Movies

Hallmark Christmas Movie Filming for Biltmore Estate in January

December 22, 2022

ASHEVILLE – Christmas will come to Asheville twice this winter.

Hallmark Channel has announced that one of its new original films “Countdown to Christmas” will begin filming in the historic Biltmore Estate in January.

“A Biltmore Christmas” will feature Bethany Joy Lenz (“Good Sam”, “An Unexpected Christmas”) and Kristoffer Polaha (“We Wish You a Married Christmas”, “Jurassic World: Dominion”).

The film is set to premiere as part of Hallmark Channel’s 2023 “Countdown to Christmas” lineup.

Since 1895, George W. Vanderbilt and his family’s classic holiday traditions, such as raising the 35-foot Fraser Christmas tree in the banquet hall, have been upheld and continue to draw guests to the family home every year.

Although other productions have been filmed on the property, the Hallmark production will be the first time the National Historic Landmark has served as the setting for the Biltmore Estate.

Following:Christmas at Biltmore 2022 kicks off with the erection of a 35-foot tall Fraser tree

Following:New Prime streaming series filmed premiering WNC this month. Here’s how to watch.

“Each year, we look for ways to create new and exciting holiday viewing experiences for our audience,” said Samantha DiPippo, senior vice president, development, programming, Hallmark Media, in a press release. “We know fans will love being transported back in time and the beautiful and iconic Biltmore Estate is the perfect setting to help fans get into the holiday spirit.”

The film’s story begins with screenwriter Lucy Collins (Lenz) landing a job writing the script for a remake of “His Merry Bride!”, a beloved Christmas classic first filmed at Biltmore House in 1947. Lucy goes to the estate and joins a guide to visit the historic house. She is lured by a bewitching hourglass which she accidentally knocks over, then is transported back in time to 1946 – Hollywood’s Golden Age – and on set with the cast and crew of ‘His Merry Bride’. !” in Biltmore.

As Lucy tries to blend in and navigate an unfamiliar place and time, she catches the eye of the film’s main character, Jack Huston (Polaha). Lucy rebuffs his advances but the duo share a connection that can’t be denied.

The chain of events that occur after Lucy’s sudden appearance also cannot be ignored and puts the production at risk. Lucy must fix things before she can return to the present or threaten to alter the future forever.

Lucy is offered a chance to return home, even if it means saying goodbye to her potential soulmate. Or will the magic of Christmas prevent closing the curtain on their love story?

“A Biltmore Christmas” will be directed by John Putch from a screenplay by Marcy Holland. Dustin Rikert is the executive producer and Andrew Gernhard is the producer.

The film is intended to be contained within the more than 8,000 acres of the Biltmore estate, which included gardens designed by “the father of American landscape architecture”, Frederick Law Olmsted. Biltmore House is a 250-room French Renaissance chateau designed by Richard Morris Hunt.

To learn more about Biltmore, visit biltmore.com.

To learn more about Hallmark Channel, visit hallmarkchannel.com.

Tiana Kennell is a food and restaurant reporter for the Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA Today Network. Email her at tkennell@citizentimes.com or follow her on Twitter/Instagram @PrincessOfPage. Please help support this kind of journalism with a subscription at the Citizen Times.