The Hallmark Channel’s newest movie, “The Santa Class,” premieres on Saturday, December 14, at 8 p.m. Eastern/7 p.m. Central. The movie stars Kimberley Sustad and Benjamin Ayres. Read on to learn all about where it was filmed and to see behind-the-scenes stories.
‘The Santa Class’ Was Filmed in Gibsons, Canada
“The Santa Class” was filmed in Canada on the Sunshine Coast of Gibsons, British Columbia, Canada, according to an Instagram post by actress Carmel Amit. On October 13, she wrote: “That’s a wrap on my favourite @hallmarkchannel experience to date. So many laughs my belly hurts” and tagged her behind-the-scenes photo as being in Gibsons.
According to Leading Distribution Partners, the movie (whose working title was “Santa Who?”) was also filmed in Vancouver, Canada.
Ben Ayres’ Romance Unviersity on Instagram posted a behind-the-scenes video, writing: “An Easter Egg for the Alumni ♥️🌲 Who’s excited for The Santa Class with @kimberleysustad and @benjaminayres on @hallmarkchannel on December 14th?”
Writer Russel Hainline replied to a Hallmark post on Reddit, expressing his excitement about the movie.
“I wrote this movie, and I am very, very excited for everyone to see it,” Hainline shared. “It’s a big festive Christmas comedy, the ensemble is so much fun, and I think Kim and Ben have really great chemistry together. Hope you all love this one as much as I do! 🎅🎓”
He also shared a post on Instagram, tagged on the Sunshine Coast, where he shared his thoughts about the new movie.
Here are some behind-the-scenes moments he shared, including revealing that Paul Campbell will have a role in the film.
Graeme McComb also took to Instagram to post a selfie, captioned: “Skinny Santa vibes only pls.”
He also posted: “The whole cast and crew of this movie were incredible. I feel so lucky to have been able to work with everyone on this production. So many laughs and good times were had. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!”
Sustad posted on Instagram about the whole Christmas season, which included her filming two movies on top of going on a cruise.
She wrote: “From DC to New York it was an absolute joy getting to be with you all and meeting so many beautiful faces along the way. Thank you to all who came out to kick off @hallmarkchannel 15th Anniversary to The Countdown To Christmas. It is an honour to work with a network dedicated to bringing warmth, joy, and love to all of our homes. We need it. Happy Countdown… there are some good ones this year. 😉”
Meet the Cast
Hallmark’s synopsis reads:
Kate North (Sustad) finds herself reluctantly taking over her father’s once acclaimed and now struggling Santa School. In the weeks leading up to Christmas and the school’s next session, Kate and her new co-worker Dan (Ayres) discover who they believe to be the real Santa Claus, lost and without his memories after his sled steered off course and crashed near the school. They decide to help him remember who he is by inviting him to participate in the intense Santa training program. There’s a lot at stake this year with Kate’s school needs to best the rival St. Nicholas School or be forced to close their doors, and Nick (Santa Claus) needs to remember who he is, or the fate of Christmas might be at stake.
Kimberley Sustad is Kate. According to her bio, she’s known for her work on stage and screen. Growing up on the Canadian prairies, she enjoyed horseback riding and other outdoor adventures. To date, Sustad has appeared in such series as “Supernatural,” “Chesapeake Shores,” and Netflix’s “Travelers,” among others, and has starred in many Hallmark favorites, including “Christmas by Starlight” and “The Nine Kittens of Christmas.” When not on screen, she keeps active with kickboxing, rock climbing, and snowboarding.
Benjamin Ayres is Dan. According to his bio, his credits span TV and feature films. He starred as Dr. Zachary Miller on “Saving Hope” and is known for his role in CBC’s cult hit “jPod,” which earned him a Leo nomination. Ayres has over 40 credits, including on “The Good Doctor,” “Burden of Truth,” “Battlestar Galactica,” and “The Vampire Diaries.” For Hallmark, he’s headlined fan favorites such as “Field Day,” “Long Lost Christmas,” and “Love by Chance.” Ayres trained at The Lyric School of Acting and became one of Vancouver’s sought-after stage actors.
Paul Campbell also makes an appearance.
Also starring, according to IMDb, are:
- Trevor Lerner
- Eric Pollins
- Alessandro Miro
- Ryan Beil
- Carmel Amit
- Gary Jones
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‘The Santa Class’ Behind the Scenes: Filming Locations & Cast Stories