Sartaj Singh
‘Holidazed’ follows five families living on the same cul-de-sac as they reunite for the holidays. Each family has its own hectic schedules, Christmas traditions, and dysfunctions. As they venture out into tree-lined streets, the glimmering Christmas night market becomes a common destination for their stories to intersect. Produced by Grant Scharbo, the Hallmark Christmas series is set in a picturesque community in Oak Bay, Oregon, and creates a winter wonderland around which the heartwarming family stories unfold.
Where is Holidazed Filmed?
Filming for ‘Holidazed’ takes place across various locations across Vancouver Island, including Victoria and Duncan, British Columbia. Principal photography for the debut season of the show was reportedly conducted between September 19 and December 12, 2022. The cast and crew seemed to enjoy their time behind the scenes of the production, sharing lighthearted moments. Actress Erin Cahill appreciated her costars and the showrunners for creating an immersive world with the Christmas series, saying that the experience was a dream come true for her. “Our magnificent showrunners (Gina Maria Matthews, Grant Scharbo, and Claudia Grazioso) created a world on and off camera that I’m still in awe of,” wrote Cahill in an Instagram post.
Victoria, British Columbia
‘Holidazed’ is primarily filmed in the picturesque coastal city of Victoria. Located on the southern end of Vancouver Island, the city offers diverse filming locations that double for Oak Bay, Oregon. Shooting is centered around Downtown Victoria, where the production team transformed local homes to portray the close-knit cul-de-sac community. The locations are dressed up with seasonal decorations and portray the quintessential suburban neighborhood. The first season of the show was initially planned to be shot entirely in Victoria but later ventured to Duncan in order to capture exterior locations in public areas, which would have been difficult in Victoria.
Duncan, British Columbia
Shooting for exterior locations of the Christmas night market in ‘Holidazed’ is carried out in Duncan, British Columbia. A small city north of Victoria, Duncan serves as a perfect location for the show to capture its small-town backdrop. The Christmas night market seen in the show is actually created at Duncan City Square on 20 Kenneth Street #128 and 200 block of Craig Street in the City Hall area. The team also ventures to tape scenes at the IDA Pharmacy on 192 Kenneth Street.
Filming is carried out only at night, allowing the businesses to remain open even as the production crew rolls cameras in the public area. Furthermore, since Duncan is a smaller city, the production team finds that the locals are very supportive of filming even if it disrupts travel in central streets and areas. “Downtown Duncan has the vibe and energy of a small town that is hard to find anywhere in Victoria,” said location manager Russ Hamilton. “The site is also easier to control than in Victoria and there is less disruptions on the streets of downtown Duncan.”
Holidazed Cast
‘Holidazed’ has a powerful ensemble cast starring Holland Roden as Katie Manetti-Hanahan, Virginia Madsen as Connie Manetti-Hanahan, Rachelle Lefevre as Sylvie Woods, Erin Cahill as Nora Jacobs, John C. McGinley as Chuck Manetti-Hanahan, and Dennis Haysbert as Robert Lewin. Haysbert is a popular actor known for his performance as President David Palme in ‘24,’ God in ‘Lucifer,’ and Ed in Hulu’s ‘No Exit.’ Roden can be seen in ‘Teen Wolf’ as Lydia Martin, ‘Five Gold Rings’ as Audrey Moss, and ‘Tipline Mysteries: Dial 1 for Murder‘ as Maddie.
Madsen is a seasoned actress who was nominated for an Oscar for her performance as Maya in ‘Sideways.’ You may have also seen her in ‘Swamp Thing’ as Maria Sunderland, ‘Elementary’ as Paige, and ‘The Truth About the Harry Quebert Affair’ as Tamara Quinn. McGinley is an award-winning actor who garnered attention with ‘Scrubs’ as Dr. Perry Cox, ‘Point Break’ as Ben Harp, ‘Se7en‘ as California, and ‘Platoon‘ as Sgt. O’Neill. Lefevre is recognized for her work in ‘Twilight‘ as Victoria, ‘Barney’s Version’ as Clara ‘Chambers’ Charnofsky, and ‘White House Down‘ as Melanie. Booth is a Hallmark regular who can be spotted in ‘Under the Autumn Moon‘ as Alex, ‘The Librarians’ as Cassandra Cillian, and ‘Rocky Mountain Christmas’ as Sarah.
Other cast members include Lindy Booth as Lucy Woods, Ian Harding as Josh Hill, Loretta Devine as Linda Lewin, Ser’Darius Blain as Evan Lewin, Osric Chau as Ted Lin, Lucille Soong as Grandma Lin, Noemi Gonzalez as Gaby Camarena, Nazneen Contractor, Gwynyth Walsh as Lorraine Hill, Sarah-Jane Redmond as Gale, Sebastian Billingsley-Rodriguez as Theo Jacobs, and Lucie Guest as Rebecca Manetti-Hanahan. Supporting cast members include Azriel Dalman as Marvin Manetti-Hanahan, Juliette Hawk as Young Katie, Giles Panton as Clark Manetti-Hanahan, Hilary Jardine as Laurie Manetti-Hanahan, BJ Harrison as Mrs. Kaiser, Aisling Goodman as Peyton Matthews, Mila Jones as Willow Manetti-Hanahan, and Françoise Robertson as Clarice Camarena.
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