Hallmark "Savoring Paris"
The Hallmark Channel’s newest Passport to Love movie, “Savoring Paris,” premieres on Saturday, June 8, at 8 p.m. Eastern/7 p.m. Central. The movie stars Bethany Joy Lenz and Stanley Weber. Read on to learn all about the movie, including where it was filmed and behind-the-scenes cast stories .
‘Savoring Paris’ Was Filmed in Paris & Bulgaria
“Savoring Paris” was partly filmed on location in Paris, France, itself, according to Hallmark’s press release. Bethany Joy Lenz shared that it was also filmed in Bulgaria. The movie was directed by Joie Botkin based on the book Fromage À Trois by Victoria Brownlee.
Lenz shared a montage of photos from filming in Bulgaria and Paris, writing: “A huge thank you to our entire Bulgaria and Paris crew who worked incredibly hard and made it a wonderful experience.”
Lenz took a mirror selfie while in the hairdresser chair while in France.
She also shared a beautiful on-location photo.
In an exclusive with People, Lenz said about the movie: “This film will always be special to me because of what I learned from my character. She’s the first woman I’ve played who is used to making space for everyone else, but taking up none of her own. I’ve usually felt like I need to fight for my space, so living in the skin of someone more demure was a unique experience.”
Director Clare Niederpruem shared her on behind-the-scenes picture.
“Paper delivery in Paris!,” Lenz wrote in another photo while she was in France.
Meet the Cast
Hallmark’s synopsis reads:
Ella (Lenz) is a burned out exec at an American food chain who realizes the happiest time of her life was during a trip to Paris after college. Dreaming of the best cheese she ever had and ready to start fresh, Ella quits her job and jets off to the City of Lights to recapture that feeling and rejuvenate as she considers what’s next. Free from a job that made her unhappy and away from her well-meaning mom (Lucy Newman-Williams, Joyeux Noel) who always urges her to make safe and practical life choices, Ella embraces her newfound joie de vivre. While there, Ella is swept into a social life courtesy of her charming landlord and new friend Clotilde (Manon Azem, Mercato) and soon finds herself being courted by Clotilde’s cousin Gaston (Wiggins), a dashing local. Meanwhile, Ella begins to forge a friendship – or possibly more – with Serge (Weber), the prickly proprietor of the local fromagerie as she navigates this new chapter in her life. But just as she decides what she wants in life – and who she wants to be with – cultural differences put those plans in question.
Bethany Joy Lenz, who plays Ella, is an American actress, singer, and filmmaker, according to her bio. She is best known for her role as Haley James Scott on the TV drama “One Tree Hill,” which aired from 2003 to 2012. Lenz is also a talented singer and songwriter. She has released several albums and performed both as a solo artist and with the band Everly. Lenz has also directed and produced various projects.
Stanley Weber plays Serge. He’s a classically trained actor from the Conservatoire Nationale in Paris, has played the title role in France 2’s “Louis XV” and appeared in the film “The First Day of the Rest of Your Life,” according to his bio. His credits include “Borgia” for Canal+, “Thérèse Desqueyroux” with Audrey Tautou, and “Henry V” for the BBC. Recently, he starred in “Not Another Happy Ending” and “Pilgrimage.” Weber’s TV work includes “Outlander,” “Britannia,” “Drops of God” on Apple TV+, and “Monsieur Spade” for AMC. He has just finished filming the third season of “The Head” for HBO.
Ben Wiggins is Gaston Aubergel. According to IMDb, his credits include “Death in Paradise,” “Grace,” “You” (seven episodes), “The Sandman,” “Hollyoaks,” “Pennyworth,” “Anna and the Apocalypse,” and more.
Also starring in the movie, according to Hallmark’s press release, are:
- Manon Azem (Clotilde Aubergel)
- Lucy Newman-Williams (Laury Weber)
- Florence Banks (Adele)
- Gergana Todorova (Julie)
- Vincent Molli (Yves)
- Nicolas Ullmann (Marcel)
- Mikaël Fitoussi (Busker)
- Sydney Sainte (Vivi)
- Nathan Cooper (Cole )
- Anya Firestone (Anya )
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