Hallmark Noel Next Door
The Hallmark Channel’s newest movie, “Noel Next Door,” marks the kickoff of Countdown to Christmas. It premieres on Friday, October 21, at 8 p.m. Eastern/7 p.m. Central. The movie stars Natalie Hall and Corey Sevier. Here’s everything you need to know about where the movie was filmed and behind-the-scenes cast stories.
‘Noel Next Door’ Was Filmed in Canada
HallmarkNoel Next Door
Hallmark’s first Christmas movie of 2022, “Noel Next Door,” was filmed in and around Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, the Ottawa Film Office shared on Twitter.
The @hallmarkchannel kicks off its #CountdownToChristmas in two weeks (yes, you read that right) with the Ottawa-shot film 𝙉𝙤𝙚𝙡 𝙉𝙚𝙭𝙩 𝘿𝙤𝙤𝙧 starring @TheNatalieHall and @Corey_Sevier t.co/uyBpuJjltU #FilmOttawa #NoelNextDoor
Multiple movies are shot through the heat in July and August, and that never stops the actors from wrapping up their necks with scarves, wearing those thick coats, and holding their hot cocoa between a warm pair of mittens. We know that it’s tough sometimes too (as Danica McKellar previously shared about her own Christmas movie.) But for the stars, it’s absolutely worth it to be part of the most anticipated Countdown to Christmas event of the year.
However, “Noel Next Door” is different. This one was shot in the winter, Maxwell McGuire shared in an interview with Survived the Shows. He started out by sharing that they only have 14 days to film these movies, so time is of the essence.
“This one luckily was shot in the winter,” he said. “So I think you can see the difference when you can feel the breath and feel the cold… And they were cold, absolutely. And so you the elements, whether it’s, you know, I shot a movie overnight outside in the middle of winter when it was minus 30 degrees Celsius. Your actors‘ mouths, they stopped working properly. So it’s keeping the train running, it’s making your day, making sure you get the emotional beats of the film, getting the shots you want, and then hopefully having an enjoyable experience along the way. And so time is always your enemy on film.”
“Noel Next Door” may be the first new Countdown to Christmas movie, but it wasn’t the only one. According to the official Twitter account for the Ottawa Film Office, a movie that was just filming in early October was “the 14th Christmas movie to film in Ottawa this year, a record for the city.” (On Facebook, they revealed that this 14th movie is Hallmark’s “Twas the Night Before Christmas.”)
@AdsWriter This is the 14th Christmas movie to film in Ottawa this year, a record for the city.
Ottawa Film Office also shared that “Noel Next Door” was originally filmed under the working title, “The Grinch Who Stole My Heart,” and it was filmed last winter.
Fireside Pictures, the production company for “Noel Next Door,” is no stranger to movie sets picturing a wintery location. Check out this video below, showing them creating a snowy scene even when it’s not snowing.
Ottawa Film Office shared that “Noel Next Door” was also directed by Ottawa’s “own Maxwell McGuire.”
According to Castalkie.com, the movie was also shot in the villages of Almonte and Carleton Place. They mention that Carleton is about 15 minutes south of Almonte along Country Road 29, and that its popularity in Christmas movies is growing.
Ottawa tourism also has a complete map of Christmas movie filming locations on their website.
Meet the Cast
“Noel Next Door” is based on Annabelle Costa’s book, How The Grinch Stole My Heart.
Hallmark’s synopsis for the movie reads:
When single-mom Noelle (Hall) learns that her son, Henry, (Callum Shoniker, ‘Toying with the Holidays’), has been scolded by a grumpy neighbor, she jumps to her son’s defense. The only issue is that mean Mr. Geir (Sevier) of unit 224 is actually Jeremy, the misunderstood “scrooge” of the neighborhood. When Noelle unknowingly serves her handsome neighbor at the diner where she works, there is an immediate spark between them. Still, Jeremy doubts her attraction. How could a woman as beautiful as Noelle find him attractive? When the neighbors next run into each other at the pharmacy their chemistry is palpable, but Jeremy can’t summon the courage to ask her out, certain she will make an excuse. Noelle leaves feeling uncertain and saddened by their last interaction. All opportunity seems lost until Noelle once again runs into Jeremy, but this time he is playing soccer with her son Henry and they both realize the chemistry they’ve been avoiding deserves their full attention, bringing them together for the holidays.
Nathalie Hall plays Noel. She is well known among Hallmark viewers for her leading role in the 2019 Winterfest film, “A Winter Princess,” but she has also been in the Lifetime TV series “UnREAL,” and starred as a recurrent character on the CW’s “Charmed.”
She recently filmed “Fly Away With Me”, another Hallmark movie also from Fireside Pictures.
On Instagram, she said about that movie: “The entire crew is like family and everyone is so supportive of one another. Cast was a dream to work with (including beegee the bird 🦜) Marita as always did a wonderful job directing this sweet/funny film.”
She was recently on the “Everything About Hallmark” podcast, where she talked about the movie. She mentions in the interview that Christmas is her favorite holiday.
“Because I get to go home to Vancouver, Canada and see my family, and I get to be in the snow,” she said.
The interview goes on for about 35 minutes and is filled with tiny details Hallmark fans would not want to miss.
Corey Sevier plays Jeremy. Sevier has been in a number of popular shows, including “Psych,” “CSI: Miami,” “Smallville,” “Supernatural,” and “Murdoch Mysteries,” as well as recurring appearances as Seth Gunderson in the Hallmark series “Debbie Macomber’s Cedar Cove.” He also starred as David Hudson in ABC’s “Mistresses.”
More recently, he was in Hallmark’s “Pumpkin Everything” with co-star Taylor Cole.
Also starring in the movie are:
- Callum Shoniker (Henry)
- Joanna Douglas (Shannon)
- Adrian Falconer (Luis)
- Sean Jones (Frank)
- Isaiah Kolundzic (Mark)
- Shelly Brook (Katie)
- Hannah Gordon (Hailey)
- Evert Houston (Rocco)
- Zach Eulberg (Bert)
- M. John Kennedy (Greg)
- Tianna Nori (Taylor)
- Penny Adair Wallace (Little Girl)
- Zoe Elizabeth Towne (Girl’s Mom)
- Shawn Ladd (Santa)