It’s been four years since Danica McKellar and Neal Bledsoe appeared opposite each other in the Hallmark romance Coming Home for Christmas. On January 8, audiences will be able to watch the pair reunite in a second romantic film, this time for a brand new network.
McKellar and Bledsoe will star in The Winter Palace, which will air on GAC Family. In the movie, McKellar plays Emily Miller, a romance author suffering from writer’s block. When her best friend suggests she apply for the caretaker’s position at a nearby ski chalet, she agrees, hoping that some peace and quiet will help her get on with her next best-seller.
But her plans are derailed when the chalet’s owners, the royal family of Concordia, arrive for a vacation.
“When we first meet, there’s a lot of ice, a lot of tension,” McKellar said during an interview to promote the movie. “But soon, the warmth of potential romance melts that ice.”
New network, new deal
The Winter Palace is the first of four movies that Danica McKellar will star in and produce for GAC Family, which former Hallmark CEO Bill Abbott founded.
In October, the actress announced she had signed an exclusive contract with the network that runs through 2023. In a recent Wall Street Journal article, she said she was excited when Abbott contacted her with his idea.
“…I was thrilled that he reached out to me,” she told the newspaper.
Other Hallmark stars such as Jen Lilley, Jessica Lowndes, and Trevor Donovan have also made movies for the new network. Daniel Lissing and Lori Loughlin appeared in a Christmas special that kicked off Season 2 of When Hope Calls, a former Hallmark show that GAC picked up for a second season.
Fun times, funny movie
Danica McKellar says The Winter Palace has been a big part of her life recently.
“I was heavily involved in this movie as both an actor and executive producer, especially in the editing and rewriting process. This movie has been a huge part of my existence,” she said in an interview with Digital Journal. “It is a really fun premise, and it has so much comedy in it…. We had a really great time making this film.”
McKellar will host a joint watch/birthday party (she turned 47 on January 3) on her Instagram page starting at 4/3c on January 8.
She and her co-star will share behind-the-scenes stories and answer fan questions.
The Winter Palace will premiere on Saturday, January 8, on GAC Family at 8/7c.