The Hallmark Channel’s newest Countdown to Christmas movie, “Where Are You Christmas?” premieres on Saturday, October 21, at 8 p.m. Eastern/7 p.m. Central. The movie stars Lyndsy Fonseca, Michael Rady, Jim O’Heir, and Julie Warner. Check out all the details on where the movie was filmed and the cast involved.
‘Where Are You Christmas?’ Was Filmed in Connecticut & Marks a Big First for Hallmark
“Where Are You Christmas?” was filmed in Connecticut in the spring, around late March, Patch.com reported. Unlike most Hallmark movies, which are filmed in Canada, this one’s an exception.
Andrew Gernhard, executive director, told Yahoo that this movie marks a big “first” for Hallmark.
“This is a first for Hallmark. The movie becomes completely black-and-white, with no Christmas,” he shared.
Olde Mistick Village in Connecticut shared photos on Facebook on March 28 from the filming, writing: “It may be almost April, but it has been looking like Christmas around Olde Mistick Village as they have been filming scenes for the upcoming movie ‘Where are you Christmas’!”
One person replied, noting that Hallmark’s “A Very Nutty Christmas” was also filmed in the same location.
Olde Mistick Village is an open air village that hosts seasonal events, including an apple fest in the fall. The village took out its Christmas decorations for filming, Yahoo reported. One of the locations used in the Village was Mango’s Wood Fire Pizza Company, Turn to 10 reported.
The New London Day reported that Synthetic Cinema International filmed two Hallmark Christmas movies back to back in this location. “Where Are You Christmas?” was filmed in late March, and the second movie was wrapping in late May or early June. (Yahoo! reported that this second movie is “Mystic Christmas,” premiering next week.)
Gernhard told New London Day about the filming location: “The thing with Connecticut, we have amazing locations. We are using a lot of original locations in this movie that I think will be big.”
There wasn’t a lot of snow while the movie was filmed, but some would be added in post-production. In fact, with all the black-and-white footage and visual effects needed in nearly every shot, post-production for the film took five months rather than one or two, Gernhard told Yahoo.
The movie also filmed some scenes at The Eugene O’Neill Theater Center in Waterford, and at Sen. Heather Somers’ home in Groton, Yahoo reported. Somers’ home was used as Addy’s childhood house.
Somers told Yahoo they had to move her furniture out of the house for filming, and Somers herself had to move out of her home too.
“It was the nicest my house has ever looked with Christmas lights,” Somers said about how they decorated her home.
Chris Carfizzi, who plays a jeweler in the movie, posted a photo on his Instagram account back in March, writing: “Q: Why am I posting a picture of a Christmas tree in March? A: Because I shot a Christmas movie yesterday.”
In the comments, he revealed the photo was from a Hallmark movie.
Meet the Cast
Hallmark’s synopsis for the movie simply reads: “Addy wishes for a year without Christmas and she wakes up in a world of black and white. She must work together with the town mechanic to restore Christmas.”
Lyndsy Fonseca plays Addy. According to her bio, she’s known for her work in both TV and film. She gained prominence for her role as Alexandra “Alex” Udinov in the TV series “Nikita,” which aired from 2010 to 2013. She has also appeared in other TV series such as “How I Met Your Mother,” “Agent Carter,” and “9-1-1: LONE STAR.”
In addition to her TV work, Fonseca has had roles in various films, including “Kick-Ass” and its sequel “Kick-Ass 2,” as well as “Hot Tub Time Machine.” For Hallmark, she starred in “Next Stop, Christmas” in 2021.
Michael Rady portrays Hunter. According to his bio, he was born Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and had appeared in a variety of TV shows and films, where he’s known for his work in both drama and comedy. Rady starred in the CW’s reboot of the popular series “Melrose Place,” along with TV shows like “Magnum P.I.” (the reboot), “The Accidental Wolf,” “Chicago Med,” “New Amsterdam,” “Timeless,” “UnREAL,” “Jane the Virgin,” “The Mentalist,” and more.
Rady has also appeared in various Hallmark Channel movies and other romance films, such as “Unexpected Grace,” “A New Year’s Resolution,” “Two Turtle Doves,” “You’re Bacon Me Crazy,” “Love to the Rescue,” “Christmas at Pemberly Manor,” and more. He’s a favorite among Hallmark viewers.
Jim O’Heir stars as Nick. He’s well known for his role on “Parks and Recreation,” his bio notes. His many other credits include roles in productions like “Better Call Saul,” “911,” “Ally McBeal,” “Criminal Minds,” “Star Trek Voyager,” “Just Shoot Me,” “Seeking a Friend for the End of the World,” and more.
Julie Warner stars as Sharon. According to her bio, her credits include “21 Jump Street,” “Star Trek: The Next Generation,” “Family Law,” “Nip/Tuck,” “Scrubs,” “House,” “Dexter,” “Our First Christmas,” “The Good Doctor,” and more.
Also starring in the movie, according to Hallmark’s press release, are:
- Andrew David Bridges (Connor)
- Mandi Masden (Dana)
- Melanie Sutrathada (Sienna)
- Mitch Poulos (Dr. Rago)
- Alvin Keith (Mayor Matt)
- Joanna Carpenter (Suma)
- Tom Hair (Mr. Brown)
- Chris Carfizzi (Jeweler)
- Blair Lewin (Gina)
READ NEXT: Hallmark’s Full Christmas Lineup for 2023
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Where Was ‘Where Are You Christmas?’ Filmed? See Cast Stories & Locations