Crown Media Sister Swap
The Hallmark Channel’s new movie, “Sister Swap: Christmas in the City,” premieres on Sunday, December 12, at 8 p.m. Eastern. Encores will air throughout the season. The movie stars Kimberly Williams-Paisley, Kevin Nealon, Keith Robinson, Ashley Williams, and Anna Holbrook. Read on to learn all about where it was filmed and the cast involved.
This is the second movie in the “Sister Swap” series. The first movie premiered the previous weekend.
‘Sister Swap: Christmas in the City’ Was Filmed in Utah
Crown MediaSister Swap
“Sister Swap: Christmas in the City” was filmed in Utah, just like the previous week’s “Hometown Holiday” movie. Both movies were filmed under the working title “Christmas at the Madison Parts 1 and 2.” The sisters talk about filming in Utah in an interview with Hallmark.
IMDb reported that the second movie was filmed mainly in Salt Lake City, however it also listed Vancouver as another filming location.
Ashley Williams & Kimberly Williams-Paisley wrapped filming on CHRISTMAS AT THE MADISON in Utah. And, though not allowed to discuss long-awaited Hallmark movies, the sisters were “feeling emotional” after “working really hard on something you’ll love.”
Fox 13 reported that the two movies would be filmed back-to-back in Utah starting in April. Williams-Paisley said in a Hallmark interview that she loved shooting the movies back-to-back in Utah. There was a short break in filming, however. According to IMDb, the first movie was filmed from April 12-May 22, and the second movie was filmed over a month’s time after a short break from June 5-July 5.
However, TV Insider reported that some of the shots were interspersed in both films. Robinson said about the filming: “We shot them simultaneously. So we would kind of shoot one scene from another angle and shoot it from an opposite angle and then they would end up in either movie. So it was a real creative approach.”
Ashley Williams said on Instagram that she played a big role in the movie, all through the development process, the first day of prep, and the entire post process “which lasted months.”
“I attended every production meeting. Every email about wardrobe, every location scout. I love love love the work that goes into making movies and storytelling,” she said.
Because they filmed in the summer, it got really hot sometimes. Cami Carver wrote on Instagram that “it was 100 degrees out” one day.
Robinson said he had a blast filming.
Deklin shared a still from the director’s monitor.
And the two Williams sisters shared a video of how they got warmed up for a “Today Show” appearance about the new movie.
This isn’t the first movie from Hallmark filmed in the Salt Lake City region. “Switched for Christmas” was filmed in Salt Lake City, and so was “Sweet Pecan Summer,” “The Christmas Bow,” “Holly & Ivy,” and more.
Beth Anne shared more behind-the-scenes photos below.
The movie’s producer, David Wulf, told Fox 13 Now: “For over 15 years, I’ve chosen to film in Utah as much as possible. The crew base, diverse locations, the business-friendly environment, and the incentives have all been crucial to these particular projects.”
Ashley and Kimberly shared a hilarious story about a birthday gift that Ashley got her sister. The story was shared while they were promoting their second movie.
Kimberly told TV Insider that they always wanted to work together.
“We always wanted to work together, but then I had this idea that we could both have our own movie but have interlocking storylines where we could be in each other’s movies and support each other,” she said.
You can see more behind-the-scenes photos above.
Holbrook shared the photo above of the snowmen used in the movies.
Shawlini Manjunath-Holbrook, who was one of the hosts of Hallmark’s former podcast, shared that she attended a delightful watch party for the first movie with Ashley and Kimberly.
Meet the Cast
The synopsis reads: “Jennifer and Meg Swift are sisters who couldn’t be closer despite living hours apart. Jennifer is in Salt Lake City, running a successful restaurant she started with her late husband and raising her teenaged son Simon. Meg stayed in their hometown of Hazelwood, helping their parents run the local bakery. This Christmas is the family’s first since the passing of Uncle Dave who owned the town’s beloved theater, The Madison, where many memories were made over the years. When Jennifer and Simon return home for the holiday, they become wistful for one more Christmas at The Madison, despite that it’s for sale and in need of repairs. Meanwhile, Meg is helping Jennifer’s restaurant staff in Salt Lake prepare for a Christmas competition among local restaurants with the winner earning money for the charity of its choice. With the sisters switching cities leading up to the holiday, they find a new sense of purpose and discover what they both truly need in life and in love.”
Crown MediaSister Swap
Ashley Williams is Meg. She’s the lead in this movie, while her sister was the lead in the previous movie. Williams’ many credits include the “Christmas in Evergreen” series and numerous Hallmark movies, including “Never Kiss a Man in a Christmas Sweater” from 2020, “Northern Lights of Christmas,” and more. Her other appearances include “The Jim Gaffigan Show” (Jeannie Gaffigan), “A Most Violent Year,” “CSI,” “Royal Pains,” “Warehouse 13” (Sally), “Saving Grace” (Amanda), “Novel Adventures” (Lizzie), “Side Order of Life” (Becca), “E-Ring,” “Good Morning, Miami” (Dylan), “As the World Turns” (Dani), and more. She recently directed the Lifetime movie “Circle of Deception.”
Williams has written several personal pieces about her miscarriage and her mother’s battle with Alzheimer’s. She’s also a birth doula helping mothers through labor, childbirth, and postpartum.
Crown MediaSister Swap
Kimberly Williams-Paisley is Jennifer. She’s married to country singer Brad Paisley. She’s well known for her leading role in the “Father of the Bride” series. Her many other credits include “The Christmas Chronicles” parts one and two on Netflix, “Darrow & Darrow” (Claire Darrow in the Hallmark Movies & Mysteries series), “Dolly Parton’s Heartstrings,” “Two and a Half Men” (Gretchen), “Nashville” (Peggy), “According to Jim” (Dana), “The 10th Kingdom,” “Relativity” (Isabel), and more. She’s currently filming “Dog Gone” with Rob Lowe.
Williams-Paisley is also a New York Times best-selling author and co-founder of a non-profit in Nashville called The Store, which focuses on food insecurity. In 1996, she did TV ads for Hallmark cards.
Crown MediaSister Swap
Keith Robinson is Joe. He’s perhaps best known for his role as C.C. White in “Dreamgirls.” His other credits include the upcoming series “Christmas at the Madison” on Hallmark, “Saints & Sinners” (Miles), “Bump,” “A Christmas Love Story,” “Somebody’s in My House,” “GangLand,” “All Eyez on Me,” “Our Dream Christmas,” “One Love,” “Four Seasons,” “Love That Girl!,” “Castle,” “Dogs of Chinatown,” “Dark Blue,” “Canterbury’s Law” (Chester), “Half & Half” (Neil), “This Christmas,” “Over There” (Avery), “All Saints,” “American Dreams” (Nathan), “Power Rangers Lightspeed Rescue” (Joel Rawlings), and more. He recently starred in Hallmark’s “Redemption in Cherry Springs” mystery movie.
Crown MediaSister Swap
Kevin Nealon is Uncle Dave. He’s well known for his work on “Saturday Night Live.” His other credits include “Crank Yankers,” “Room 104,” “Man with a Plan” (Don Burns), “Family Guy,” “The Zeta Family,” “Dumb Prince,” “Ghost Squad,” “Blended,” “Small Time,” “Weeds” (Doug), “Glenn Martin DDS” (Glenn), “Til Death” (Stephen), “Good Morning Agrestic” (Doug), “Still Standing” (Ted), “Anger Management,” “Joe Dirt,” “Heartbreakers,” “Hiller and Diller” (Ted Hiller), “Champs” (Marty), “The Edge,” and more.
Anna Holbrook is Debbie. Her credits include “Harlem,” “The Blacklist,” “Assisted Living,” “Hunters,” “Blue Bloods,” “One Life to Live” (Dr. Hannah Young), “Law & Order: SVU,” “Another World” (Sharlene Frame), “Benji, Zax & the Alien Prince” (Darah), and more.
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Where Was ‘Sister Swap: Christmas in the City’ Filmed? See Cast Stories