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Monday night marks the beginning of The Hallmark Channel’s new-movie-every-night Thanksgiving marathon. The first movie, Heart of the Holidays, premieres at 8 p.m. Central on Monday, November 23, and then will re-air multiple times throughout the season. But where was the movie filmed? Filming locations included the region of Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
‘Heart of the Holidays’ Was Filmed in Canada
The movie stars Vanessa Lengies (Sam) and Corey Sevier (Noah). Justin Rebelo and Bill Marks are the executive producers, with Jesse Ikeman and Christopher Giroux producing the movie.
The synopsis reads: “Career-driven Sam returns to her hometown for the holidays where she comes face-to-face with her high school boyfriend, Noah. Together they rediscover what matters most in life.”
According to IMDb, the movie was filmed in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. It was produced by the production house Vortex.
Also have a (non-Hallmark final) poster for HEART OF THE HOLIDAYS from it’s production house, Vortex.
The Vanessa Lengies and Corey Sevier movie will air on Hallmark Channel in the U.S. on Nov. 23 and the same day in Canada on the W Channel.
h/t @fishsticksokay
The movie was called The True Meaning of Christmas when it was being filmed and it was later acquired by Hallmark.
The movie was filmed in August. Some noted that it was called Love & Gingerbread at one point too.
Cast and crew, including producer Jesse Ikeman and line producer James Young, confirm that THE TRUE MEANING OF CHRISTMAS has wrapped in Hamilton/Dundas. The Vortex Pictures-produced movie is being made for Canadian TV, but could also be acquired by a U.S. outlet.
Ikeman shared these photos from the last day of filming.
Lengies is really excited about her new Hallmark movie.
And since most of us are already in PJs at home (I see u), in 10 days, cozy up and let the holiday movie marathon begin, with me!
Meet the Cast
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Vanessa Lengies is Sam. Her previous credits include A Date By Christmas Eve, Immortal, Married Young, I’d Like to Be Alone Now, Happy Birthday, The Detour, Second Chance (Alexa), Resident Advisors (Marissa), Glee (Sugar Motta for 26 episodes), Llama Cop, Mixology (Kacey), MyMusic (Loco Uno), Hawthorne (Kelly Epson for 29 episodes), Rules of Engagement, Accidentally on Purpose, Medium, Archie’s Final Project, Moonlight, Monarch Cove (Sophia), Arthur (Emily), American Dreams (Roxanne for 61 episodes), Radio Active (Sarah Leigh for 78 episodes), For Better or For Worse, Are You Afraid of the Dark? (Vange for 26 episodes), and more.
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Corey Sevier is Noah. His credits include Northern Lights of Christmas, Four Christmases and a Wedding, Shattered Memories, Christmas Matchmaker, Grounded for Christmas, Messiah Complex, Mr. Write, The Art of Us, Sadie and Emmie, Cedar Cove (Seth Gunderson), The Tree that Saved Christmas, Motive, The Best Years, North Shore (Gabriel for 21 episodes), The Dresden Files, Wild Card, Black Sash, 2030 CE (Hart Greyson), Edge of Madness, Lassie (Tim Cabot), Little Men (Dan Maddison), Goosebumps (Ryan/Eddie), and more.
Sevier also directed the movie, in addition to playing the lead.
So excited to share news on a project dear to my heart. #HeartoftheHolidays will premiere Nov 23rd on @hallmarkchannel & @w_network. I had the great pleasure of directing & acting alongside an incredible cast & crew led by my friend @littlelengies. We can’t wait for you to see it
Both Lengies and Sevier starred in Lassie in 1997.
How it started How it’s going
Here’s a look at other cast members.
Crown MediaJayne Eastwood, Maria Ricossa
Jayne Eastwood is Val. (She is not related to Clint Eastwood.) Her credits include Santa’s Squad, Jump Darling, Anything for Jackson, Lockdown, Work It, Hey Lady! (Lady), Endings, A Doggone Christmas, The Knight Before Christmas, Dino Dana (Mrs. Currie), Star Falls, Esme & Roy, Imposters, Murdoch Mysteries, Annedroids (Shania’s Grandma), Haven (Gloria for 23 episodes), Scaredy Squirrel, 12 Dates of Christmas, Little Mosque on the Prairie (Mrs. Wispinski), JoJo’s Circus, Billable Hours (Maxine), This is Wonderland (Ronnie Sacks), Atomic Betty, RoboRoach, The Shields Stories, Brave New Girl, Wild Card, Widows, Bob and Margaret, For Better or for Worse (Mrs. Dingle), Noddy (Agatha), The Adventures of Sam & Max: Freeland Police, Freaky Stories, The Neverending Story series, Street Legal, Ghost Mom, Maniac Mansion, Material World (Bernice for 25 episodes), Ramona, Night Heat, Care Bears, King of Kensington (Gwen), and more.
Maria Ricossa is Tammy. Her credits include Blood and Water (Colleen Bradley), A Shoe Addict’s Christmas, Private Eyes, Designated Survivor (Anne Paulsen), Christmas Incorporated, The Strain (Margaret), Her Evil Twin, Catch a Christmas Star, Da Kink in My Hair (Jackie), Flashpoint, The Gathering, 1-800-Missing (Toni), Degrassi: The Next Generation (Kate), Her Best Friend’s Husband, Tom STone, Doc, The Familiar Stranger, Thin Air, The Wishing Tree, Goosebumps, Street Legal (Lisa), and more.
Crown MediaTina Jung
Tina Jung is Marina. Her credits include Queen of the Morning Calm, Good Witch, No Sleep Til Christmas, Carter, In Contempt, Crawford, Jigsaw, A Nutcracker Christmas, Make It Pop (Ko Hye Jung), The Expanse, 12 Monkeys, Man Seeking Woman, and more.
Also starring are:
- Rene Escobar Jr. (Will)
- Tara Joshi (Tessa)
- Bill Lake (Bob)
- Andrew Bushell (Ronny)
- Paul Sun-Hyung Lee (Ray)
- Nadine Roden (Mayor Carol-Anne)