Naman Shrestha
In Hallmark’s ‘The Christmas Cup,’ Staff Sergeant Kelly Brandt endures a critical knee injury that jeopardizes her career. As she returns to her hometown for the holidays while recovering, she receives encouragement to get involved with her hometown team and lead them to victory against the rival town in the annual Christmas Cup. Her family convinces her to lead the team, after which Kelly begins to strategize and get the team ready for the competition, with the help of Fire Captain Quinn Stokley.
As she spends quite a lot of time with the team and Quinn, she feels a romantic connection to the Fire Captain. While she holds her breath to receive the news of being able to serve again, Kelly is reminded of her leadership qualities as she becomes part of the titular tournament. However, complications arise on the day of the competition as she is instructed to report to the Hawaiian base. Helmed by Robin Dunne, the holiday romantic drama movie unfolds in a quaint town against the backdrop of Christmas decorations, as the protagonist learns that there is more than one way to serve a community.
Where Was The Christmas Cup Filmed?
‘The Christmas Cup’ was shot entirely in British Columbia, especially in and around the city of Kelowna. According to reports, principal photography for the Hallmark production got underway on June 14, 2025, and went on for over a couple of weeks before wrapping up by the end of the same month. On Thanksgiving Day 2025, Ben Rosenbaum extended his gratitude towards “the wonderful cast and crew of #TheChristmasCup…”
Kelowna, British Columbia
Filming of ‘The Christmas Cup’ took place extensively in Kelowna, in the southern part of British Columbia. Nestled in the Okanagan Valley on the eastern shore of the eponymous lake, the city is renowned for its breathtaking snowy landscapes, ranging from majestic mountains and stunning lake views to quaint neighborhoods and vineyards. It boasts a booming film and TV industry, experienced crew members and talented actors, friendly locals and officials, favorable weather conditions, rustic streets, as well as other landmarks that evoke a small-town charm. All these factors made the lakeside city an ideal spot to create the snowy world of Staff Sergeant Kelly Brandt and Fireman Quinn, as they navigate competition, community, and shifting emotions during the holiday season.
To paint the visual canvas of the Hallmark production, the team packed the filming spots with props, such as festive lights, vines, and Christmas trees, garlands and ornaments that demonstrated the warm and wholesome vibe of Christmas. During the course of filming, the cast and crew members likely visited several locales in the city that were transformed into a winter wonderland. Over the years, Kelowna has served as the shooting site for multiple Christmas movies like ‘Just Like a Christmas Movie,’ ‘Our Holiday Story,’ ‘Love in Winterland,’ ‘Snowed in for Christmas,’ ‘Fixing Up Christmas,’ ‘The Christmas Retreat,’ ‘Peppermint and Postcards,’ ‘My Favorite Christmas Tree,’ ‘Single and Ready to Jingle,’ and ‘We Need A Little Christmas.’
The Christmas Cup Cast Details
The impressive performances of Rhiannon Fish and Ben Rosenbaum brought the wholesome tale of ‘The Christmas Cup’ to life. Despite not having worked together before the Hallmark film, the co-stars shared an undeniable chemistry on set through their characters. While Rhiannon has Canadian and Australian descent, Ben hails from Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Rhiannon Fish as Kelly Brandt
Rhiannon Fish steps into the role of Kelly Brandt, the Staff Sergeant who goes through a knee injury, in ‘The Christmas Cup.’ She has multiple TV shows to her credit, including ‘Home and Away,’ where she portrays April Scott, ‘The 100,’ playing the role of Ontari, and ‘Neighbours,’ portraying Lisa Jeffries. The talented actor also features in ‘A Love to Remember’ as Tenley, ‘Signed, Sealed, Delivered: To the Moon and Back’ as Charley, ‘He Loves Me Not’ as Holiday Merriwell, ‘Living with My Mother’s Killer’ as Mara, and ‘When Love Springs’ as Rory.
Ben Rosenbaum as Quinn Stokley
Ben Rosenbaum portrays Quinn Stokley, the Fire Captain and Kelly’s love interest, in the romantic drama movie. Widely recognized for his portrayal of Mike Hickam in ‘When Calls the Heart,’ Ben also stars in a couple of more TV shows, including ‘American Horror Story’ as Cop and ‘Anabel’s First Date: Web Series’ as Jared. You might have also seen him in movies like ‘It Was Always You,’ ‘Christmas Inheritance,’ and ‘Hope.’
In addition, Natasha Burnett plays the role of Bree, Jonas Janz portrays Duke, and Jaeda Lily Miller features as Starla. ‘The Christmas Cup’ also features other talented actors in supporting roles, including Everly Dunne as Maddie, Harlow Robbins as Kip, Michael Teigen as Mickey, David Fung as a taster, Jaxon Jensen as a Bridgeport singer, Vincent Ross as a Chief Scientist, Lana Westaway as a Bridgeport chugger, and Wayne Corbeil as a townfolk.
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