Lenz (left) and Hynes (right) | Photos: Crown Media
Hallmark Channel announced today that Bethany Joy Lenz (One Tree Hill, Five Star Christmas) and Tyler Hynes (Roadhouse Romance, On the 12th Date of Christmas) will lead An Unexpected Christmas, an all-new original holiday movie that is set to premiere as part of the network’s iconic Countdown to Christmas programming event this holiday season!
I know I’m not alone with being excited to finally have confirmation on this movie; Joy posted a video from her heading off to film the movie back in August, and I’ve been eager to learn more ever since!
In An Unexpected Christmas, Jamie (Hynes) hasn’t told his family that he and his now ex-girlfriend Emily (Lenz) broke up. After an inopportune run-in with Emily at the train station in his hometown, Jamie convinces her to pretend they’re still a couple to avoid ruining Christmas for his family.
Jamie and Emily engage in a week-long ruse of participating in his family’s holiday activities together. While they’re stuck in his family’s home, the pair discovers their relationship might still have some potential, resulting in a very unexpected Christmas.
This sounds fun!
Paul Campbell wrote the story, which is directed by Michael Robison and produced by Charles Cooper. I really enjoy watching Hallmark movies with Paul each year, but he co-wrote a holiday film for the network last year, Christmas by Starlight, which was one of my favorites of the season, so I have high hopes for this new film.
Among their many network credits, Joy has previously starred in the Hallmark holiday movies The Christmas Secret (2014) and Five Star Christmas (2020), and Tyler got festive in On the 12th Date of Christmas (2020), The Mistletoe Secret (2019) and It’s Christmas, Eve (2018).
Stay merry!
CHER
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Loved this movie. Great chemistry between the actors.. very natural banter. Would love to know where to get the burgundy skirt she wears in the kitchen scene and the red white and blue snowflake sweater she wears during the gift exchange near the end. . Can you help??!!
I second Terri’s comment above asking about the sweater she wore at the end did you find any info on it?
Tyler and Joy did an excellent job making An Unexpected Christmas. I loved Tyler beardless but prefer him with a beard. Paul Campbell did an excellent job writing the script. The cast was excellent. I loved the kissing scenes especially. Now I am glad Paul and Tyler are such good friends having made Three wise Men and a Baby with Andrew Walker.