Sara Evans, RaeLynn and More to Star in Hallmark Christmas Movies

Wynonna, Kix Brooks, Kimberly Williams-Paisley and Blake Shelton are also taking part.

Written by Chris Parton
Sara Evans, RaeLynn and More to Star in Hallmark Christmas Movies
Sara Evans; Photo credit: LOWFIELD

Hallmark Channel’s yearly Christmastime celebration is about to begin, and this year country fans will have extra reason to tune in.

Famous for delivering dozens of films each year with heartwarming, family-friendly plots, the network is going all out for 2020. No less than 40 new movies and TV episodes are being gifted to fans — but this year a few twists and some country favorites are joining in. Familiar stars like Candace Cameron Bure, Lacey Chabert and Danica McKellar will all take leading roles, and so will Wynonna Judd, Sara Evans, RaeLynn, Kix Brooks and Kimberly Williams-Paisley — the wife of Brad Paisley.

Those famous names will act alongside Jessy Schram and Wes Brown in A Nashville Christmas Carol, which airs November 21 at 8 p.m. ET on Hallmark Channel. And there’s one more country connection this holiday season. Blake Shelton serves as executive producer on Time for Us to Come Home, which airs December 5 at 9 p.m. ET on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries. That one’s the sequel to 2018’s Time for Me to Come Home for Christmaswhich was based on Shelton’s 2012 song, “Time for Me to Come Home.”

In a new twist for 2020, the network will present its first LGBTQ holiday film — with Mean Girls actor Jonathan Bennett starring in The Christmas House. It follows a gay couple trying to adopt a baby as the network aims for more inclusive stories, and like every year, the programming is all meant to brighten spirits. But this time viewers need it more than ever, says Hallmark’s Michelle Vicary, EVP, Programming.

“Our holiday table is bigger and more welcoming than ever. This year’s movies reflect our most diverse representation of talent, narratives, and families, including The Christmas House, featuring a storyline about a gay couple looking to adopt their first child, and starring Jonathan Bennett in an ensemble cast,” she says. “Our movies are rooted in warmth and positivity, meaningful connections, family gatherings, and seasonal traditions — a winning formula we hope will bring our millions of viewers much-needed levity and holiday cheer at the end of a tough year.”

Hallmark Channel’s Countdown to Christmas and and Hallmark Movies & Mysteries Miracles of Christmas campaigns begins October 23.