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Hallmark Movies & Mysteries premiered this new TV movie, Holiday for Heroes, in 2019, starring Marc Blucas and Melissa Claire Egan. This was Hallmark’s Veterans Day special movie for 2019, so it’s bound to be a treat to watch. It’s re-airing in 2021, including 10 a.m. Eastern on Veterans Day. Read on to learn all about the movie, including the cast, where it was filmed, and see behind-the-scenes photos. This article will have minor spoilers in terms of photos from the movie, behind-the-scenes pictures, and film locations.
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The synopsis for the movie reads: “After a year’s worth of letters exchanged between Audrey Brown and soldier Matt Evans, their worlds collide for the first time off the page. Will the spirit of the season bring Matt and Audrey’s love beyond their letters?”
‘Holiday for Heroes’ Was Filmed in Connecticut
Although most Hallmark movies are filmed in Canada, Holiday for Heroes is an exception. It was filmed in Connecticut last winter, WTNH shared. It was filmed in New London County and other nearby counties by Synthetic Cinema.
Filming locations include Norwich, Stonington Borough, Mystic, Colchester, New London, East Lyme, and Waterford, Patch.com shared. You’ll see locations like:
- Mitchell College’s red barn
- Norwich City Hall
- East Lyme’s Camp Niantic
- Harkness Memorial State Park
- Noah’s Restaurant
Here’s a photo from Norwich.
Here’s Synthetic Cinema talking about filming in Stonington Borough, which was named one of New England’s Top 5 Winter Ocean Weekends.
The Day reported that during filming in February 2019, Mitchell College’s Red Barn was decorated beautifully for Christmas. Garlands, wreaths, a Christmas tree, and holiday lights set the mood. The Red Barn was the scene of a big party in the movie.
Fake snow was also used to give Norwich City Hall a festive feel.
AJ’s Cafe in the movie is Social, a cafe on Water Street in Stonington Borough, The Day shared.
An eggnog-making competition was filmed at Noah’s Restaurant, which once was home for a scene in Hope Springs in 2012.
And the Gavner family’s 1803 colonial home is also home to scenes in the movie, Norwich Bulletin shared. They Gavners had put their house on the market to move closer to the husband’s job.
Here are some more behind-the-scenes pictures.
This photo was taken in Mystic, Connecticut.
The Cast for ‘Holiday for Heroes’
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Marc Blucas stars as Matt Evans. He has numerous credits to his name including Knight and Day (with Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz), Meet Dave (with Eddie Murphy), The Alamo, We Were Soldiers (with Mel Gibson), Pleasantville, First Daughter, Animals, and more than 30 films total. On the TV side, his many credits include The Fix, Dietland, Underground, Killer Women, Operation Christmas (on Hallmark), Miss Christmas (Hallmark), Necessary Roughness, Buffy the Vampire Slayer (Riley), House, Blue Bloods, CSI, Castle, Clueless, and more. In August he starred in Season for Love on Hallmark.
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Melissa Claire Egan stars as Audrey Brown. She is perhaps best known for her role as Chelsea Lawson Newman on The Young and the Restless – a role she’s had for 672 episodes since 2011. Other credits include Serial Scoop Now, We Are Men, Misguided, All My Children (Annie Lavery/Novak for 715 episodes from 2006 to 2011), Dawson’s Creek, and more.
Crown MediaWill Rubio, Patti Murin
Pictured above are Will Rubio and Patti Murin.
Will Rubio stars as Luke Montgomery. His credits include Show Offs, Love Fall & Order, Random Acts, The Outpost (Raelius), Mr. Rogers: A War Hero, Unicorn City, Blue Sweater, Forever Strong, Saving Sarah Cain, and much more.
Patti Murin stars as Pam. Her many credits include Chicago Med (Nina Shore), Chicago Fire, Royal Pains (Ana), Before We Made It, Today, Rachael Ray, and more.
Crown MediaMarc Blucas, Dwight Hicks
Dwight Hicks is pictured above with Marc Blucas. Hicks stars as Commandant Yoder. His credits include Soundwave, Into the Dark, Rebel, Fight Your Way Out, Sunny and RayRay, Hidden Away, Crown Prince of Heaven, Cold Case, Cartel War, The OC, ER, Passions (James Russell), and more.
Crown Media Melissa Claire Egan, Vanessa Butler
Vanessa Butler (pictured above with Melissa Claire Egan) plays a female soldier. This is one of her first IMDb credited movies, including Law and Order: SVU.
Also starring in the movie are:
- Latarsha Rose (Jade)
- Steven Michael Quezada (Carlos)
- Cheikh M’Baye (Nathan)
- Cassie Ray (Zoe)
- Bart Johnson (Tom)
- Jeorge Bennett Watson (Pete)
- Rocky Myers (Devin)
- Darlene Tejeiro (Juliana)
- Gary Galone (Captain Nelson)
- Aurelia Williams (Emcee)
- Erin Wilson (Mayor Fielding)
- Julee Cerda (Meredith)
- John Allegra (Sleigh Driver)
Here are some more photos from the movie:
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