Newport, RI Glows in Hallmark’s New Holiday Movie

The holiday season isn't complete without decking the halls, trimming the tree, and of course, watching Hallmark movies.

This year, a new film with local ties, A Newport Christmas, is lighting up our screens.

"We filmed in Newport and also in Buffalo, but something that's really special is our incredible production team went to Newport last Christmas and got some really magical aerial shots when Newport was actually decorated for the holiday," star Ginna Claire Mason said.

Behind the Scenes in Newport

"There's lots of Newport everywhere," Mason said. "Newport is like its own character in the film, you know, the way the light reflects on the water and the architecture and the decorations."

"It's like stepping into a Christmas card, but what an iconic place to film," she said. "It was my first time there and I just loved my experience and would like to go back again."

A Time-Traveling Love Story

A Newport Christmas tells the story of a Newport socialite in the early 1900s who dreams of something more.

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"It's a story about a love that transcends time, literally," Mason said.

We're introduced to her character, Ella, in the year 1905, a time when the Gilded Age of Newport was alive and well. Ella makes a wish on the Christmas comet and finds herself in the year 2025.

"An hour ago, she was docked at her beloved Newport and now we're in the land of paper cups and women in pants and it's all sort of delightful and exciting and also terrifying," Mason said. "You see sort of the legacy that she actually gets to have in the future and how is she going to keep that from slipping away if she doesn't go back and fulfill it."

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The film debuted on Hallmark on Sunday, November 2, one of many holiday films that will be aired on the channel throughout the season.

The Hallmark Family

Mason is no stranger to the Hallmark movie magic. She's been in a few of them over the years and each one holds a special place in her heart.

"Honestly, a dream come true, and every project that has come my way has felt like an absolute gift and has tapped into different areas of interest as a person and as a storyteller," she said. "It's an amazing network, and sometimes I just sit back and go, "Wow.'"