Naman Shrestha
Directed by Marita Grabiak, Lifetime’s ‘Christmas in the City’ is a 2013 family drama movie that follows a divorced single mother named Wendy Carroll, who operates Carroll’s Candy Shop in Quinton, where she grew up. Since the shop is the only thing she has left of her late father, she grew desperate when the business received a letter of foreclosure from the bank. In an attempt to save the candy store, Wendy relocates to Los Angeles, California, along with her daughter, Grace Carroll, until Christmas, hoping to make enough money. Not only does her old friend, Angie, let the mother and daughter stay with her in LA, but she also helps Wendy find a job at Wolman’s Department Store, an old-fashioned business run by the Wolman family.
As the store is lacking financially, the Board of Directors brings in a retail consultant named Teanna Musk, whose job is to turn things around and make the store more profitable. Since he doesn’t share the sentiments attached to the Christmas season, she replaces Santa with a male underwear model and ruins the holiday spirit. Now, Wendy must undo the damage before her daughter completely loses faith in Christmas. While the vibrant setting of the holiday season fills the backdrop, the city of Los Angeles serves as the primary setting for most of the story, where the protagonist works in a department store.
Where Was Christmas in the City Filmed?
Production on ‘Christmas in the City’ was conducted in California, specifically in Los Angeles County. According to reports, principal photography for the holiday film took place in the summer of 2013, primarily in the month of June over the course of a couple of weeks. Being the home of Hollywood, the State of California provided the production team with all the necessary amenities and local talents.
Los Angeles County, California
For bringing ‘Christmas in the City’ to the screen, the production team settled on Los Angeles County in Southern California. Several sites across the sprawling city of Los Angeles hosted the production of the movie. A portion of the film was shot at Promenade Mall, located at 6100 Topanga Canyon Road in the Woodland Hills neighborhood of the San Fernando Valley region. In the downtown LA area, the Herald Examiner Building served as the shooting site for a few scenes. Situated at 146 West 11th Street, the structure boasts a Mission and Spanish Colonial Revival architectural design. Initially a newspaper publishing house of the Los Angeles Examiner, it is now the Arizona State University’s California Center Broadway.
Some sequences of the Hallmark production were also taped at Central Park, located at 12405 East Waterfront Drive. The cameras rolled across many spots in the metropolitan region, lending the narrative suitable backdrops that easily complement the tone. The cast and crew also visited the city of Whittier, particularly on Greenleaf Avenue, to paint the visual canvas of the Christmas-themed film. To ensure the environment reflected the cozy vibe of the holiday season, the production team decorated Greenleaf Avenue with Christmas decorations, including red ribbons, wreaths, fairy lights, candy canes, gift boxes, trees, and nutcrackers.
Christmas in the City Cast Details
‘Christmas in the City’ is brought to life by the impressive performances from Ashley Williams and Ashanti. Throughout her years-long career in the industry, Ashley has also served as a director for several projects, including ‘Circle of Deception,’ ‘A Nashville Country Christmas,’ ‘Spotlights: A Showtime Short Film Series,’ and ‘The Rookie.’ On the other hand, Ashanti is a renowned R&B singer who has released multiple studio albums, such as “Chapter II,” “Concrete Rose,” “The Declaration,” and “Braveheart.”
Ashley Williams as Wendy Carroll
Ashley Williams plays the role of Wendy Carroll, a single mother who wishes to save her late father’s candy shop, in ‘Christmas in the City.’ In ‘How I Met Your Mother,’ she features as Victoria, while in ‘The Jim Gaffigan Show,’ she portrays Jeannie Gaffigan. Moreover, you might recognize her from ‘Something Borrowed’ as Claire, ‘To Barcelona, With Love’ as Anna Kelly, ‘Bad Hurt’ as Jessie, and ‘Lovesick’ as Felecia. Her other TV credits include ‘Amber Brown,’ ‘Royal Pains,’ ‘Warehouse 13,’ and ‘Saving Grace.’
Ashanti as Teanna Musk
In the Lifetime production, Ashanti portrays Teanna Musk, the retail consultant who doesn’t believe in Christmas. Widely known for her portrayals of Kyra in ‘Coach Carter,’ Eve in ‘Stuck,’ Heather in ‘John Tucker Must Die,’ and Betty in ‘Resident Evil: Extinction,’ the multi-talented actor also features in various TV shows, including ‘Dynasty,’ ‘Unforgettable,’ ‘Army Wives,’ and ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer.’
Apart from the lead actors, many other talented actors also feature in ‘Christmas in the City’ in supporting roles, including Shanola Hampton as Angie, Jon Prescott as Tom Wolman, Michael Durrell as Santa, Kylie Price as Grace Carroll, David Ralphe as Harry Wolman, Josh Crotty as Bruno, and Beverly Leech as Meg Carroll.
Read More: Fake Yourself a Merry Little Christmas: Filming Locations and Cast Details
