids, or go for that business opportunity to evolve. That is what this movie is about. And of course, it’s Hallmark, so it has romance. But romance isn’t necessarily the center of it, it’s more about having that romance with yourself, and each girl has a different rediscovery.”
Inventing the Christmas Prince (2022)
Mowry-Housley starred as Shelby, a rocket scientist, widow, and devoted single mother. Right before the holidays, she tells her daughter a fairy tale about a Christmas prince with a white horse and carriage.
When her daughter meets Shelby’s boss (played by Ronnie Rowe Jr.), she becomes convinced he is secretly the Christmas prince. Shelby begs him to play along, and soon she begins to develop feelings for him.
Dream Moms (2023)
In Dream Moms, Mowry-Housley played Danielle, a one-time off-Broadway performer and former backup singer. When her brother RJ (played by Roger Cross) introduces her to Claire, a former professional dancer and single mother, the two hit it off. RJ convinces them to enter a televised nationwide talent show. Though the women are hesitant at first, they soon decide to chase their Broadway dreams a second time.
In an Instagram post, Mowry-Housley mentioned that the movie was the first in a series of films produced under Hallmark’s new Make Her Mark program. Founded by actress and filmmaker Ashley Williams, the program promotes mentorship between experienced and aspiring female directors.
Dream Moms was directed by Jessica Harmon, who was shadowed by actress Crystal Lowe (yes — that Crystal Lowe). The Signed, Sealed, Delivered star will now direct a film of her own for Hallmark.
Scam artists posing as Hallmark stars on social media are bilking fans for money. How to avoid being a victim.
Scam artists are posing as Hallmark stars on social media and friending fans, only to bilk them out of money.
An investigation by TV Cheddar found there are hundreds of fake accounts on Facebook and Instagram of people pretending to be Hallmark celebrities.
It’s a situation the stars themselves find upsetting. In an Instagram video, Ryan Paevey begged his fans to use caution if someone approaches them on social media.
https://www.instagram.com/reel/CD9Fa72FNjb/
“Little PSA because social media can be an awful place sometimes,” he wrote. “I only have one Instagram account, this one, and no chat accounts or anything like that….that’s the way it’ll always be. Be careful guys and gals, lots of weirdos out there…and @instagram is completely inept or doesn’t care (likely the latter) when it comes to safeguarding the public from situations like this, or helping me have them removed once i find out.”
Scam artists
Scam artists will set up fake social media accounts in order to reach out to fans. After introducing themselves, the scammers will then either ask for personal information to gain access to a fan’s account, install malicious software, or ask for money.
Anyone with access to the Internet can set up an account on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter claiming to be a celebrity.
A quick search on Facebook for Tyler Hynes reveals close to 60 separate accounts using profile pics of the actor. Many of the accounts use accurate personal details about the star, including the city where he was born and the high school he attended. Some even have followers.
But the pages are just the start. Posing as celebrities, scam artists then comment on legitimate Facebook posts and reach out to fans.
Protect yourself
Here are a few rules to follow on social media to keep yourself safe:
1. Be alert, be aware. Celebrities rarely reach out to fans on social media. Some may respond to comments on the posts they make on their official accounts, but they do not generally initiate contact on other pages or accounts.
While Hallmark celebrities love their fans, they simply don’t have the time to search the Internet looking for new Facebook friends.
2. Do your research. If someone reaches out to you claiming to be a celebrity, click on the name and check the account. Official celebrity accounts have thousands of fans. Scammers have, at most, a thousand. Many don’t have any followers at all. Remember, ANYONE can claim to be a celebrity on social media.
3. Report the scammer to Facebook or Instagram. Both social media platforms have ways you can report someone who is claiming to be a celebrity.
4. Trust your instincts. If an interaction seems suspicious, it probably is.
5. Don’t feel obligated to respond. If you suspect a scammer has contacted you, you don’t have to call them out directly if that makes you uncomfortable. Instead, report the incident to social media admin and block the person reaching out to you. To block someone, click on their name and look for options labeled either “block” or “stop communication.”
Luke MacFarlane returning to Hallmark in new movie
Good news for fans of handsome firefighters everywhere: Luke Macfarlane is returning to Hallmark! The actor will star in a new romantic comedy alongside Ashley Williams, Peter Porte, and Marcus Rosner.
The news was welcome by Hallmark fans, who responded to the announcement on social media with enthusiasm.
“Looking forward to seeing this movie!!!” wrote one fan on Hallmark Channel’s Facebook page. “I am so glad that Luke is back!! I love his acting!!”
Luke Macfarlane
Luke Macfarlane has starred in 13 movies for Hallmark, often playing a firefighter. But in September 2022, the actor told LA Times he wasn’t planning on working with the network 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.”
Hallmark movies
The first movie Macfarlane made for Hallmark was the 2015 film Christmas Land. He went on to star in 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).
Notes of Autumn
Macfarlane’s new movie will premiere during Hallmark Channel’s Fall Into Love programming lineup. In the film Macfarlane plays Leo, a famous author living in rural British Columbia who is suffering from a serious case of writer’s block.
His friend Ellie (played by Ashley Williams) is a classically trained pianist who has been working at a big city hotel and feels like she is in a creative rut. She suggests to Leo that they switch homes for the fall and he agrees.
Singer-songwriter Debbie Gibson is acting as an executive producer on the movie. Gibson previously produced and starred in the Hallmark movies Summer of Dreams (2016) and Wedding of Dreams (2018).
“I’m so thrilled to have a creative voice during such an exciting time in Hallmark Channel’s programming,” Gibson said in a statement through Hallmark. “This is a special story that celebrates how love can blossom in the most unexpected ways.”
Notes of Autumn will premiere on Hallmark Channel on Saturday, September 16 at 8/7c.
Jack Wagner excited about new love interest on When Calls the Heart
In a recent appearance on social media, Jack Wagner told fans how excited he was for Bill Avery, the character he plays on the hit Hallmark series When Calls the Heart.
“There’s a smokin’ hot blonde that comes to town and he goes for it,” he said during a Facebook Live appearance to promote the series. “What can I say?”
Jack Wagner
Jack Wagner has played Bill Avery on the series since Season 1. He originally arrived in Hope Valley (then called Coal Valley) to investigate an explosion at the mine. He stayed on and became sheriff and then a judge.
During Season 9, he developed a severe cough and was advised by the town’s doctor (played by Andrea Brooks) to go to the city for an X-ray.
At the start of Season 10, he discovered a set of hot springs just outside of town. Though he wanted to keep the news to himself, word got out and tourists began showing up to see for themselves.
In an interview with Digital Journal, Wagner talked about how his character shows more vulnerability in this season than he has in the past.
“It has been nice to have some scenes with Erin Krakow, who plays Elizabeth, where my character shows some vulnerability,” he said. “I love how by the book my character is, and I also like the comedy that he brings to the series.”
New romance
In Episode 3 of Season 10, Bill finds a car blocking the hitching post at the saloon. When he goes inside to complain to Lucas, he finds out that the car belongs to Madeline St. John (played by Stefanie Von Pfetten), a beautiful woman who is new to town.
Over the years, Bill Avery has had a few romantic interests. When he first arrived in Hope Valley, he was drawn to Abigail Stanton (played by Lori Loughlin). He also courted local widow Dottie Ramsey (played by Erica Carroll) as well as AJ Foster, who was played by his Wedding March co-star Josie Bissett.
In the Facebook appearance, Wagner said he is excited for viewers to see the storyline.
“So Bill, we’ve seen him a bit verklempt in this season and at a crossroads in terms of, you know, is he really going to change his life,” he said. “…It’s mysterious, it’s a bit dangerous, but yet we see him open his heart and actually feel romance for the first time in quite a while.”
Hallmark and Air Force team up on new movie
Hallmark is releasing a new movie set and filmed on an Air Force base. Come Fly With Me, which stars Heather Hemmens and Niall Matter, will premiere on Hallmark Movies and Mysteries as part of the network’s fall lineup.
“Through this beautiful story, Hallmark Media is honored to celebrate and thank the commitment made by members of the military – and their families – as they serve our country,” said Elizabeth Yost, senior vice president of development and programming on Hallmark Media. “It is a long-standing priority for us to create movies set in this world, which resonate strongly with our viewers. We’re so proud to partner with the United States Air Force and [Department of Defense] to bring this special, heartfelt story to life.”
New movie
Come Fly With Me was filmed at Nellis Air Force Base in Las Vegas, Nevada. The movie features flight footage courtesy of the Department of the Air Force featuring the Thunderbirds, the air demonstration squad that showcases the capabilities of Air Force pilots.
“The U.S. Air Force is excited to partner with Hallmark Media and Front Street Pictures to bring a story that loosely showcases the pride, precision and professionalism of our nation’s elite Air Demonstration Squadron, the Thunderbirds,” said Lt. Col. Darrick Lee, Director, U.S. Air Force Entertainment Liaison Office.
Heather Hemmens and Niall Matter
In the movie, Heather Hemmens stars as Captain Emma Fitzgerald, who has just moved to Nellis Air Force Base to start a two-year assignment on the famed Thunderbirds team. When her 11-year-old daughter Lucy (played by Pietra Castro) meets a local girl named Alice (played by Georgia Acken), Emma is happy her daughter has a friend.
The girls begin to spend time together and Emma meets Alice’s father (played by Niall Matter), a handsome widower.
According to a synopsis from Hallmark, “…The girls decide to play matchmaker in the hope that a romance will lead Emma to put down roots rather than move again when her time with the Thunderbirds ends. Emma and Paul are drawn to each other and a spark develops, but Emma is overwhelmed by the demands of her Thunderbirds training and tells him she needs to focus on her flying. But when Alice’s health suddenly worsens, the thing keeping Emma and Paul apart could be what ultimately brings them all together.”
Come Fly With Me will premiere on Hallmark Movies and Mysteries on Friday, September 15 at 9/8c.
Rachel Boston and Warren Christie connect in new Hallmark movie
In the new Hallmark movie The More Love Grows, Rachel Boston plays a woman whose life takes an unexpected twist when she adopts a stray dog. Warren Christie, Roan Curtis, Patrick Gilmore, and Gabrielle Rose will also star in the movie.
Boston recently went on Instagram to share photos from the set of the new movie.
“Now that our movie — The More Love Grows — has been announced, here are some fun behind the scenes photos,” she wrote. “It’s a story about rediscovering strength and rebuilding life with the help of an incredible new friend and an incredibly sweet dog named Elmer.”
New Hallmark movie
Boston stars as Helen, a woman who has just dropped her daughter off for her first year at college. When she and her husband arrive home, she finds out he wants a separation.
At first, Helen is beside herself. But when an adorable stray dog turns up on her doorstep, Helen reluctantly takes him in and dubs him Elmer because he sticks to her like glue.
She takes Elmer to a veterinarian (played by Warren Christie), who helps Helen navigate first-time dog ownership.
Rachel Boston
Rachel Boston is a Hallmark regular. She has starred in the movies A Ring By Spring (2014), A Gift of Miracles (2015), Ice Sculpture Christmas (2015), Stop the Wedding (2016), A Rose For Christmas (2017), Christmas in Angel Falls (2017), A Christmas in Tennessee (2018), The Last Bridesmaid (2019), Check Inn to Christmas (2019), A Christmas Carousel (2020), Daying the Delaneys (2022), A Christmas Cookie Catastrophe (2022), and The More Love Grows (2023).
A native of Tennessee, Boston has appeared on the TV shows Curb Your Enthusiasm, Seventh Heaven, Castle, Witches of East End, and The Good Doctor.
Warren Christie is a native of Belfast, Northern Ireland, but grew up in Canada. In 2007, Christie landed a lead role in the series October Road. He went on to appear in the TV shows Battlestar Galactica, Supernatural, Arrow, Andromeda, and Castle.
He has starred in the Hallmark movies The Most Wonderful Time of the Year (2008), If I Only Had Christmas (2020), and Crashing Through the Snow (2021).
The More Love Grows will premiere on Hallmark Movies and Mysteries on Friday, August 18 at 9/8c.
Seven new movies to premiere on Great American Family
Great American Family will air new movies every weekend for the rest of the year, including seven original films as part of its Great American Autumn lineup. The movies include a mystery as well as several romantic comedies starring Danica McKellar, Trevor Donovan, Merritt Patterson, Jessica Lowndes, and Joshua Sasse.
Great American Family
Great American Family was launched two years ago by Bill Abbott, the former president and CEO of Hallmark Media. In an interview with USA Today, Abbott said he hoped to make the network Abbott said he wanted the network to champion family-friendly entertainment.
“We believe we’ll be the leader in quality family entertainment in this space,” Abbott said. “…That’s a lofty and challenging objective. But we think we have the team in place to do it and the experience to do it.”
The network began producing original content in 2021 but it has picked up the pace in recent months. In a recent interview, Abbott said that Great American Family will air an original movie every weekend for the rest of the year. Some weekends, he said, there will be an original movie on both Saturday and Sunday.
“We’re very excited about that,” he said. “And most importantly, the quality’s up significantly from where we were last year. In starting this business, at times, we’ve had to go out and put some things on the air that didn’t necessarily project where we want to be. And that’s just due to the fact that it’s hard to create a lot of content very quickly.”
Autumn lineup
The first of the new movies to air will be Learning to Love, starring Ina Barrón and Philip Boyd. In the movie, Boyd plays Harry, the widowed father of two girls. As he and his daughters try to cope with their grief, they find their faith lacking. That changes with the arrival of a new nanny (played by Barrón).
Love Can Surprise You stars Camilla Belle and David Lafontaine. Belle stars as Carina, a popular love and romance relationship columnist. When her boyfriend breaks up with her on the night Carina thought he might propose, she begins to question if she really knows anything about love. Enter new writing partner Liam Snyder (Lafontaine) who ends up helping Carina to rewrite her own love story.
Craft Me a Romance
Next up is Craft Me a Romance, starring Jodie Sweetin. This movie has already earned a lot of attention as Sweetin has made it clear she does not approve of Great American Family.
In a statement to People, Sweetin said she had little control over where the film ended up and that she would be donating the money she made to LGBTQ+ causes.
“Sometimes, we, as actors, don’t have control over which network buys the projects we are in, nor are we a part of the process in which they get sold,” she said. “So I was very surprised to learn by reading about it in the press yesterday that the independent film I worked on over a year ago was sold to Great American Family.”
In the movie, Sweetin stars as a craft store owner who finds out a rival (played by Brent Bailey) is planning on buying her business.
Haven’t Met Yet
In Haven’t Met Yet, Merritt Patterson plays professional matchmaker Lucy Marks. When Lucy meets a handsome businessman (played by Joshua Sasse), she feels the spark of love for the first time, only to have her hopes dashed when she learns the man is her next client.
Next up, Jessica Lowndes and Trevor Donovan will reunite onscreen in A Harvest Homecoming. The actors previously starred in 90210 together.
Donovan stars as Drew, a man who accepts a temporary substitute job in his old hometown of Chestnut Hollow, Texas. He meets Aiden, the proverbial new kid at school, desperate for a caring friend. While he would rather have taken a job anywhere else, Drew reconsiders Chestnut Hollow when he meets Lainie Abbott (Lowndes), the new manager of his parents’ massive apple orchard and cider mill business, and more importantly, Aiden’s mom.
Swing Into Romance
Danica McKellar will put the skills she learned on Dancing With the Stars to use in the new romantic comedy Swing Into Romance. McKellar plays a former professional dancer who returns to her small hometown for a visit and finds out that her family’s general store is in trouble. She decides to dust off her dancing shoes in an attempt to keep the business going. The movie also stars David Hayden-Jones and Gleb Savchenko.
Finally, Alicia Dea Josipovic and Corey Sevier will star in Mystery By the Book. Josipovic plays a book cover model and Sevier plays a bookstore owner. Together they try to solve a mystery when he discovers an antique key found in a false book.
Schedule
Learning to Love will premiere on Great American Family on Saturday, September 2 at 8/7c.
Love Can Surprise You will premiere on Great American Family on Saturday, September 9 at 8/7c.
Craft Me a Romance will premiere on Great American Family on Saturday, September 16 at 8/7c.
Haven’t Met Yet will premiere on Great American Family on Saturday, September 23 at 8/7c.
A Harvest Homecoming will premiere on Great American Family on Saturday, September 30 at 8/7c.
Swing Into Romance will premiere on Great American Family on Saturday, October 7 at 8/7c.
Mystery By the Book will premiere on Great American Family on Saturday, October 14 at 8/7c.
Alexa PenaVega celebrates a double quinceañera in new Hallmark movie
The new Hallmark movie Never Too Late to Celebrate will premiere as part of the network’s Summer Nights lineup. Alexa and Carlos PenaVega will star in the romantic comedy.
In an Instagram post, Alexa praised the film’s director, Felipe Rodriquez, for his hands-on approach to filming.
“Last day with this very special group of people,” she wrote. “The last photo (while hilarious) is actually something we have never seen on a set before. We were filming a “summer” day while there was literal snow falling… everyone on camera (the amazing background actors, me and Los) were freezing wearing summer clothing doing our best to fake being warm. Our amazing and beyond wonderful director Felipe decided if we had to suffer… he would suffer with us. … This man had his shirt off until we finished the scene. … Never in my thirty years of show biz have I experienced a director do this. We love you Felipe! Thank you for an incredible shoot!”
New Hallmark movie
Alexa PenaVega stars as Camila, whose busy schedule at the dental practice where she works has left her exhausted and with little time for a life outside of her patient load. When she meets Javi (Carlos PenaVega), a substitute teacher at the school where Camila’s mother works, she takes him up on his offer to join the Spanish class he teaches on the side so she can finally learn the language of her late father.
Sparks fly as Javi helps Camila connect with her Mexican roots. When he finds out Camila’s 30th birthday is coming up, Javi suggests she honor her heritage with a quinceañera-themed birthday party. Not one for big parties, Camila hesitates at first but soon decides to celebrate in style.
About the cast
Carlos and Alexa have been married since 2013. Both devout Christians, they met at a bible study group in Los Angeles. They moved to Hawaii soon after their first child was born.
“We…knew that we didn’t want to raise our kids in Los Angeles,” she said in a recent interview. “I felt this tug in my heart. I felt it was God going, ‘You guys need to get out of here. It’s time.’ I didn’t want to move. I knew it was the right decision, but it wasn’t something that I was so excited about.”
The couple, who have three children together, recently released a book called What if Love is the Point? Living for Jesus in a Self-Consumed World. (It can be found on Amazon here.)
They starred opposite each other in the 2017 Hallmark movie Enchanted Christmas. They have also appeared together in Love at Sea (2018), the Picture Perfect Mysteries, and Love in the Limelight (2022).
Never Too Late to Celebrate will premiere on Hallmark Channel on Saturday, August 19 at 8/7c.
The complete list of Ryan Paevey Hallmark movies
By now, all Hallmark fans are familiar with Ryan Paevey. The former soap opera star has appeared in 15 movies for the network, including rom-coms, dramas, and Christmas classics.
Ryan Paevey
A native of California, Paevey was spotted and signed by a modeling agent when he was a teenager. In an interview with Soap Opera Digest, he said that after high school he was doing a few shoots and tending bar to make ends meet when he landed the role on General Hospital.
“My managers were like, ‘Quit your day job. You got a thing,’” he said.
Paevey said he learned about acting on the job. When his run on General Hospital came to an end, he didn’t know what he would do next. That’s when Hallmark stepped in.
Paevey on Hallmark
In a 2021 Facebook Live appearance, Paevey shared what he likes about Hallmark.
“Hallmark is really kind of keyed into an equation that really works,” he said. “We’re not trying to reinvent the wheel. If repetitive and overly sweet are the worst things that can be leveled against you, I think you’re doing okay.”
Ryan Paevey Hallmark movies
Unleashing Mr. Darcy (2016)
In this modern take on Pride and Prejudice, Paevey played Donovan Darcy, a dog show judge, whose first meeting with Elizabeth (played by Cindy Busby) is a disaster. But as Elizabeth and Donovan spend time together, she realizes that he is a kindhearted soul.
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Harvest Love (2017)
Jen Lilley starred as a widow who took her son to spend a week at her family’s pear farm in Washington state. Paevey played the farm manager. They fell hard for each other. There were many beautiful shots of autumn foliage. We highly recommend this movie.
Marrying Mr. Darcy (2018)
In the sequel to Unleashing Mr. Darcy, Elizabeth and Donovan try to plan their wedding without interference from their meddling families.
Hope at Christmas (2018)
Scottie Thompson starred as Sydney, a divorced woman who takes her daughter to the small North Carolina town where she spent Christmas growing up. Though they are just there for a visit, Thompson starts to think about hanging around when she meets Mac (Paevey), a local elementary school teacher.
From Friend to Fiance (2019)
In this movie, Paevey and Jocelyn Hudon played high school friends who are reunited when he asks her to plan his wedding to the meanest girl from school.
A Summer Romance (2019)
Fans got to see Paevey in a cowboy hat in this rom-com, which co-starred When Calls the Heart’s Erin Krakow. In A Summer Romance, Krakow played Samantha, the owner of a ranch in Montana trying to decide whether to sell her land. Paevey played a wealthy New York developer who flies in to look around. He soon finds himself falling for country life and for Samantha.
Christmas at the Plaza (2019)
Paevey played Nick, a decorator hired by the Plaza Hotel in New York to create a special Christmas display. He is paired up with Jessica (played by Elizabeth Henstridge), an archival historian who is commissioned to create an exhibition honoring the history of Christmas at the iconic hotel. As Jessica and Nick enjoy a host of holiday traditions together, also find themselves falling for each other.
Matching Hearts (2020)
Taylor Cole starred as Julia, a matchmaker determined to find true love for a handsome executive (Paevey) who believes staying single is the secret to his professional success. But his resolve is put to the test when he finds himself falling for Julia.
A Timeless Christmas (2020)
In this movie, Paevey played an early 20th-century inventor and businessman who finds himself transported to 2020. He meets and falls for Megan (Erin Cahill) a historian and tour guide at his mansion.
Don’t Go Breaking My Heart (2021)
Italia Ricci starred as Miranda, a successful entrepreneur who runs a boot camp for people who have had their hearts broken. Paevey plays Ben, a journalist who comes to the camp to offer moral support for his sister and to write an exposé on the operation. But as he tries to find out more about Miranda, he finds himself developing feelings for her.
A Little Daytime Drama (2021)
Ryan Paevey played Darin, a former soap opera star who is brought back by the lead writer of his former series to boost ratings. But his presence on set proves awkward for another writer (Jen Lilley), who used to have a relationship with Darin.
During a Facebook Live event to promote the movie, Paevey said A Little Daytime Drama was a frighteningly accurate depiction of the world of soap operas.
“It will really give you guys almost like a primer on what a day in the life of a soap star is kind of like,” he said.
Coyote Creek Christmas (2021)
Janel Parrish starred as Paige, who returns to her small hometown to help her parents plan their annual Christmas Around the World Party. She meets handsome single dad Dylan (played by Paevey) and finds herself falling for him. But her feelings change when she finds out that Dylan is a real estate developer looking to buy her parents’ hotel.
Two Tickets to Paradise (2022)
In Two Tickets to Paradise, Ashley Williams and Ryan Paevey played two strangers who meet in a park on the same day each has been jilted at the altar. They commiserate and encourage each other to stay strong and then say goodbye, never expecting to meet again. When each decides to take their planned honeymoon, they find out they are both booked at the same resort in Hawaii. They get to know each other and sparks fly.
A Fabled Holiday (2022)
Paevey and Brooke D’Orsay played childhood best friends who reunite in a curiously familiar-looking town full of Christmas spirit that restores its visitors when they need it most.
Fourth Down and Love (2023)
Under the Christmas Sky (2023)
Andrea Brooks: “There’s something to be said about family values and the entertainment space.”
In a recent interview, Hallmark star Andrea Brooks talked about how motherhood had changed her.
“It upends absolutely everything in your life,” she told TV Fanatic. “Since becoming a mom, my roles, especially in the Hallmark movies, have meant so much more to me.”
Brooks, who plays Dr. Faith Carter on When Calls the Heart, says her three-year-old likes to watch the show and has even seen some of the romantic comedies she has made for Hallmark.
“There’s something to be said about family values and the entertainment space,” she said. “My three-year-old can watch one of these movies, and she does; she does watch episodes of When Calls the Heart. She watches pieces of the movies that I do, and that we can share that experience is amazing.”
Andrea Brooks
Andrea Brooks started her professional acting career at 15 after being discovered at an open casting call for the 2005 Disney movie Ice Princesses.
She went on to have roles on the TV shows Supernatural, UnREAL, iZombie, and Supergirl.
She made her Hallmark debut in the 2017 movie Destination Wedding, which starred Alexa PenaVega. She starred in the Hallmark movies A Harvest Wedding (2017), The Sweetest Heart (2018), Jingle Around the Clock (2018), Romance to the Rescue (2022), and A Lifelong Love (2023).
In 2015, she joined the cast of Hallmark’s When Calls the Heart as nurse Faith Carter. Her character went on to attend medical school and become the town’s doctor.
Motherhood
Brooks documented both of her pregnancies on social media, showing fans how she hid her baby bump while filming.
Her first child was born in 2019. She had her second baby in 2022.
In her interview with TV Fanatic, Brooks said motherhood has changed everything.
“It makes everything more important,” she said. “I appreciate my time on set a lot more. I appreciate my time getting to work with other creative people a lot more because, you know, life is so chaotic when you have a family. It makes everything better because, at the end of the day, there’s someone waiting for you who needs you.”
Brooks also said that her work with Hallmark has changed her outlook on life.
“I know this will sound so cheesy, but many of these movies have done a good job showing me that I need to open my heart a bit more, be more available, and be open to spontaneity,” she said. “All of these movies do a good job of reminding me of some basic elements of existence, as silly as that may sound.”
Wonya Lucas is out after three years at Hallmark
After three years as president and CEO, Wonya Lucas is stepping down as the head of Hallmark Media. The industry veteran will continue to serve on the company’s Board of Directors.
“I am honored to have led this company and am tremendously proud of the progress we’ve made by creating an evolved entertainment experience that inspires meaningful, emotionally connected moments for our audiences,” Lucas said in a statement to Deadline. “My passion for the Hallmark brand has grown in deeply rewarding ways and will remain paramount as I continue to help guide Hallmark Media’s future in a more strategically focused capacity.”
Wonya Lucas
Wonya Lucas took over as president and CEO of Hallmark in July 2020, six months after Bill Abbott left the company. A veteran of the industry — Lucas had held leadership positions at TNT, TBS, Discovery Channel, The Weather Channel, and TV One — she was given the task of diversifying the casts and storylines in Hallmark’s movies and TV series.
“My first goal was understanding the audience, but then also understanding what I called the opportunity audience,” Lucas said in an interview with CNBC.
Under her leadership, Hallmark forged deals with Peacock, YouTube, and Hulu, as well as numerous FAST/AVOD platforms. Lucas also was instrumental in launching a series of movies based on Hallmark’s Mahogany card line and the Make Her Mark Women’s Directing Program.
Changes
But not all of her decisions were popular with fans. In July 2021, Hallmark announced it would be canceling its popular series Good Witch after seven seasons. Fans were devastated and began online petitions to bring the series back.
The network later canceled Chesapeake Shores, as well as the mystery franchises Hailey Dean Mysteries, Mystery 101, and Picture Perfect Mysteries.
Hallmark Channel launched two new shows in 2023, The Way Home and Ride, as well as several new mystery series, including The Curious Caterer and Family History Mysteries.
Mixed reactions
Some Hallmark fans responded to the news by showing support for Lucas.
“Wonya is and has always been a class act,” wrote one Hallmarkie in the comments section of a Deadline article. “Hallmark was lucky to have her, and they will feel her loss. Watch this space to see the next great thing Wonya does.”
Others were not so supportive.
“She destroyed the company and now she leaves its smoking ruins,” wrote another. “So many shows she canceled – Home and Family (the best way for Hallmark to promote its movies and shows) and every single one of its mystery series – Candace’s, Lacey’s, Jill’s, Taylor’s, Holly’s, Jesse’s. Drove so many Hallmark favorites away from the channel. She couldn’t have done a ‘better’ job at destroying the company if she’d actually tried.”
Hallmark has not commented on who will replace Lucas, saying only that the CEO of Hallmark Companies, Mike Perry, will work with the executive leadership team to “complete the process of Lucas’ transition.”
Andrew Walker and Brittany Bristow find love on safari in new Hallmark movie
The new Hallmark movie Love on Safari features Andrew Walker and Brittany Bristow. The film, one of six new Hallmark movies to premiere in August, was filmed on location at the Mabula Game Lodge and the Lion & Safari Park.
In an Instagram post, Andrew Walker talked about grateful he was to be part of the film.
“Gratitude is an understatement,” he wrote. “With all that’s going on right now in our industry and a lot of our peers out of work, this has been a trip and a job that we truly feel so fortunate to be a part of. This was a family project, written, produced, acted and directed by the beautiful Bristows. I was brought into the fold and immediately felt like family. Thank you for this unforgettable experience, jobs like this are few and far between. We can’t wait to share this movie with you all.”
New Hallmark movie
In the movie, Brittany Bristow plays Megan, a research scientist who is working on a game reserve in South Africa while pursuing her Ph.D. in ethology. She is assigned to take a theme park designer (played by Andrew Walker) around the reserve so he can gather ideas and images for an interactive safari-themed attraction.
As they explore the savanna and observe giraffes, elephants, and lions, they open up to each other about their dreams and begin to grow close.
Things are going well until a woman from Tim’s past arrives to take over the project. Megan begins to wonder if she should be growing close to someone who will soon return to the United States.
Family production
The movie was written by Agnes Bristow, who is Brittany’s mother. Leif Bristow — Brittany’s father — directed the movie. He and his daughter have worked on several movies together, including the Hallmark rom-com A Tail of Love.
In an Instagram post, Brittany shared a photo from the set.
“It’s not every day you get photobombed by a giraffe… twice…” she wrote. “Shandor, thank you for making so many days while filming so special and for being the best driving instructor. It was so nice to be able to see you again and I hope we get to see each other sooner rather than later.”
A Safari Romance will premiere on Hallmark Channel on Saturday, August 12 at 8/7c.
When Calls the Heart celebrates 100th episode
The cast and crew of When Calls the Heart marked the 100th episode of the series with a celebration on set.
Pascale Hutton shared a photo on Instagram of the party.
“Celebrating 100 episodes for my 500th post!” she wrote.
When Calls the Heart
When Calls the Heart is Hallmark’s longest-running original show. Based on a series of books by author Janette Oke, the show follows the residents of a small Canadian mining town at the turn of the 20th century.
It stars Erin Krakow, Jack Wagner, Pascale Hutton, Kevin McGarry, Chris McNally, and Andrea Brooks. The show premiered in January 2014. It was only the second series Hallmark Channel produced.
“If there’s anything we can take away from the success of ‘When Calls the Heart,’ it’s that the stories we’re telling about these characters and their lives, resonate and matter deeply to so many of our viewers,” said Lisa Hamilton Daly, executive vice president or programming at Hallmark Media. “Reaching the 100-episode milestone is cause for celebration and is a testament to the heartwarming content we’re committed to bringing our viewers each week.”
100th episode
In the 100th episode, Hope Springs Eternal, the town is still buzzing from the discovery of the hot springs. Elizabeth (Erin Krakow) and Lucas (Chris McNally) host Elizabeth’s Aunt Agatha (Karin Konoval) and her sister Julie (Charlotte Hegele) for a visit.
“Producing 100 episodes is a great achievement and a tremendous honor. It makes us so proud to do what we do and proves there is a place for this kind of storytelling on television,” said Laurie Ferneau, senior vice president of development and programming at Hallmark Media.
Celebration
An Instagram post shows Pascale Hutton and Erin Krakow cutting a cake featuring Hope Valley’s iconic church/schoolhouse.
“Congratulations! That’s truly amazing. I’m so happy for all of you,” wrote a fan.
“This is the best show on TV and I hope it’s around for 100 episodes more!” wrote another.
Season 10 and counting
Season 10 of the series premiered on July 31. Fans had to wait more than a year for new episodes after Hallmark pushed the season premiere back from March to July.
Filming has already begun on Season 11 on the show’s Jamestown set in British Columbia. The show’s stars have already started sharing photos and videos from behind-the-scenes on social media.
The 100th episode of When Calls the Heart will premiere on Hallmark Channel on Sunday, August 6 at 8/7c.
Hallmark adds second Christmas cruise after the first sells out in one day
In July, Hallmark announced it was launching a Christmas cruise for fans of its holiday movies. The network said the “holly jolly experience on the high seas” would feature cookie decorating, a tree-lighting, movie screenings, and the chance to meet some of the network’s stars.
Tickets went on pre-sale on July 11 and within one day, every spot on the November 2024 cruise was booked. There was even a wait list, which led Hallmark to add a second cruise with a similar itinerary to the first.
Fans on the wait list will be given first priority when spots for the second cruise go on pre-sale.
Christmas cruise
Though Hallmark stars have gone on cruises with fans before — Andrew Walker and Paul Greene set sail in January 2023 — this is the first cruise sponsored by Hallmark itself.
“We hear time and time again that people want to immerse themselves in the world of Hallmark Channel Christmas movies and this venture is sure to bring our brand to life in a new, captivating way,” said Natalie Vandergast, Hallmark Media’s vice president of consumer products. “We are delighted to count down to Christmas 2024 aboard an adventure that will allow our stars and enthusiastic fan base alike to create everlasting memories together at sea.”
Hallmark is collaborating with Sixthman, a company known for its themed cruises.
The company’s vice president of events, marketing & community told fans what they could expect.
“From sugar plums to reindeers, ornaments to caroling and so much more. Loyal fans will celebrate timeless Hallmark Channel Christmas traditions and create new ones with their families, a ship full of Hallmarkies, and Hallmark Channel’s holiday stars,” said Jeff Cuellar in a statement released by the network. “Leave your puffy jacket and grab your Christmas spirit and passion for Hallmark Channel Christmas movies as we set sail on the most heartwarming, holly jolly experience on the high seas.”
Second chance
The first Hallmark Channel Christmas Cruise is set to depart Miami, Florida on November 5, 2024. A day at sea will follow and the ship will arrive at Nassau, Bahamas on the 7th. After another day at sea on the 8th, the ship will arrive in Miami on November 9th.
The second cruise will depart on November 17 and return on the 21st.
Activities on the cruise include:
Photo ops and behind-the-scenes panels with Hallmark celebrities
A Hallmark Channel wine-tasting
A tree-lighting ceremony
Christmas cookie decorating
An ugly sweater contest
Christmas carol-ode
More information is available on the cruise website here.
Driver cited in accident that killed Treat Williams
The driver who killed Treat Williams in a June accident has been cited by state police. Ryan Koss, 35, of Dorset, Vermont, was cited with a charge of grossly negligent operation resulting in death.
According to a report from the Vermont State Police, on the afternoon of June 12 Koss turned left into the path of a motorcycle being driven by Treat Williams. The actor was treated at the scene and then airlifted to an Albany medical center.
The New York Medical Examiner’s Office gave the cause of death as severe trauma and blood loss due to the accident.
Treat Williams
Treat Williams made his film debut in 1975’s Deadly Hero. He appeared in the movies The Ritz and The Eagle Has Landed before landing the role of George Berger in the screen adaptation of the musical Hair. He was nominated for a Golden Globe for his performance. He received another Golden Globe nomination for his performance in the 1981 movie Prince of the City.
From 2016 to 2022, Williams starred as Mick O’Brien in the hit Hallmark series Chesapeake Shores, alongside Meghan Ory, Barbara Niven, and Dianne Ladd. He also had lead roles in the Hallmark movies The Christmas House and The Christmas House 2: Deck Those Halls.
Vermont home
When he wasn’t filming, the actor lived with his family in Vermont. In a 2020 interview with Southern Living magazine, the actor talked about how his home life resembled the lives of the characters he played for Hallmark. For example, he and his children would cut down their own Christmas tree every year.
“We go to a little, wonderful, vegetable market stand,” he said. “And then my son and I, we put it up. All the decorations come out into the living room, a bottle of wine gets set down on the table and we always put on the exact same album. It’s Frank Sinatra’s Jolly Christmas.”
According to a report from the Vermont State Police, a Honda SUV was turning left into a parking lot when it collided with Williams’ motorcycle in the town of Dorset.
“Williams was unable to avoid a collision and was thrown from his motorcycle. He suffered critical injuries and was airlifted to Albany Medical Center in Albany, New York, where he was pronounced dead,” according to the statement.
Williams was wearing a helmet, police said.
Citation
On Tuesday, Aug. 1, 2023, the prosecutor’s office requested that the Vermont State Police issue a citation on a charge of grossly negligent operation with death resulting to Ryan Koss, 35, of Dorset, who was driving the Honda Element SUV that turned into the path of Mr. Williams’ motorcycle.
According to a post on the police’s website, “The Vermont State Police contacted Mr. Koss on Tuesday evening. He voluntarily met with troopers at the Shaftsbury Barracks, where he was processed on the charge and released. He is due to appear for arraignment at 8:15 a.m. Sept. 25, 2023, in the Criminal Division of Vermont Superior Court in Bennington.”
Summer sweethearts are reunited in new Hallmark movie set in the Outer Banks
Summer sweethearts are reunited in new Hallmark movie set in the Outer Banks
Holland Roden and Corey Cott get a second chance at summer love in the new Hallmark movie Making Waves. The movie, which takes place on the Outer Banks of North Carolina, will premiere as part of Hallmark’s Summer Nights lineup.
“Love is in the air and music fills their hearts,” reads a Hallmark Instagram post promoting the movie. “Join Amelia @hollandroden and Will @NapOnACott on their magical journey in #MakingWaves.”
New Hallmark movie
In the film, Holland Roden plays a music executive named Amelia. When she gets a tip that an elusive band will be playing at a North Carolina festival, she heads there hoping to beat out the competition and sign the group with her label.
But when she arrives, she is shocked to find out that she knows the lead singer, Will (played by Corey Cott). It turns out that they had a summer romance years before.
While putting aside her personal feelings, Amelia focuses on getting Will to sign with her label. But it soon becomes clear that her feelings are getting in the way of her mission.
About the cast
Holland Roden got her start on the MTV drama Teen Wolf. From 2011 to 2017, she starred as Lydia Martin in the series. She went on to have roles in Lore, MacGyver, and Mayans MC.
In 2022, she starred in the Hallmark movie Time For Hime to Come Home For Christmas alongside Tyler Hynes.
In an interview to promote that movie, Roden talked about how exciting it was to be joining the Hallmark family.
“So I’m excited to be hopefully welcomed into another family and just feel that warmth because there’s not, all shows do have that warmth, and not all networks have that warmth, so it’s a rarity to experience it once, let alone twice,” she told TV Fanatic. “So I’m just nervous and excited to see how that reception will go. But it should be fun.”
Corey Cott studied at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Penn. He has appeared on Broadway, playing Donny in Bandstand and Tony in West Side Story.
He has appeared on the TV shows Madam Secretary, Law and Order, Law and Order: SVU, The Equalizer, and Chicago Med. In 2022, he co-starred with Stacey Farber in the Hallmark movie Butlers in Love.
Making Waves will premiere on Hallmark Channel on Saturday, August 5 at 8/7c.
Seven new Hallmark movies coming to TV in September
Seven new Hallmark movies will air during the month of September, including a new romantic comedy starring Pascale Hutton and Ryan Paevey. Also set to premiere is a mystery set in Ireland and a rom-com set in Italy.
“Viewers can treat themselves to stories that will transport them to the Smoky Mountains, fall in love on the gridiron as football season kicks off, enjoy a heartfelt story of two people with their individual struggles that come together in the most unlikely of places, and be immersed in the wonders of Italy,” read a statement from Hallmark Media.
New Hallmark movies
First up is Love in the Great Smoky Mountains: A National Park Romance. Arielle Kebbel and Zach Roerig star as exes who reunite at an archeological dig in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. As they work together competing for the same research grant, they discover they might still have feelings for one another.
Guiding Emily will premiere on Hallmark Movies and Mysteries. Sarah Drew stars as a woman who becomes permanently blind after an unfortunate rock-climbing accident. She is paired up with a guide dog named Garth (voiced by McCormack).
Fourth Down and Love
Next is a football-themed movie starring Ryan Paevey and When Calls the Heart’s Pascale Hutton. In Fourth Down and Love, Hutton plays a single mother who meets a professional football player (Paevey) who is coaching her daughter’s flag football team.
Haunted Harmony Mysteries
Tamera Mowry-Housley will star in Haunted Harmony Mysteries: Murder In G Major. Mowry-Housley will play former orchestra conductor Gethsemane Brown, who moves to the Irish countryside to teach music at a boarding school. After deciphering a cryptic musical message, she meets renowned composer Eamon McCarthy (played by Risteard Cooper), the ghost of a man who is rumored to have killed his longtime love.
Eamon enlists Gethsemane’s help to find the real person responsible so that he can finally move on and reunite with his true love in the afterlife. With the ghost of Eamon tagging along, Gethsemane investigates the crime but faces resistance from the local police, who consider the case closed.
Retreat To You
Chesapeake Shores star Emilie Ullerup will star in Retreat To You, a rom-com that also features Peter Mooney, Meghan Heffern, and Donald Heng.
Ullerup plays Amy, whose friend Rachel (played by Meghan Heffern) invites her on a wilderness retreat. When they arrive, Amy is shocked to run into Sean (played by Peter Mooney), who was her friend in high school until they had a falling out.
When Amy and Sean get separated from the group on a hiking trip, they must work together to find their way back to the campsite. They are forced to confront what has kept them apart all these years and then figure out if their future might be with each other.
Mystery Island
Next up is Mystery Island, starring Elizabeth Henstridge and Charlie Weber. Henstridge stars as a psychiatrist who accompanies a friend on a weekend trip to a murder-mystery resort. But right after the game begins, tragedy strikes: John Murtaugh (played by Robert Getman) the resort’s reclusive founder, is murdered.
The guests are confined to the island as local detective Jason Trent (played by Charlie Weber) investigates the case.
A Very Venice Romance
Finally, Stephanie Leonidas and Raniero Monaco Di Lapio will headline A Very Venice Romance. Leonidas stars as Amy, a New York City executive working for Blossom, a wellness company that has been trying to launch deliverable meal prep kits.
In an effort to recruit famous Italian chef Marcello Barone (played by Raniero Monaco Di Lapio), she enrolls as a student in his Venetian cooking school. As she tries to convince him to move to New York, he introduces her to the slow-paced pleasures of Italy. By the time her course finishes, she has a hard decision to make about whether to return home or stay in Venice.
Love in the Great Smoky Mountains: A National Park Romance will premiere on Hallmark Channel on Saturday, September 2 at 8/7c.
Guiding Emily will premiere on Hallmark Movies and Mysteries on Friday, September 8 at 9/8c.
Fourth Down and Love will premiere on Hallmark Channel on Saturday, September 9 at 8/7c.
Haunted Harmony Mysteries: Murder In G Major will premiere on Hallmark Movies and Mysteries on Friday, September 22 at 9/8c.
Retreat to You will premiere on Hallmark Channel on Saturday, September 23 at 8/7c.
Mystery Island will premiere on Hallmark Movies and Mysteries on Friday, September 29 at 9/8c.
A Very Venice Romance will premiere on Hallmark Channel on Saturday, September 30 at 8/7c.
Holly Robinson Peete reflects on 25 years of autism advocacy
It’s been 25 years since actress and singer Holly Robinson Peete and her husband, former NFL player Rodney Peete, launched the HollyRod Foundation. In a star-studded Los Angeles evening, the Robinson Peete family celebrated the anniversary with friends and fellow advocates.
“All family business mode activated,” Robinson Peete wrote in an Instagram post the day of the event. “@hollyrodfdn is 25!!…Still processing EVERYTHING. It’s gonna take me a minute…The love.The sacrifice. The energy.The PHILANTHROPY….#fundraiser #autism #parkinsonsdisease #legacy #givingback”
The HollyRod Foundation
The Peetes founded their advocacy group in 1997, shortly after Holly’s father was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease. When their son was diagnosed with autism a few years later, they broadened the focus of the organization to include programs for people with autism and their families.
The HollyRod Foundation is dedicated to raising awareness and providing resources to families that have a loved one who has received an autism or Parkinson’s Disease diagnosis. According to the organization’s website, “We advocate for ethical treatment, inclusion and access to services and treatment of individuals living with autism or Parkinson’s Disease with the goal of empowering them to live their best lives.”
During their annual DesignCare gala, they honored Nicole Ari Parker and Boris Kodjoe in an evening that featured the designs of Sergio Hudson.
The Peete family
Holly Robinson Peete made her first appearance on television at the age of 6, when she shared the screen with her father, Michael Robinson, the original Gordon on Sesame Street. She went on to star in shows such as 21 Jump Street and Hangin With Mr. Cooper.
In 1995, she married NFL quarterback Rodney Peete. The couple welcomed twins in 1997, daughter Ryan Elizabeth Peete and son Rodney Peete Jr. Their son Robinson Peete was born in 2022. Roman Peete arrived in 2005.
Reflections
In a recent interview with PopSugar, Robinson Peete recalled the first time she noticed that her son, RJ, was exhibiting atypical behavior.
“I started noticing that RJ, my son, was not playing alongside his sister right. I’m like, ‘Well maybe he just doesn’t want to be with her,’” she said. “But he was not doing parallel play; he was playing alone. He was looking at things, and turning lights on and off, and lining up his Thomas the Tank Engine trains and staring at the wheels. There were lots of signs, but I was just a rookie mom, so I didn’t know.”
Her pediatrician told her not to worry, but the differences became even more apparent when RJ started preschool. When he was finally given a formal diagnosis, Robinson Peete was given a list of things RJ would never be able to do.
“We were told he would never drive, never have meaningful employment,” she said. “And he just left in his car to go to Dodgers Stadium, where he works. For me now, watching him soar, watching him thrive, seeing him have friends, watching him have a whole baseball team who cares about him, watching him have purpose — it’s the greatest gift.”
To learn more about the HollyRod Foundation, visit their website here.
A Chesapeake Shores movie could be in the works
The writer behind one of Hallmark’s most popular TV series says that a Chesapeake Shores movie could be in the works. In a recent interview, author Sherryl Woods said she was disappointed when the show ended and that she and one of the show’s executive producers have spoken about bringing it back in a new form.
“That was my first TV baby, so I wanted more, too,” Woods told Parade. “And we were hopeful that we would be able to do some more but it didn’t happen. It’s very sad.”
Chesapeake Shores movie
Chesapeake Shores premiered on Hallmark Channel in 2016. Based on a series of books by Sherryl Woods, the show followed a single mother (Meghan Ory), who returns to her small coastal hometown following a divorce. She is immediately thrown back into the drama of her large family and reconnects with ex-boyfriend Trace Riley, who was played by Jesse Metcalfe.
The show also starred Dianne Ladd as the family’s formidable matriarch, Nell O’Brien, and Barbara Niven and Treat Williams as Abby’s parents. Brendan Penny, Emilie Ullerup, Laci Mailey, Jessica Sipos, and Andrew Francis also starred in the show.
Hallmark canceled the season after six seasons, airing the final episode in October 2022. Some even started a petition to get another network to pick up the series.
Sherryl Woods
Author Sherryl Woods recently gave an interview about Sweet Magnolias, another TV series based on her books. She said that she and Dan Paulson, one of the executive producers for Chesapeake Shores, have spoken about reviving the show.
“[We] continued to talk about whether there was someplace else or something else we could do with Chesapeake Shores, whether it was a few movies here and there, or trying to do something with the series,” she said.
Treat Williams
One obstacle to reviving the series is the fact that one of its stars, Treat Williams, recently passed away. The actor, who starred in the Broadway production of Grease and the movie version of Hair, was killed when he was riding his motorcycle in the small Vermont town where he lived with his wife.
Many of his Hallmark co-stars shared tributes to Williams on social media, sharing memories of working with the actor.
In her interview, Woods talked about how much the actor meant to her.
“He was just a genuinely nice guy,” Woods said. “He would, out of the blue, call up about something or other. I think the last time I had spoken to him in any depth was when he called on my birthday last year and we caught up. He meant a lot to me. It meant a lot to me to be able to have somebody like him in that show…losing Treat was a huge blow for all of us.”
Everything you need to know about the Season 10 premiere of When Calls the Heart
Hearties, the Season 10 premiere of When Calls the Heart is finally here. More than a year after the premiere of Season 9, Hallmark will air new episodes of its longest-running original series.
“In just four days, follow your hearts back to Hope Valley!” read a post on Hallmark Channel’s Facebook page below a poster for Season 10.
Season 10 premiere
When Calls the Heart typically premieres in February or March. But Hallmark pushed back the Season 10 start date in order to promote two new shows, The Way Home and Ride. (The Way Home, which stars Andie MacDowell, has already been approved for a second season. As of publication, Hallmark had not yet commented publicly about another season of Ride.)
To soften the blow, Hallmark announced that it had already signed off on Season 11. The cast and crew began filming on July 17 on the Jamestown set in British Columbia. American cast members who are part of SAG-AFTRA — the union that has been on strike since July 14 — have been granted a waiver to work while the strike continues.
What’s up in Hope Valley?
“First, the coal mine was destroyed,” she says. “Then the oil wells dried up. And then we lost the foundry, and with it, the promise of new jobs. But in true Hope Valley fashion, Florence, Molly, and Minnie started a swap meet so that nothing would go to waste.”
“Rosemary insisted that Lee hire everyone he could from the oil company and wouldn’t let anything stop her from lending a hand, even though she’s just a few weeks from giving birth. We’ve all rolled up our sleeves, relying on generosity and kindness and neighbors helping neighbors. Everyone has dedicated themselves to doing their part and having fun while they do it.”
But Hallmark has revealed that in the first episode of the season, the children discover a set of hot springs in the woods near the town. Immediately, there is talk of turning them into a tourist destination to bring in some money.
Baby talk
One storyline that has fans buzzing is Rosemary’s pregnancy. Hearties were thrilled when Rosemary (Pascale Hutton) and Lee (Kavan Smith) discovered at the end of Season 9 that they were expecting. Hutton shared photos of Rosemary’s baby bump on social media earlier in the year, prompting some fans to speculate that Rosemary might be having twins.
The wedding
Another storyline that has fans buzzing is the upcoming wedding between Elizabeth and Lucas (Chris McNally). In a recent interview, Krakow revealed that wedding planning will be in full swing.
“There’s cake tasting and invitations and you know, talk of dress designs…all the good stuff,” she said in an interview with ET.
Romance for Nathan
Hearties will also get to see if Nathan (Kevin McGarry) finds true love. In an interview before the premiere of Season 9, McGarry hinted that romance is in his future.
Fans have been left to figure out which of Hope Valley’s eligible ladies he will end up with. Though sparks flew when Mei Suo (Amanda Wong) rode into town, he also had a few moments with Dr. Faith Carter (Andrea Brooks). A trailer for the upcoming season shows Brooks falling into McGarry’s arms.
When Calls the Heart will premiere on Hallmark Channel on Sunday, July 30 at 9/8c.
New Hallmark movie showcases the beauty of Hawaii
Taylor Cole plays an aspiring conservationist who finds love in Hawaii in the new Hallmark movie Aloha Heart. The romantic comedy is one of four new films to debut during July.
Hallmark Channel shared a photo of Cole and her co-star, Kanoa Goo, on Instagram.
“Sarah @taylorquinncole and Manu @kanoagooz share a common love: Earth – but will that be their only shared love? Find out in #AlohaHeart,” read the caption.
New Hallmark movie
In Aloha Heart, Cole plays Sara Hamilton, who travels to Hawaii to be the maid of honor in her best friend’s wedding. Though she is happy for her friend, Sara has a lot on her mind. Her attempts to break into the world of conservation have been unsuccessful and she is thinking of giving up.
She meets Manu (played by Kanoa Goo), whose family owns the hotel. Manu is also a conservationist and he is having trouble convincing his family to make changes to the hotel that would make it more environmentally friendly.
Sara begins making suggestions, which at first Manu finds irritating. Eventually they begin to work together and find that they have feelings for each other.
The movie was filmed in Honolulu, Waimanalo, and Makapu’u in Oahu, Hawaii. The Kahala Resort and Hotel serves as the backdrop for the family resort. The luxury hotel was also featured in the Hallmark movie You Had Me at Aloha, which starred When Calls the Heart’s Pascale Hutton and Kavan Smith.
About the cast
Taylor Cole is a native of Texas. After working as a model, she landed a role in the TV series Summerland. She has appeared in the shows CSI: Miami, Two And A Half Men, The Glades, Supernatural, and The Originals. She made her Hallmark debut in the 2016 movie Appetite for Love. She has since starred in the Hallmark movies My Summer Prince, Christmas Festival of Love (2017), One Winter Weekend (2018), One Winter Proposal (2019), Unlocking Christmas (2020), One Winter Wedding (2021), South Beach Love (2021), Making Spirits Bright (2021), Pumpkin Everything (2022), and Long Lost Christmas (2022).
Kanoa Goo is an NYU graduate who was born and raised in Hawai’i. He began doing commercials as a child and has appeared in the TV shows Hawaii Five-O, The Donors, Henry Danger, NCIS: Hawai’i, City on a Hill, The Rookie, and Fire Country.
In a recent interview, he said he hit it off with Taylor Cole immediately.
“She is one of the kindest, most loving people and actresses I’ve ever worked with, and made me feel completely at ease,” he told Just Jared. “We actually became really close friends right away, and we just approach working in a similar way. So I really looked forward to working with her day after day.”
Aloha Heart will premiere on Hallmark Channel on Saturday, July 29 at 8/7c.
Cast of popular Hallmark show gets a waiver from SAG-AFTRA to film next season
The cast of Hallmark’s longest-running original series can go back to work. The actors have been granted a waiver from a current union strike that has brought most filming in the U.S. to a standstill.
Brian Bird, who co-created When Calls the Heart, shared the news on social media.
“Season 11 of When Calls the Heart is approved by SAG to continue production in the same week as Season 10 Premieres!” he wrote on Facebook. “We are very grateful to all the folks at SAG/AFTRA for saying YES! to filming Season 11!”
Waiver from SAG-AFTRA
All 160,000 members of the Screen Actors Guild and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists have been on strike since July 14, after negotiations stalled with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers. They joined members of the Writers Guild of America, who have been on strike since May after failing to reach an agreement with the AMPTP over working conditions and pay.
Among the complaints brought by union leaders are the shorter duration of television shooting schedules, which means longer periods of time actors go without steady pay, and smaller residuals — amounts paid to actors each time a movie or show is aired. According to representatives of SAG-AFTRA and the WGA, residuals have taken a hit with the advent of streaming services such as Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime.
But the union has begun to grant waivers to some of its members to work on projects that have no direct ties to the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers.
According to Deadline, When Calls the Heart is one of several projects to get such an exemption. Others include the Bible-based series The Chosen, the movies Mother Mary and I Dream of Unicorns, and Apple TV+’s Tehran.
Season 11
Work began on Season 11 of When Calls the Heart on July 17. The majority of the cast and crew are members of Canadian unions, which have not gone on strike. But questions arose as to how American cast members, including series lead Erin Krakow, would be able to film during the strike.
Brian Bird, who has been the show’s most vocal cheerleader, said the SAG-AFTRA waiver has brought those worries to an end.
“For ten seasons, our fictional town of Hope Valley has always been a place of second chances, where all citizens are treated with grace, fairness and respect,” he wrote on Facebook. “We pray for nothing but fairness and respect in the negotiations between the studios, networks, writers and actors. On all sides. Everybody can and should win.”
Season 10 of When Calls the Heart will premiere on Sunday, July 30 at 9/8c.
Ansley Gordon headlines new cozy mystery on Great American Family
Great American Family will premiere a faith-based cozy mystery starring Ansley Gordon. The Abby Brooks Mysteries will debut at the same time as Season 10 of When Calls the Heart on Hallmark Channel. The film will then be available to stream the following day on Pure Flix.
In a recent interview, Gordon — who also wrote the film — said she found inspiration for the new movie in the Nancy Drew series, as well as Hulu’s Only Murders in the Building.
New mystery
In the Abby Brooks Mysteries, Gordon stars as a true-crime podcaster and former journalist reeling from the loss of her child and her recent divorce. When her free-spirited neighbor is found dead, Brooks becomes convinced foul play is involved.
She works with the local police in Prescott, Ariz., to solve the crime, using clues from Bible verses.
“I pulled inspiration from Nancy Drew and from the characters of Only Murders in the Building,” Gordon said in a statement to CBN’s Faithwire. “I knew I wanted to create an ensemble cast that felt like a family and I wanted the world to feel really inclusive, that you would want to be a part of the town of Prescott.”
Great American Media
Great American Family is one of two networks owned by Great American Media, a company founded by former Hallmark CEO Bill Abbott. In an interview with USA Today, Abbott said he hoped to challenge Hallmark Media as the leading producer of family-friendly entertainment on television.
“We believe we’ll be the leader in quality family entertainment in this space,” Abbott said. “…That’s a lofty and challenging objective. But we think we have the team in place to do it and the experience to do it.”
In May of 2023, the company announced it had merged with Pure Flix, a streaming division of Sony Pictures dedicated to family-friendly entertainment.
The cozy mystery business
Great American Family hit the ground running, producing original movies starring Trevor Donovan, Jessica Lowndes, Jesse Metcalfe, Merritt Patterson, and Daniel Lissing.
But the Abby Brooks Mysteries is the network’s first foray into the world of cozy mysteries. Hallmark Movies and Mysteries typically premieres at least one new mystery or drama every month, and even more during its Miracles of Christmas programming lineup every year.
About the cast
Ansley Gordon is well known for writing and starring in uplifting movies. She has appeared in Baked With a Kiss (2022), The Boyfriend Trap (2022), Love on the Reef (2023), and Love on Retreat (2023).
She will be joined in the Abby Brooks Mysteries by Bret Green, an Emmy Award-nominated actor, and Karen Abercrombie.
The Abby Brooks Mysteries will premiere on Great American Family on Sunday, July 30 at 9/8c.
Hallmark shares a sneak peek at new Christmas movie sequel
Hallmark will share a sneak peek at new Christmas movie sequel over the weekend. As part of the Christmas in July lineup, the network will air Haul Out the Holly. The 2022 hit, which stars Lacey Chabert and Wes Brown, will get a sequel during the 2023 Countdown to Christmas programming event called Haul Out the Holly: Lit Up.
Hallmark made the announcement on Instagram.
“Relive the magic of #HaulOutTheHolly on July 22 at 8/7c as part of #ChristmasInJuly!” read the caption.
Christmas movie sequel
Haul Out the Holly premiered to rave fan reviews in 2022. In the movie, Lacey Chabert stars as Emily, a woman who returns home during the holidays after a bad breakup with plans to just relax. But when she arrives, she finds out her parents (played by Carrie Morgan and Peter Jacobson) have plans to go out of town. Just when Emily resigns herself to binge-watching Christmas movies on her own for the week, she finds out she is expected to take her parents’ place in the neighborhood’s holiday festivities.
Wes Brown co-stars as her old friend who is now running the HOA in charge of the Christmas events. When she doesn’t share his enthusiasm for the holidays, he issues her parents an HOA citation.
To work off the penalty, Emily gets involved and finds herself competing with the neighbors, played by Ellen Travolta, Melissa Peterman, and Stephen Tobolowsky.
Haul Out the Holly: Lit Up
“‘Haul out the Holly’ was an unqualified success and became an instant holiday classic. Viewers immediately responded to the movie’s warmth and this incredibly funny cast,” said Samantha DiPippo, senior vice president of development for Hallmark Media. “We cannot wait to take viewers back to Evergreen Lane with a sequel that is bigger, funnier, and jollier than before.”
In the sequel, Emily (Chabert) and Jared (Brown) are looking forward to celebrating the holidays together as a couple. Emily, now embracing Evergreen Lane’s uniquely festive spirit, is ready to work with Jared, Ned (Tobolowsky), Mary Louise (Travolta), and Pamela (Peterman) to make this year’s Christmas celebrations the best yet – even if being the HOA president’s girlfriend doesn’t stop those dreaded decorating citations.
When a house on the block goes up for sale, it causes quite a stir among the residents. When the soon-to-be neighbors turn out to be holiday royalty, it looks like this year’s competition is about to heat up.
Hallmark has not yet given a release date for Haul Out the Holly: Lit Up. A preview will air during an encore presentation of Haul Out the Holly on Hallmark Channel on Saturday, July 22 at 8/7c.
Brendan Penny reveals which Hallmark star he would love to work with again
Over the years, Brendan Penny has starred in more than 15 movies for Hallmark. From romantic comedies such as Autumn in the Vineyard (2016), A Dash of Love (2017), and Beverly Hills Wedding (2021) to the mysteries Along Came a Nanny (2014) and The Gourmet Detective (2015), the actor has worked with all the network’s greats.
In a recent interview, the Chesapeake Shores star revealed which Hallmark star he would love to work with again.
Penny said he wants to make a sequel to the Wedding Cottage because he had so much fun with Erin Krakow.
“I hope it could have 10 films out of it so I could work with Erin again,” Penny said in an interview with Just Jared.
Hallmark star Brendan Penny
Penny and Krakow delighted fans of Chesapeake Shores and When Calls the Heart when they collaborated on the romantic comedy The Wedding Cottage, which premiered on Hallmark in April 2023.
In the movie, Krakow plays Vanessa, a wedding planner who promotes her new book by holding a contest to give one lucky couple an all-expenses paid wedding.
The winning couple, played by Drew Henderson and Matreya Scarrwener, are in a hurry to tie the knot, as he is about to get deployed. Vanessa finds out that the bride and groom want to get married at a house in the town of Stony Brook, Vermont, known as the Wedding Cottage. She contacts the home’s new owner, a reclusive sculptor named Evan (played by Penny).
He is reluctant to let his house be used as a venue, but Vanessa’s persistence wears him down. As they prepare for the big day, Vanessa and Evan find out that the cottage is a special place for the people of Stony Brook. They also begin to develop feelings for each other.
Co-stars
During a Facebook Live event to promote the movie, Penny and Krakow talked about how much fun they had making The Wedding Cottage.
“It was a lot of laughter,” Krakow said.
“Every day on set was just super fun,” Penny said.
Both actors said they were excited to find out they would be working together.
“It was kind of shocking that we hadn’t worked together yet,” Penny said.
Brendan Penny starred for six seasons on the Hallmark series Chesapeake Shores. Krakow headlines Hallmark’s longest-running original series When Calls the Heart.
A sequel? A series?
In a recent interview, Penny said he already had some ideas for a sequel.
“They could make a second movie out of it for sure,” he said. “Where we have our wedding at the Wedding Cottage, you know, and the hijinks that are involved with that.”
Andrea Brooks and Patch May reunite in new Hallmark movie A Lifelong Love
Andrea Brooks and Patch May play struggling artists who put their careers on hold to help her grandfather track down his first girlfriend in the new Hallmark movie A Lifelong Love. The actors co-starred in the 2022 film The Wedding Fix.
“I’m teaming up with @pinkflamingoboogie again for another romcom!” Andrea Brooks wrote in an Instagram post promoting the movie.
New Hallmark movie
In the new Hallmark movie A Lifelong Long, Brooks plays Annika, a struggling poet. When her latest collection of poems is rejected by publishers, she turns her attention to helping her grandfather track down his first love.
She teams up with her ex-boyfriend Ryan (played by Patch May), who is trying to make a career in photography. But when the search takes Annika out of her comfort zone, she realizes she might need to change her ways if she wants to have the life — and love — she has always dreamed of.
A Lifelong Love is one of four new Hallmark movies to premiere during July, and the only new film to debut on Hallmark Movies and Mysteries.
Andrea Brooks
On Instagram, Andrea Brooks promoted the movie while also sharing photos from a costume fitting for Season 11 of When Calls the Heart.
“Our yearly fitting photo op continues. Let’s go 11!! #hearties,” she wrote in the caption.
Though a union strike has brought filming in the U.S. to a standstill, Hallmark’s longest-running original series is filmed in Canada. The show’s co-creator recently shared on Facebook with fans that they will do their best to both honor and work around the SAG-AFTRA strike.
“On Monday, July 17, the production of Season 11 BEGINS with all of our fine Canadian writers and cast- and-crew-members back to work while we wait for a peaceful resolution of these labor talks,” Bird wrote. “And for the day our US writers and actors are allowed to return. And when you experience Season 11 in 2024, through the seamless magic of the filmmaking and storytelling process, it will make it seem like they were there all along.”
A Lifelong Love will premiere on Hallmark Movies and Mysteries on Friday, July 21 at 9/8c.
How will actors’ strike affect Hallmark?
The actors’ strike that has made headlines around the world could spell trouble for Hallmark fans. Now that filming has been brought to a halt across the country, it could mean a delay in new movies and TV shows being produced by all networks.
Several Hallmark stars have already spoken out on social media in support of SAG-AFTRA, a union that represents 160,000 actors across the country.
“Our resolve has never been stronger, and together we have an enormous power to effect change in the industry,” wrote Kristoffer Polaha in an Instagram post. “One day longer, one day stronger!”
Paul Greene also shared a message on Instagram.
“Always so many wild feelings, perspectives and ideas when this happens,” he wrote. “Praying for a swift solution and bright future in a craft I love….”
The strike
Representatives for SAG-AFTRA have been in negotiations with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers over working conditions and pay.
Among the complaints brought by union members are the shorter duration of television shooting schedules, which means longer periods of time actors go without steady pay, and smaller residuals — amounts paid to actors each time a movie or show is aired.
Union leaders say residuals have taken a hit with the advent of streaming services such as Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime.
Members of the Writers Guild of America have been on strike for two months over similar issues. This is the first time since 1960 that SAG-AFTRA and the WGA have been on strike at the same time.
What happens at Hallmark?
Hallmark stars have already been affected. Catherine Bell, Brennan Elliott, Jen Lilley, and Rachel Boston had to pull out of a fan convention in June over scheduling conflicts, when production was moved forward on several movies in anticipation of a SAG-AFTRA strike.
But many Hallmark films and shows are filmed in Canada. Supporting roles are often filled by members of the Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Artists. Thought the Canadian union has expressed solidarity with SAG-AFTRA and the WGA, ACTRA has not yet voted to go on strike.
This could make it possible for Hallmark Media to continue filming movies despite stalled negotiations in the U.S.
Countdown to Christmas
Many movies for Hallmark’s Countdown to Christmas event are already in the bag. Filming for the 2023 lineup began in January, and 18 movies have been made so far.
But since Hallmark Channel and Hallmark Movies and Mysteries routinely turn out dozens of holiday movies each year, it remains to be seen if the overall lineup of new movies will be slim this year.
When Calls the Heart
The good news for When Calls the Heart fans is that Season 10 is complete. The first episode will premiere on July 30.
Brian Bird, the show’s co-creator, says a number of arrangements have been made so that filming on Season 11 can begin on July 17 as planned.
As of publication, Hallmark had not yet commented on the strike. This is an ongoing story. We will update it as more information becomes available.
