Hallmark’s newest movie, “Romance at Hope Ranch,” premieres on Saturday, February 28, at 8 p.m. Eastern/7 p.m. Central. The film stars Alison Sweeney and Gabriel Hogan. Read on to get the inside scoop on where it was filmed, along with some behind-the-scenes stories from cast and crew.
‘Romance at Hope Ranch’ Was Filmed in New Mexico in September
“Romance at Hope Ranch” was filmed in the Ruidoso, New Mexico region, according to Discover Ruidoso. Ruidoso is a natural fit for its working ranches, open pastures, hills and meadows, which create the perfect ambiance for the movie. Production also included rural areas and utilized New Mexico’s rural film incentive, NMFilm reported.
Filming wrapped in September, NMFilm reported, and at the time the movie’s working title was simply called “Hope Ranch.”
Steve Graham, Director of the New Mexico Film Office, said in a statement: “Ruidoso’s community has shown incredible resilience, and we are proud that ‘Hope Ranch’ is bringing jobs and positive economic activity to the area. This project is a powerful testament to the value of our film uplift, which successfully brings these high-impact productions to our beautiful rural communities.”
The film employed more than 90 local residents, including 30 crew, 12 actors, and 50 background performers.
Sweeney shared a cute behind-the-scenes moment with her favorite co-star, a chicken named Houdini. In a different post, she shared some other behind the scenes photos, including one of her “getting my hair fixed while on horseback.”
Sweeney told Celeb Secrets that Ruidoso locals were “incredibly welcoming” while they filmed. But, she added, the ranch animals needed a little extra improv.
“Animals certainly don’t understand camera blocking, rehearsals or angles so we had to do more improv than in most of my movies but that made an extra fun challenge,” she said.
Actor Scott Martin shared some of his favorite moments as well.
Stephanie Beran shared a series of photos as well, writing “It takes a village.”
Beran played the role of Lori. She writes about her character: “Playing her felt like stepping into something new and completely familiar at the same time. She’s bold, bubbly, a little loud in the best way, leads with her whole heart, and isn’t afraid to go after what (or who) she wants.”
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Meet the Cast
Hallmark’s synopsis reads: “Hope Morgan sets out to begin a new chapter of her life—fulfilling her childhood dream of running a ranch in the picturesque town of Ruidoso, New Mexico and reviving the beloved Giddy Up Gala.”
Alison Sweeney stars as Hope. She’s well known among Hallmark fans for her numerous films, such as “The Wedding Veil” series, “Chronicle Mysteries,” “Hannah Swensen Mysteries,” and more. She’s also known for her role on “Days of Our Lives,” and numerous other productions. With more than 1.5 million social media followers, she has a tremendous fan base that supports her.
Megan Sweeney, Alison Sweeney’s daughter, has her acting debut in this film, TV Insider reported. The suggestion came from Alison’s producing partner, Craig Baumgarten. She said she hadn’t even considered it until he brought it up.
She told TV Insider: “It literally had not ever occurred to me. I kind of stammered a bit, and then was like, ‘I mean, yes, of course, that would be amazing.'”
Gabriel Hogan stars as Jack. He recently starred in the “Murder She Baked” series on Hallmark, along with “Christmas at the Cartwright’s” and “Christmas List” with Alicia Witt. He’s also known for credits like “Heartland,” “Rent-a-Goalie,” “Warehouse 13,” “The Border,” “The Best Years,” “The Kennedys,” “Teen Wolf,” “NCIS,” and more.
Also starring, according to IMDb, are:
- Scott Martin (Tom Grayson)
- Stephanie Beran (Lori Bennett)
- Stephen E. Estler (Rancher)
- Craig Fones (Inspector Dave)
- Angela McAllister (Coffee shop customer)
- Dodie Montgomery (Mayor Winona)
- Jack Sheehan (Cowboy)
Tailiah Breon directed.
