Hallmark "Aloha Heart"
The Hallmark Channel’s newest movie, “Aloha Heart,” premieres on Saturday, July 29, at 8 p.m. Eastern/9 p.m. Central. The movie stars Taylor Cole and Kanoa Goo. Read on to learn all about where it was filmed and see behind-the-scenes cast stories.
‘Aloha Heart’ Was Filmed in Hawaii
Hallmark“Aloha Heart”
As part of the Hallmark Channel’s annual Summer Nights programming event, “Aloha Heart” brings viewers to several locations in Hawaii, including locations in Oahu.
Reel News Hawaii shared on Instagram on May 21 that the movie’s three-week shoot had just wrapped in Oahu. They noted that much of the movie was filmed at Kahala Resort, which was renamed Hale HoAloha Resort for the movie.
The Kahala Resort also appeared in Hallmark movies like “You Had Me at Aloha.” The resort is available for bookings if Hallmark viewers want to stay there too, and includes special offers like getting every fifth night free. You can also book resort experiences, like dolphin quests and more.
Reel News Hawaii shared that they also filmed in Waimanalo and Makapu’u.
Director Seth Jarrett also posted on Instagram in April that he was preparing for a trip to Hawaii on a tight schedule.
He wrote: “Back in the first week of April I got a call from the Hallmark Channel asking if I would be interested in directing a new rom com for them- my first movie for Hallmark. The catch- it started prepping in 5 days. Tight schedule… but I’m used to that. Oh… and you have to go to Hawaii for 6 weeks! What the……..”
He continued, writing: “I had never been to Hawaii and it was everything I ever thought it would be- beauty at every turn, breathtaking views wherever you looked. But most special were the people- I was welcomed and supported with handshakes, hugs, blessings and kind words.”
The post is full of pictures he took while on his trip.
Taylor Cole also talked about filming on location during an interview with the Suspenders Unbuttoned Podcast. She joked that while the filming was three-and-a-half weeks, she extended it an extra day. She also talked about her favorite places, her favorite food, and more.
“Staying at a hotel means that you are eating out breakfast, lunch and dinner,” she said. “I joked that I could give a professional food tour of Oahu because I found every local favorite, every delicious foodie spot, and I went there, and I tried it, and I could write up a blog!”
Olivia Nicole Hoffman, who plays Lydia in the movie, posted a few pictures as well on Instagram.
She also shared that a year ago, she was also in Hawaii for Hallmark.
“1 year ago I shot my first hallmark film.. heading to Hawaii tmrw to go into production for another one!” she wrote. The first movie was “Two Tickets to Paradise.”
Meet the Cast
Hallmark’s synopsis reads:
Manu (Goo) loves his Hawaiian homeland. His heart is in conservation, knowing full well his family’s hotel needs to make big changes to how the business operates. His family resists his costly suggestions, wanting to stay competitive with bigger resort hotels on the islands. Sara Hamilton (Cole) is the best friend and maid of honor in her friend’s wedding, which is being held at Manu’s hotel. She has had trouble getting her foot into the world of environmental protection and is starting to lose hope she’ll be able to pursue what matters most to her. When Sara and Manu meet, she has all kinds of suggestions for making the hotel a more sustainable business, but her overzealous approach only rubs Manu the wrong way. Leading up to the wedding, Manu and Sara find out they are in fact kindred spirits. Manu needs help getting his family on board to manage the business the right way, and Sara needs to balance her work passion with enjoying life that is too quickly passing by. In the partnership that forms, they discover they make the right kind of team, especially as an unexpected love for each other enriches their dream of making the world a better place.
Taylor Cole plays Sara. According to her bio, she’s from Arlington, Texas. She started out with a modeling career and eventually relocated to New York. Her portfolio boasts appearances in various commercials and advertisements, promoting brands such as Crest, Old Spice, and Dooney & Bourke handbags. Now she’s one of Hallmark viewers’ favorite stars!
In a livestream ceremony from Lake Tahoe, Cole exchanged vows with producer Cameron Larson on June 20, 2020, People reported.
Cole has been prominently featured in numerous Hallmark Channel movies. Her filmography includes titles such as “Appetite for Love,” “My Summer Prince,” “Christmas In Homestead,” “The Art of Us,” “Christmas Festival of Ice,” “One Winter Weekend,” “Falling For You,” “One Winter Proposal,” “Matching Hearts,” and the recurring character of Ruby Herring in the “Ruby Herring Mysteries.”
Native to Hawaii, Kanoa Goo plays Manu. According to his bio, he’s a graduate of New York University, and currently has a role in CBS’ “Fire Country” and ABC’s “The Rookie.”He’s proud of his mixed heritage, so he’s embracing roles that promote Asian and Pacific Islander representation within the entertainment industry.
He told Honolulu Magazine about his role on “The Rooke”: “I play an assistant district attorney who comes in hot and is a sort of know-it-all. Some viewers take what they see on screen literally. If you know me, I’m quite the opposite.”
Also starring in the movie, according to Hallmark’s press release, are:
- Olivia Nicole Hoffman (Lydia)
- Jordan Matlock (Michael)
- Sasha Dominy (Tessa)
- Camille Claire Senseman (Cait)
- Peter Togawa (Kimo)
- Cyndi Mayo (Iolani)
- Valen Ahlo (Noa)
- Tau Samuels (Kainalu)
- Levy Tuiala (Keanu)
- Micah Miyashiro (Young Manu)
- Mary Ann Perreira (Tutu)
- Kathleen Stuart (Allison)
- Keahi Villalobos (Young Noa)
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Where Was ‘Aloha Heart’ Filmed? See Cast Stories & Locations