Naman Shrestha
Lifetime’s ‘Thank God: Christmas at Keller Ranch’ is a romantic drama film that revolves around a chance encounter between two strangers that leads to something more. Wes Campbell is a professional hockey player who gets injured as he gears up for the holiday season. He is consequently advised to take Equine-assisted therapy, for which he visits Keller Ranch in Nashville. There, he meets Maggie Keller, an equine therapist and rancher, whom he is to take therapy from. Having lost her husband last year, she is juggling her responsibilities as a devoted mother, raising a son, while also finding ways to pay the mortgage.
Noting Wes’ lack of belief in the therapy, she takes it as a challenge to heal her patient. In helping Wes regain his strength, Maggie also unexpectedly begins to heal from her own loss. As their journey progresses from one session to the next, the two find themselves opening their hearts to the possibility of romance once again. While most of the story of the Stefan Brogren directorial is based on Maggie’s expansive ranch, it also takes the audience to diverse, visually engaging locations.
Where Was Thank God: Christmas at Keller Ranch Filmed?
Production on ‘Thank God: Christmas at Keller Ranch’ was conducted entirely in Ontario, especially in the city of Ottawa. According to reports, principal photography for the holiday movie commenced on June 7, 2025, and lasted for nearly three weeks before concluding by the end of the same month.
Ottawa, Ontario
The capital city of Ontario, Ottawa, served as the primary production location for ‘Thank God: Christmas at Keller Ranch.’ Several streets and neighborhoods of the city were taken over by the filming unit, with storefronts and businesses adorned with Christmas decorations. For taping a few key indoor scenes, they supposedly set up camp in real-life establishments in and around Ottawa. Meanwhile, the cast and crew members were also spotted recording various outdoor portions in different parts of the city.
In the establishing shots, you might be able to spot multiple prominent buildings and famous landmarks associated with Ottawa, such as the Rideau Canal, the Rideau Hall, the National Gallery of Canada, the Canadian Museum of Nature, the Fairmont Château Laurier, the Ottawa Little Theatre, and more. Besides the Stefan Brogren directorial, the capital city has served as a production location for numerous films, like ‘Hot Frosty,’ ‘My Grown-Up Christmas List,’ ‘The Most Colorful Time of the Year,’ ‘Christmas Around the Corner,’ and ‘A Storybook Christmas.’
Thank God: Christmas at Keller Ranch Cast Details
The cast of ‘Thank God: Christmas at Keller Ranch’ is led by the impressive performances from Tyler Hilton and Arielle Kebbel. The former is also a well-established musician who has performed songs for movies and shows like ‘A Christmas Wish,’ ‘Love Takes Flight,’ ‘The Passage,’ and ‘One Tree Hill.’ Similarly, Arielle has also performed a few songs for ‘Four Christmases and a Wedding’ and ‘A Bride for Christmas.’ She has also served as a producer for ‘Love in the Great Smoky Mountains: A National Park Romance.’
Tyler Hilton as Wes Campbell
Tyler Hilton essays the character of Wes Campbell, the injured professional hockey player, in ‘Thank God: Christmas at Keller Ranch.’ Widely known for his roles as Murphy Bivens in ‘Charlie Bartlett,’ Elvis Presley in ‘Walk the Line,’ and Chris Keller in ‘One Tree Hill.’ He also features in ‘When Christmas Was Young,’ ‘A Christmas Wish,’ ‘His Wives and Daughter,’ ‘Pitch,’ ‘Extant,’ and ‘Single Ladies.’
Arielle Kebbel as Maggie Keller
In the Lifetime film, Arielle Kebbel steps into the role of Maggie Keller, the therapist and Wes’ romantic interest. You might recognize her as Allison in ‘Grudge 2,’ Carrie in ‘John Tucker Must Die,’ Cecilia Banks in ‘Aquamarine,’ and Alex in ‘The Uninvited.’ Her other movie and show credits include ‘A Christmas Witness,’ ‘A Brush with Love,’ ‘Love Is a Dog’s Best Friend,’ ‘Midnight, Texas,’ ‘Ballers,’ ‘Grand Hotel,’ and ‘Lincoln Rhyme: Hunt for the Bone Collector.’
Other cast members who play supporting yet important roles in ‘Thank God: Christmas at Keller Ranch’ include Eshan Lyall as Dawson Keller, Jenny Fischer as Physical Therapist, Tim Progosh as Self – Greg Wilkes/Greg Wilkes (agent), Natalie Roy as Laurie Myers, Rachel Sellan as Sarah, Pierre Simpson as Pastor Joel, and Ava Weiss as Isabel.
Read More: She’s Making a List: Filming Locations and Cast Details
