HGTV/Discovery+ Erin Napier appears in "A Christmas Open House" on Discovery+
Popular HGTV personalities Erin and Ben Napier recently made their acting debut with their first movie, “A Christmas Open House,” on Discovery+. But for months, fans have been up in arms over having to pay for the streaming service in order to view the film. Now, Erin says those frustrated fans will get their Christmas wish: the movie will air on HGTV after all.
‘A Christmas Open House’ to Air on HGTV
Ever since the Napiers announced in August that they’d soon take on their first acting roles in “A Christmas Open House,” which later debuted on Discovery+ on November 11, 2022, fans have expressed annoyance, disappointment, and anger about not being able to see the movie without a subscription to the streaming service.
On Erin’s initial Instagram post about the movie, one person wrote, “You make all that money and then you don’t care about the one that can’t afford to pay extra to watch you. You will have to andwer for that one day!!!”
Another fan wrote, “We don’t subscribe to Disc+ either because I don’t think I should have to pay for yet another layer of channels. It’s not just Ben & Erin, we Love your show, but there are others that we love who are no longer on HGTV that have moved over to Disc+. Makes me unhappy.”
But on November 17, when another person lamented about the movie only airing on Discovery+, Erin responded with good news: the movie will air on HGTV after all, on December 7.
HGTV’s online schedule does not yet reflect the movie showing on December 7, but a November 21 interview with Erin in People Magazine also listed the date as the premiere of the film on the network.
‘A Christmas Open House’ Has Received Mixed Reviews
HGTV/Discovery+Victor Ruskus, Erin Napier and Ben Napier film a scene from “A Christmas Open House”
The Napiers filmed their parts in “A Christmas Open House” in their hometown of Laurel, Mississippi, in August 2022. The movie stars actors Katie Stevens and Victor Rasuk, and follows an Atlanta house stager played by Stevens who has to work with her former high school crush, a realtor played by Rasuk, to get her mom’s home ready to sell before the holidays. With little time and competing goals, they ask local artists Henry and Sarah Wright — played by the Napiers — for help.
On November 1, she posted a preview clip from the movie featuring her and Ben in their holiday garb, and revealed that they sweat throughout filming the movie.
She wrote, “Now that Halloween is behind us… #AChristmasOpenHouse is comin in hot on November 11! We filmed our parts in Laurel 3 days in August when the high was 103° so I need y’all to appreciate how not sweaty we may appear to be here. It’s a renovation story within a love story within a Christmas story (and it honestly looks pretty cute)”
So far, the movie has received mixed reviews from critics. Decider’s Brett White wrote, “Good on Discovery+ for actually giving the Napiers something to do besides offer some pre-recorded tips. Still, it’s always a little weird when TV personalities — like HGTV hosts — are given pre-written lines to say.”
Meanwhile, not enough people have provided feedback on Rotten Tomatoes for the movie to have an “audience score.” And on the Discovery+ Instagram page, some fans have loved it while others clearly did not.
One wrote, “Watched it and loved it!! Y’all are naturals!! Great job!!”
But another commented, “This was horrible… awkward pauses, very dry zero chemistry. Please stop!”
“Love It or List It” co-host Hilary Farr is also appearing in “Designing Christmas,” a separate Christmas movie, released on the same day as the Napiers’ film. There’s been no word yet about whether that film will also get to appear on HGTV.