Naman Shrestha
With Eric Close at the helm, Hallmark’s ‘Christmas at Graceland’ is a 2018 Christmas-based romantic comedy film that centers around a Chicago-based business executive named Laurel who travels to Memphis in hopes of securing a deal and becoming the owner of the city’s oldest family-owned bank. She is accompanied by her kids, with whom she even visits the historic Graceland, with Christmas approaching. Soon, things turn upside down when she unexpectedly bumps into Clay, an old flame who was popular as a singer in college and is now a local music promoter.
While Laurel tries to focus on the task at hand, Clay serves as a reminder to her of the old times when they were a performing duo. Not only does her feelings for Clay reignite but also her interest and passion towards making music once again. With so much happening at once, it all comes down to the Christmas concert that takes place at Graceland, giving the viewers a lot to think about, including the filming locations of ‘Christmas at Graceland.’
Where Was Christmas at Graceland Filmed?
‘Christmas at Graceland’ was filmed in its entirety in Tennessee, primarily in Memphis. According to reports, the production of the holiday-based film got underway in July 2017 and wrapped up by the end of the same month. So, allow us to walk you through the specific locations that appear in the Hallmark production!
Memphis, Tennessee
The production of ‘Christmas at Graceland’ occurred in and around the city of Memphis, which is the seat of Tennessee’s Shelby County located along the Mississippi River. The hero property of the shoot, where most of the filming took place, was the titular mansion of the King of Rock and Roll — Elvis Presley. Situated at 3734 Elvis Presley Boulevard in Memphis, Graceland is a 13.8-acre mansion where Elvis and his family used to live and are buried.
‘Christmas at Graceland’ became the first fiction movie to be shot at the late singer’s home. Thanks to the fake snow and decorations around the property, the filming unit managed to create the setting of winter and Christmas for the movie. During a conversation with TV Goodness, Wes Brown expressed his feelings about getting to shoot at such a historic place. He stated, “There are really no words to describe it. I was just very thankful that we got that opportunity because there’s been no movie (before us) that has been allowed to shoot there.”
The actor further elaborated, “We are the first, except for one small documentary that was years and years ago. Our director, Eric Close, and our crew did a phenomenal job of making Graceland a huge, huge character in this and I think they did a wonderful job.” Other Memphis landmarks also supposedly feature in the movie, including Beale Street, the Memphis Pyramid, the Orpheum Theatre, Memphis Brooks Museum of Art, and Pink Palace Museum and Planetarium.
Christmas at Graceland Cast
Kellie Pickler headlines ‘Christmas at Graceland’ by stepping into the role of Laurel, alongside Wes Brown, who portrays Clay. Catapulting to fame as a singer early on in her career, Pickler then tried her hands at acting. Starting by lending her sweet voice to Mirabelle in ‘VeggieTales: Beauty and the Beet,’ she went on to feature in ‘90210’ and ‘Nashville.’ She also features in a couple of Christmas films — ‘The Mistletoe Secret‘ and ‘Wedding at Graceland.’
On the other hand, the Texas-born actor, Wes Brown, started out by playing supporting roles in movies like ‘Glory Road’ and ‘We are Marshall.’ He then landed a role as Luke in the hit vampire series ‘True Blood,’ which was a turning point in his career. He then went on to star in various movies and TV shows, such as ‘June in January,’ ‘Love Begins,’ ‘Love’s Resounding Courage,’ ‘Shadow on The Mesa,’ ‘Beach Girls,’ and ‘Deception.’
In supporting roles, ‘Christmas at Graceland’ features Claire Elizabeth Green as Emma, Rhoda Griffis as Kathy Nelson, Ned Vaughn as Hatcher, Tamara Austin as Sally, Tommy Cresswell as Franklin, and MaryJean Feton as Gladys. Moreover, Madison Alsobrook features as Laney, Sara Antonio plays the role of Antoinette, and Kourtney Hansen portrays Becca, in the Hallmark production.
Read More: Navigating Christmas: Shooting Sites and Cast Details of the Hallmark Movie
