Naman Shrestha
With Liz Farrer at the helm, Hallmark’s ‘Because of Cupid’ is a romantic drama movie that acquaints us with two best friends, Naomi and Marcus, who are bartenders based in Buffalo, New York. Having high ambitions about starting their dream business, they participate in a Valentine’s Day mocktail contest to showcase their bartending talents. By accident, the two add a dose of a real love potion to their mocktail. Although they end up winning the competition, things get complicated when Cupid strikes and the judges, as well as Marcus, find themselves under the spell of the love potion.
As the potion’s effect grows, so does the media attention surrounding it. Meanwhile, Naomi and Marcus must come up with a solution to undo the mess. In the end, the best friends land a life-changing deal and confront their true feelings for each other. The tale of romance and friendship unfolds amidst the hustle and bustle of the city of Buffalo in New York, which reflects the chaos that the love potion adds to Naomi and Marcus’ lives.
Where Was Because of Cupid Filmed?
Although ‘Because of Cupid’ is set in New York, its shooting was conducted entirely in Ontario, particularly across the bustling city of Hamilton. From what we can tell, principal photography for the Hallmark production got underway in the first week of November 2025 under the working title ‘Love Potion’ and went on for a couple of weeks before wrapping up within the same month. While filming the movie, the director, Liz Farrer, reflects on how “Making a movie is such a magical experience.” She further stated, “We are making magic happen…”
Hamilton, Ontario
All the pivotal sequences for ‘Because of Cupid’ were lensed in the port city of Hamilton, which is situated on the western end of the Niagara Peninsula in Ontario. Thanks to the city’s diverse landscape, the production team was able to make various streets and neighborhoods resemble the city of Buffalo in the State of New York. The cast and crew members seemingly set up camp at crowded spaces in Hamilton, such as the downtown area, to capture the hustle and bustle of New York accurately.
From what we can tell, the filming unit also took over multiple establishments and businesses in Hamilton to tape several important indoor scenes, especially the ones involving the mocktail competition. Besides ‘Because of Cupid,’ the port city has served as a prominent production location for numerous movies and TV shows over the years, such as ‘The Cutting Edge,’ ‘The Time Traveler’s Wife,’ ‘Ordinary Girl in a Tiara’ ‘Meet Me in New York,’ ‘It’s a Boy Girl Thing,’ ‘Anne of Avonlea,’ ‘The Kennedys,’ and ‘Heated Rivalry.’
Because of Cupid Cast Details
The chemistry-filled performances of Amy Groening and Evan Roderick help bring the wholesome narrative of ‘Because of Cupid’ to life. Apart from being a two-time Canadian Screen Award-nominated actor, Amy has also served as a producer for a TV show titled ‘ActED Online.’ Meanwhile, Evan was a professional hockey player in the BCHL. However, he suffered a series of injuries, after which he pursued his true passion — performing arts.
Amy Groening as Naomi
In the Hallmark production, Amy Groening portrays Naomi, a bartender in Buffalo, New York. Widely recognized for her roles as Cheryl in ‘Teen Lust,’ Chelsea in ‘Father’s Day,’ Sarah Blake in ‘A Dash of Christmas,’ and Charlotte in ‘Reign.’ The talented actor also features in plenty of other films and TV shows, including ‘Dawn, Her Dad & the Tractor,’ ‘A House on Fire,’ ‘Halloween Party,’ ‘The Secret Ingredient,’ and ‘Backpackers.’
Evan Roderick as Marcus
Evan Roderick plays the role of Marcus, a bartender and Naomi’s best friend, in ‘Because of Cupid.’ You might find his face familiar because he essays the characters of Officer Nick Anastas in ‘Arrow,’ Chaz Bryant in ‘BH90210,’ Justin Davis in ‘Spinning Out,’ and Finn Walsh in ‘Providence Falls.’ His film credits include the likes of ‘If I Run,’ ‘Leah’s Perfect Gift,’ ‘A Make or Break Holiday,’ ‘Aurora Teagarden Mysteries: A Lesson in Murder,’ and ‘Sealed with a List.’ Besides the lead actors, the Hallmark film also features Jonathan Maxwell Silver as Steven and Sandra Flores as Lucy.
Read More: Hallmark’s Caught by Love: Filming Locations and Cast Details
