Debapriya Bhattacharya
Directed by Lorena David, Great American Family’s ‘The Christmas Spark’ tells the story of a high-flying lawyer named Adrian who gets denied his promotion as Head of Litigations and decides to make a career shift. He joins the fire department of his hometown alongside much younger recruits, in an attempt to prove himself in a different field. He also comes across a lovely woman named Sarah, whom he had previously seen at a party, and discovers that she is the mother of one of his fellow recruits, Charlie. Sparks fly between the two, even as Charlie takes time to warm up to the new person in his life. The small-town setting of the holiday romance makes the movie a warm, nostalgic watch.
Where Was The Christmas Spark Filmed?
Principal photography for ‘The Christmas Spark’ took place in the state of New York, particularly in and around the city of Buffalo and the village of Lancaster in Erie County. The movie was shot in March and April 2025 over the course of three weeks. With substantial tax incentives and a diverse scenic landscape, New York is a popular destination for film and television productions. As more projects arrive in the state, the existing large talent pool of human resources gathers more experience and provides much-needed support to the state-of-the-art infrastructure available for filming.
Buffalo, New York
The majority of the scenes in ‘The Christmas Spark’ were lensed in Buffalo and its surrounding suburbs. In addition to the scenic beauty of the temperate region, the diverse cityscape formed the perfect backdrop for the romantic drama. Buffalo also boasts state-of-the-art infrastructure for shooting, as well as easy access to skilled human resources. While filming took place in different locations, some of the prominent destinations included Revolution Buffalo, a gym situated at 1716 Main Street, and the Erie County Fire Training Academy at 3359 Broadway, which doubled as the base where Adrian enrolls himself as a trainee firefighter.
Some of the outdoor sequences were also shot near North Forest Road in suburban Amherst. Apart from ‘The Christmas Spark,’ other movies and TV shows that have been filmed in Buffalo include ‘Christmas on Every Page,’ ‘Christmas of Giving,’ ‘HouseSitter,’ ‘O’Dessa,’ ‘Henry’s Crime,’ ‘Best Friends,’ and ‘The Bachelorette.’
Lancaster, New York
Located approximately 14 miles west of Buffalo, the village of Lancaster became the backdrop for a number of scenes in ‘The Christmas Spark.’ Alongside the tranquil setting, the easy availability of robust infrastructure and skilled human resources made the place an excellent option for the production team. Lancaster also became the filming destination of choice for movies like ‘The Time Machine’ and ‘Johnny Gruesome,’ as well as short films like ‘The Cocoon,’ ‘Tales from Clark County,’ ‘The Holiday Man,’ and more.
The Christmas Spark Cast Details
The cast of ‘The Christmas Spark’ is led by Mario Lopez and Ali Cobrin. Hailing from San Diego, California, Mario began acting on television at an early age, before also establishing himself as a television presenter. On the other hand, Ali was born and raised in Chicago, Illinois, and majored in musical theater. She trained as a ballerina and a track & field athlete before pursuing a career in acting.
Mario Lopez as Adrian
Mario Lopez appears in ‘The Christmas Spark’ as the lawyer who leaves his job in a major firm to take up a trainee job at a firefighting station. His other works include television shows such as ‘Today,’ playing Slater. ‘Saved by the Bell’ and ‘Saved by the Bell: The College Years, as A.C. Slater, ‘Pacific Blue’ as police officer Bobby Cruz, and many more. He also appears in films such as ‘Once Upon a Christmas Wish’ as Brian, ‘Steppin’ Into the Holiday’ as Billy Holiday, and ‘Holiday in Santa Fe’ as Tony Ortega, among others.
Ali Cobrin as Sarah
In ‘The Christmas Spark,’ Ali Cobrin plays the role of Sarah, the widowed mother whose son becomes a firefighter. Her filmography includes movies like ‘American Reunion’ as Kara, ‘Neighbors’ as Whitney, ‘Girl House’ as Kylie Atkins, and ‘The Iron Orchard’ as Lee Montgomery, as well as television shows such as ‘The Baxters’ as Kari Baxter, ‘Small Shots’ as Becky, ‘Look’ as Molly, and more.
Mario and Ali are supported on screen by a talented ensemble cast that includes Charlie Besso as Charlie Foster, Erik Rivera as Diego Ramirez, Mehdi Francois-Ackerman as David Reece, Richard Livingston as Edgar, and Davie Dave as firefighter Davie Dave.
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