Upamanyu Biswas
With Marita Grabiak in the director’s chair, Hallmark’s ‘Baby, It’s Cold Inside’ tells the story of Hannah Fisher, a travel agent at Tropical Beach Travel. When Hannah gets a new assignment to travel to a world-renowned ice hotel, she is skeptical of its allure, especially because of her inherent love for tropical places. However, her initial assumptions are turned upside down after arriving at the establishment and experiencing its beauty firsthand. The dreamy stay becomes even more special after the protagonist meets one of the hotel’s owners, Ben Wade, a charming and handsome man who proves to be perfectly compatible with her style of working and personality. The romantic movie delves into a stunning icy backdrop that is just as breathtaking to watch as the heartfelt emotions building between the two central characters.
Where Was Baby, It’s Cold Inside Filmed?
‘Baby, It’s Cold Inside’ was mainly filmed in a municipality within the province of Québec, namely Saint-Gabriel-de-Valcartier. Principal photography on the project took place in the month of January 2021. The region is mainly known for its French-speaking quarters and its long history. It boasts a thriving nightlife and diverse locales that are resplendent with nature-infused views and urban neighborhoods. The production had to utilize a real-life establishment within the area to illustrate the movie’s central environment authentically. As filming occurred during winter, the snow was a pivotal addition to the chilly backdrop and brought a sense of magic and allure to the setting and, by association, the drama unfurling between each character.
Saint-Gabriel-de-Valcartier, Québec
Filming for ‘Baby, It’s Cold Inside’ took place in the small village of Saint-Gabriel-de-Valcartier, which is situated in the Capitale-Nationale region of Québec. The community is around 25 kilometers from the center of Quebec City and is known for its vibrant and courageous population. It boasts a number of unique landmark attractions. However, one of its most prominent attractions is the Hôtel de Glace at 2280 Boulevard Valcartier, where filming was concentrated. It is a 3-star hotel made entirely out of ice, featuring multiple rooms and luxury amenities that help it stand out as a holiday destination for travelers around the world. It also doubles up as the ice hotel where Hannah stays throughout the film, captivated by its magnificence and magical aesthetic.
Hôtel de Glace is a seasonal hotel that is open to visitors from the months of January to March. It is North America’s oldest ice hotel and is decorated with fine and delicate artistry. The establishment is home to some breathtaking snow arches, eye-catching ice sculptures, and beautifully adorned suites. All in all, the resort offers a once-in-a-lifetime experience for any enthusiastic traveler looking to embrace the beauty of the winter season. In an interview, Steve Lund, who plays Ben Wade, the hotel’s in-movie designer, stated that he was staggered by the intricacy of the resort’s environment and the monumental nature of the design work carried out by the actual architects. For that same reason, he found the prospect of playing one of the establishment’s owners and designers daunting.
“The craftsmanship, the dedication to the vision to conceive of something like that when you’re just staring at a block of ice is miraculous,” Lund said. When recording the scenes, the production team stayed away from some sections of the hotel, as they feature “dragons and gargoyle-type characters.” These areas were not lensed to keep the coherence intact. Instead, the film focuses on the charming and dazzling aspects of the hotel and its dream-like structure.
Baby, It’s Cold Inside Cast Details
‘Baby, It’s Cold Inside’ is graced by some brilliant performances by Jocelyn Hudon, Steve Lund, and Kathryn Kohut, who lead the film alongside a retinue of supporting roles. Hudon may be familiar to Hallmark fans because of her numerous acting credits in the network’s films. She is also the director of a short film titled ‘Callback.’ Lund is no stranger to winter-themed TV movies, having starred in a series of Christmas films for Hallmark. Kohut is a multifaceted actress and model who is also practiced in martial arts. Like Lund, she is a Hallmark regular herself.
Jocelyn Hudon as Hannah Fisher
Jocelyn Hudon stars as Hannah Fisher, a travel agent who loves tropical resorts. Hudon is best known for her roles as Abby in ‘The Strain,’ Campbell in ‘Dave,’ Paramedic Lyla Novak in ‘Chicago Fire,’ and Grace Bennett in Hallmark’s drama series ‘When Hope Calls,’ a spin-off of ‘When Calls the Heart.’ She can also be seen in ‘Pixels,’ ‘Good Witch,’ ‘Ice,’ ‘Criminal Minds,’ ‘9-1-1,’ and ‘Falling in Love in Niagara.’
Steve Lund as Ben Wade
Hudon shares the screen with Steve Lund, who features as Hannah’s love interest, Ben Wade. He is most noted for playing Nick Sorrentino in ‘Bitten,’ Jake in ‘Schitt’s Creek,’ Adam Darling in ‘Street Legal,’ and Luc Narcisse in ‘Reign.’ He and Hudon have appearances on separate seasons of Hallmark’s ‘Good Witch.’ The actor also stars in ‘Frankie Drake Mysteries,’ ‘Escaping the NXIVM Cult: A Mother’s Fight to Save Her Daughter,’ and ‘Hudson & Rex.’
Kathryn Kohut as Phoebe
Kathryn Kohut plays Hannah’s best friend, Phoebe. She began her acting career in Hallmark’s ‘Christmas Scavenger Hunt,’ where she plays Faith. Her prominent works include roles such as Colleen in ‘Twisted Neighbor,’ Lea in ‘Spare Parts,’ and Hattie in ‘Left Behind: Rise of the Antichrist.’ She is also present in ‘A Royal Christmas Crush,’ Lifetime’s ‘Danger in the House,’ ‘Mistletoe & Menorahs,’ and ‘Yellowstone Romance.’
The Hallmark movie also features Randy Thomas as Louis, Melinda Michael as Bridgette, Ish Morris as Shawn, Paul Constable as Phillip, Susan Hamann as Alice, Kate MacLellan as Erin, Jennifer Austin as Nora, and Craig Lauzon as Joe.
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