Crown Media Scenes from the first three Godwink Christmas movie.
The makers of the popular Hallmark movie series, “A Godwink Christmas,” are up to something new this year. They’re finished a similarly themed movie, only this one is about dogs and it won’t be airing on a Hallmark network. It’s streaming now on Netflix.
The Dogwink Movie Stars Grant Gustin of ‘The Flash’
The Dogwink-themed movie, called “Rescued by Ruby,” wrapped filming in early July, Hollywood North Buzz reported. But rather than airing on the Hallmark Channel this time, the new movie is going to air on Netflix. And it’s streaming now.
Grant Gustin, perhaps best known for his leading role on the CW series “The Flash,” is playing the main character in “Rescued by Ruby.”
According to the Dogwinks website, the movie is based on “Ruby: A Godwink Dogwink,” a short story by Squire Rushnell & Louise DuArt.
The movie’s synopsis reads: “State trooper Dan dreams of joining the K-9 Search & Rescue team, but no one will give him the chance. Shelter dog Ruby dreams of having a home, but is running out of hope. When fate brings Dan and Ruby together, it’s their unshakable bond that helps them face their toughest challenge yet. Based on a true story.”
Hollywood North Buzz reported that in real life, Ruby (a Border Collie/Australian Shepherd mix) had been surrendered to the Rhode Island Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals because she was viewed as being unmanageable, and was then adopted and returned a total of five times. But officer Daniel O’Neil adopted her when she was eight months old and just hours away from being euthanized.
An interview on NBC Today about Ruby can be watched in the video above.
The Godwinks website revealed more details, sharing that in real life, O’Neil had ADD and Ruby had the “dog version of ADD,” which made them a well-suited pair for understanding each other. The corresponding book was just released in May 2021.
What’s On Netflix reported that Ruby had her own special “Godwink” moment as a K-9 officer that connected involved helping someone who volunteered at the dog shelter.
According to IMDb, the movie will also star Kaylah Zander, Camille Sullivan, Tom McBeath, Sharon Taylor, Eileen Pedde, Jude Culham-Keays, Giacomo Baessato, Brad Mann, and more.
The Movie Was Filmed in Victoria, Canada, in June & July
The movie was filmed in the Victoria region of Canada in June and July of 2021, Hollywood North Buzz reported. One of the locations was a house near Elk Lake.
Katt Shea directed the movie and Karen Janszen wrote it. Another filming location was at Clover Point in Victoria.
Another location was Esquimalt Lagoon, which doubled for a location in Rhode Island.
Rushnell has written 12 bestselling Godwink books, five of which were written with his wife DuArt. They also executive produced four Godwink movies for the Hallmark Channel. The fourth Godwink movie premiered on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries in December 2021.
Rushnell told Fox News about Dogwinks: “Godwink is the new word of the language … it means an event which seems like a coincidence but you know comes from a divine origin. … A Dogwink is simply a Godwink that happens in the presence of a dog. We are all looking for hope, and we all have doubts … that someone is paying attention to us.”