Naman Shrestha
The Peter DeLuise directorial, Hallmark’s ‘The Birthday Wish,’ is about Gwen Turner, a director of television commercials who lost his father when she was only thirteen years old. The suddenness of the tragedy impacted her gravely. So, in order to avoid getting into unexpected situations, she has tried her best to be in control of every aspect of her life by coming up with an entire plan for her future — getting engaged by the time she is 30, getting married, and moving to Los Angeles for better career opportunities. She has also incorporated her longtime boyfriend, Alex, into her plans.
Expecting to have a romantic proposal on her 30th birthday, Gwen is disheartened when Alex doesn’t come through. Thus, as her birthday wish, she wishes to see ten years into her future but is shocked when the director gets a glimpse into her future, which hints that she would be married to a creative director named Dave McGee, with whom she recently has been paired to work. With the vision of her future in her mind, she inevitably feels a romantic attraction towards Dave while still dating Alex. Now, she must decide and choose either her heart or her plan. In the romantic comedy film, the romance between Gwen and Dave unfolds mostly around the sets they work at, giving rise to questions about the actual sites in the minds of the audience.
Where Was The Birthday Wish Filmed?
The production of ‘The Birthday Wish’ was carried out in its entirety in British Columbia, particularly in Metro Vancouver. According to reports, principal photography for the Hallmark film got underway in November 2016 and went on for a few weeks, before getting wrapped up by the end of the same month.
Metro Vancouver, British Columbia
For shooting purposes, the filming unit of ‘The Birthday Wish’ set up camp across Metro Vancouver, making the most of the metropolitan area’s vast and versatile landscape. To be specific, pivotal exterior sequences were lensed around 2900 272 Street in Aldergrove, which previously was home to Milsean Shoppe. Now, the chocolate factory has shifted a few miles south of its original location. Several important scenes were also taped in the city of Vancouver, which is situated in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia.
Also dubbed the Hollywood North, Vancouver provides many different reasons for filmmakers to choose its locales as production locations. Its distinct climate, generous provincial tax credits, advanced film infrastructure, and talented local talent are some of them. Apart from ‘The Birthday Wish,’ Metro Vancouver has also hosted many movies and TV shows over the years. Some of the notable ones include ‘Once Upon a Time,’ ‘The Age of Adaline,’ ‘She’s the Man,’ ‘Firefly Lane,’ ‘Virgin River,’ and ‘Signed, Sealed, Delivered.’
The Birthday Wish Cast Details
The cast of ‘The Birthday Wish’ is led by the compelling onscreen chemistry and performances of Jessy Schram and Luke Macfarlane. Interestingly, much like her character, Jessy Schram also began her career through numerous national commercials before making it as a movie star.
Jessy Schram as Gwen Turner
Jessy Schram dons the garb of Gwen Turner, the director television commercials, in ‘The Birthday Wish.’ Besides portraying Dr. Hannah Asher in ‘Chicago Med,’ the versatile actor is also known for her roles in ‘The Nine Lives of Claw’ as Purrnelope, ‘Nashville’ as Cash Gray, ‘The Lizzie Borden Chronicles’ as Nance O’Keefe, ‘Falling Skies’ as Karen Nadler, and ‘Last Resort’ as Christine Kendal. She also stars in many films, including ‘A Smile as Big as the Moon,’ ‘Reluctant Nanny,’ ‘The Submarine Kid,’ ‘Time for Them to Come Home for Christmas,’ and ‘Mystic Christmas.’
Luke Macfarlane as Dave McGee
The ‘Brothers & Sisters’ fame Luke Macfarlane essays the role of Dave McGee, the romantic interest of Gwen, in the romantic film. He is widely recognized for portraying D’avin Jaqobis in ‘Killjoys,’ Chaplain Hopkins in ‘Mercy Street,’ Rick Lincoln in ‘The Night Shift,’ and Charlie in ‘Platonic.’ You might also recognize him from several movies like ‘Catch Me If You Claus,’ ‘Amish Stud: The Eli Weaver Story,’ ‘Single All the Way,’ and ‘Taking a Shot at Love.’
Marcus Rosner as Alex
In ‘The Birthday Wish,’ Marcus Rosner portrays Alex, Gwen’s longtime boyfriend. He might seem like a familiar face to some of you because he has been featured in various film and TV projects over the course of his acting career. For instance, he stars in ‘Poinsettias for Christmas,’ ‘The Killer Downstairs,’ ‘Engaged by Christmas,’ ‘Coupled Up for Christmas,’ ‘Ride,’ ‘The Love Club,’ ‘Arrow,’ ‘UnREAL,’ and ‘When Calls the Heart.’
Apart from the above-mentioned actors, the cast of the rom-com movie also features other talented actors in supporting roles, including Yvonne Chapman as Mia, Barbara Pollard as Katherine Turner, David James Lewis as Bruce, Cardi Wong as Greg, Derek Green as Charles, and Drew Ray Tanner as Kian.
Read More: Hallmark’s The Sweetest Heart: Filming Locations and Cast Details
