Cindy Busby or Christopher Russell? Which NEW "When Hope Calls" Cast Member Auditioned for Season 1?

We are less than a week away from "When Hope Calls" Season 2 premiering on Great American Family (and just days away from the show's streaming premiere on Great American Pure Flix)!

In the last few weeks, Cindy Busby and Christopher Russell have been interviewed by various sources, from the press to podcasts. Most of the interviews have been with just the two of them; however, tonight, Cindy Busby will be hosting, along with Great American Media CEO Bill Abbott, a special Facebook Live Event on the Great American Family Facebook Page that will include several special guests: Christopher Russell, Nick Bateman, Sarah Fisher, and Trevor Donovan.



If you have Facebook, you'll want to log in to watch the "When Hope Calls" Facebook Live interview tonight, Monday, March 31st, at 8 p.m. ET.

Which NEW "When Hope Calls" season 2 cast member auditioned for season 1?

The answer to that question is... Cindy Busby! In a podcast interview with Hearts of Stars, which can be seen below, Cindy revealed that she had initially auditioned for one of the roles in the first season of "When Hope Calls." She mentioned that she was very close to landing the part, but ultimately, it didn't work out at that time.

Now, of course, Cindy Busby is set to take on one of the leading roles in the second season of "When Hope Calls," and she and Christopher Russell have been actively promoting the show to their fans and beyond. They are also warmly inviting the Hearties (devoted viewers of "When Calls the Heart") to tune in and visit their period series, which takes place in the fictional town of Brookfield but has a similar community feel reminiscent of Hope Valley.

I've embedded below several of Cindy Busby and Christopher Russell's latest interviews. I hope you will enjoy them all...


Movieguide

Instagram Live - Cindy & Friends

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Cindy Busby (@cindy_busby)

Great American Chat

Suspenders Unbuttoned Media

Hearts of Stars

Crown the Halls (Part 1 and 2)





I hope many of you will be able to watch the "When Hope Calls" Facebook Live interview tonight, Monday, March 31st, at 8 p.m. ET. If so, I'll see you there!

"When Hope Calls" premiere date is Sunday, April 6, 2025 at 8pm/7c. and begins streaming on Great American Pure Flix - on April 3, 2025.

Blessings on your day!

Net

When Hope Calls
Season 1 DVD


When Hope Calls
Season One
Streaming Options


When Hope Calls
Season 2
Christmas Episodes
Streaming




When Hope Calls season one image: Hallmark Media
When Hope Calls season two images: Great American Media

MARK the 25th - with the MOVIEGUIDE Awards & a CHRISTMAS Movie pick!

Merry "Mark the 25th" Day of the Month,
Everyone!

Here at "It's a Wonderful Movie" we highlight every 25th day of the month - as we countdown to Christmas! We started doing this last year, long before Hallmark started playing Christmas movies two nights of the week!

For the huge Christmas movie fans who wish to join along, simply pick something Christmassy to watch today on the 25th! It can be a Christmas movie, cartoon, family sitcom or anything you like. (There's only one stipulation - it must be family friendly.) Please share in comments below your Christmas choice for the day!

On this day, February 25th, there are 302 days and so many hours & minutes - until December 25th, Christmas day!

My pick for this "Mark the 25th" is "Switched for Christmas" starring Candace Cameron Bure and her daughter, Natasha, in honor of the two of them hosting the Movieguide awards tonight on the Hallmark Channel! (Also, Candace's newest Christmas movie, "A Shoe Addict's Christmas" is nominated for a Movieguide award and it is playing this Friday night, March 1st, on the Hallmark Channel!)

image: Hallmark Crown Media

"Switched for Christmas" is such a fun, mixed up, crazy, messy, sweet holiday movie - where two twin sisters (both played by Candace Cameron Bure!) switch places over the Christmas season! If you love the classic Disney movie "The Parent Trap" starring Hayley Mills or various versions adapted from it, you, most likely, will love this adaptation, too!

image: Hallmark Crown Media

"Switched for Christmas" storyline via Hallmark: Identical twins Kate and Chris Lockhart plot to be the other sister -- at Kate’s office and Chris’ school – and take on planning their sister’s Christmas events. One rule, though: no romance. Chris as Kate is making her mark in the office, but co-worker Greg Turner grows curious about her sudden style. Kate as Chris, warming to her sudden family life, is introduced to a wealthy donor to help out the festival. Her jaw drops when she realizes that Tom Kinder is a teenage crush she met at that very festival 20 years ago. Can the sisters pull off their big events? And what about no romance? Will their little game of deceit take two hearts with it – Greg’s and Tom’s?

"Switched for Christmas" is available from Amazon - on DVD!

image: Hallmark Crown Media

As I mentioned above, Candace's movie, "A Shoe Addict's Christmas" is one of the Movieguide Awards nominees, and Candace and her co-star, Jean Smart, are nominated for their performances in the film.


In fact, the Movieguide Awards nominees include several this year from Hallmark:

The Epiphany Prize to the Most Inspiring TV Program of 2018 includes two Hallmark movies, amongst other nominees:

🌟 "A Shoe Addict's Christmas"

🌟 "When Calls the Heart: The Greatest Christmas Blessing."


The Grace Award for Most Inspiring Performance for Movies includes:

🌟 actress Merritt Patterson ("Christmas at the Palace"), amongst other nominees, for her role in the theater film, 'Unbroken, Path to Redemption.'


The Christie Peters Grace Award for Most Inspiring Performance for TV includes three Hallmark movie actresses in it's nominees:

🌟 Candace Cameron Bure ("A Shoe Addict's Christmas"),

🌟 Jean Smart ("A Shoe Addict's Christmas"),

🌟 and Lori Loughlin ("When Calls the Heart: The Greatest Christmas Blessing").


*You can see the complete Movieguide Nominee list here.

Many Hallmark stars we love also attended or were presenters at this special event, including: Lacey Chabert, Brennan Elliott, Barbara Niven, Jon Voight, Jean Smart, Jack Wagner, Paul Greene, Kevin McGarry, Merritt Patterson, Kristoffer Polaha and more! (Please note: This award show presentation on Hallmark is only one hour, so we may not see them all.)

I just love seeing all of these nominees from Hallmark included; my hope is... we will continue to see more next year! I have often said, I would like to see "Signed, Sealed, Delivered" nominated in the most inspiring TV program category, and hopefully, with more movies to come from "SSD," that wish can still come true!

Enjoy the Movieguide Awards - Tonight!

Monday, February 25th, 2019

at 10pm/9c. on the Hallmark Channel

And, Merry "Mark the 25th" Day, Everyone!
Please share your Christmas choice in comments below!

Joyful Blessings to you all, Net

🌟🌟🌟

🌟🌟🌟

Christmas Comes to Hallmark Drama, too! * Movieguide Awards coming soon! * Plus, More Movies in Graceland - starting in June!

Hallmark Drama has announced on their Facebook page - they are getting into the Christmas Spirit, too!

"When Calls The Heart: The Greatest Christmas Blessing" will air Wednesday, February 20th, 2019 -  at 8:30am/7:30c. on Hallmark Drama AND encore that evening at 9pm/8c.!

image via: Hallmark Drama Facebook

Please note: The Hallmark Drama schedule is not currently showing Christmas movies airing every Wednesday, but who knows what they'll announce next!

Reminder - this "When Calls the Heart" Christmas movie starring Erin Krakow, Lori Loughlin, and Pascale Hutton (pictured above) is also encoring this Thursday, February 14th, Valentine's Day - on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries!

It is truly rare to have any repeat airings of "When Calls the Heart;" therefore, to have this movie air again on Hallmark Drama the following week - is, indeed, a complete, but very  pleasant surprise!

images via: MovieguideAwards.com and Candace Cameron Bure - Instagram

27th Annual Movieguide Awards

hosted by Candace Cameron Bure
and her daughter, Natasha Bure 

airs Monday February 25 10:00 PM / 9:00c

on the Hallmark Channel

Details via Hallmark: "Honoring the Top Movies for Families and More Mature Audiences, The Movieguide Awards attracts Hollywood's best and brightest and celebrates movies that honor the good, the true, and the beautiful."

Christmas returns at Graceland!

image: Hallmark Crown Media Family Networks
Credit: ©2018 Crown Media United States LLC/Photographer: Katherine Bomboy

Put on your blue suede shoes!

The movie "Christmas at Graceland" was THE Highest Rated Movie of the Year on the Hallmark Channel in 2018, and it will return this year for a sequel movie in June - "Wedding at Graceland" and another new, currently untitled movie is coming this holiday season, too! This news is according to the Memphis News - commercialappeal.com. According to the article, "Wedding at Graceland will reunite stars Kellie Pickler and Wes Brown as Laurel and Clay, the former Memphis sweethearts who rekindled their romance during "Christmas at Graceland."

Hope you enjoyed all this Hallmark movie news!

Have a Wonderful, Blessed Day! Net

Candace Cameron Bure and Natasha Bure to host the Movieguide Awards on the Hallmark Channel

Candace Cameron Bure and Natasha Bure - image: Hallmark Crown Media

Details via Movieguide:

"Movieguide® and Hallmark Channel announced that the dynamic mother and daughter duo, Candace Cameron Bure and Natasha Bure will host the upcoming Movieguide® Awards on February 8, 2019. The live event is recorded and will air on Hallmark Channel in February 2019.

“We are excited to have our long-time friends Candace and Natasha to host the Movieguide Awards this year. A few years ago, they were presenters and we knew it wouldn’t be long until they were taking center stage. We’re thrilled and honored!” says Dr. Ted Baehr, founder and publisher of Movieguide®.

The Movieguide® Awards honors the Top Movies for Families, Top Movies for Mature Audiences, along with the coveted Epiphany Prizes for both movies and television."

*See more details on Movieguide.org.


Of course, this isn't their first time working together. Candace and Natasha also starred in the 2017 Hallmark Channel Christmas movie, "Switched for Christmas," and Candace often joins her daughter for interviews and fun segments for her YouTube channel.


As for nominees for the Movieguide Awards, there are several this year from Hallmark!

The Epiphany Prize to the Most Inspiring TV Program of 2018 includes two Hallmark movies, amongst other nominees: "A Shoe Addict's Christmas" and "When Calls the Heart: The Greatest Christmas Blessing."

The Grace Award for Most Inspiring Performance for Movies includes actress Merritt Patterson ("Christmas at the Palace"), amongst other nominees, for her role in the theater film, 'Unbroken, Path to Redemption.'

The Christie Peters Grace Award for Most Inspiring Performance for TV includes three Hallmark movie actresses in it's nominees: Candace Cameron Bure (for "A Shoe Addict's Christmas"), Jean Smart (for "A Shoe Addict's Christmas"), and Lori Loughlin (for "When Calls the Heart: The Greatest Christmas Blessing").

*You can see the complete Movieguide Nominee list here.

Joyful Blessings to you all, Net

-

Movieguide® and Hallmark Channel Announce the Movieguide® Awards

image: Movieguide

PRESS RELEASE via: Movieguide

HOLLYWOOD, Calif., Dec. 26, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Movieguide®, the family guide to movies, presents the 27th Annual Movieguide Awards in Hollywood on February 8, 2019. The live event is recorded and will air on Hallmark Channel in February 2019.

"We are thrilled to be partnering with Hallmark Channel to honor great movies with great, uplifting stories. Now, more than ever, we need to focus on the positive messages found in these honored movies," says Dr. Ted Baehr, founder and publisher of Movieguide®.

The Movieguide® Awards honors the Top Movies for Families, Top Movies for Mature Audiences, along with the coveted Epiphany Prizes for both movies and television. What began as a press conference has become an annual event that attracts Hollywood's best and brightest to celebrate movies that honor the good, the true, and the beautiful.

As part of the live program, the Report to the Entertainment Industry is presented, which evaluates the previous year's movies from a content perspective across thousands of data points. Because of the Report, the awards program has become popular with many behind-the-scenes talent and studio executives, in addition to on-camera celebrities.

Honorees will be announced in mid-January by Dr. Baehr. You can learn more at MovieguideAwards.com

About Movieguide® Awards: An Award Show That Inspires.

----- End of Press Release -----

*Press Release - Movieguide

See the Movieguide Awards Tonight on TV!

See the Movieguide Awards Tonight on TV -

February 22, 2016 at 7pm/6c.
on the REELZ channel.
(1 Hour Special!)

Repeats: Thursday, February 25 at 12am 

Find Reelz Channel in your area:

DirecTV - Channel 238 (HD/SD)  Channel 1238 (VOD; HD)

Dish Network - Channel 299 (HD/SD)  Channel 9504 (HD)

Cable- Verizon FiOS Channel 233 (SD)

AT&T U-verse - Channel 1799 (HD)  Channel 799 (SD) 

Click Here for pictures of those who intended this event -

which took place February 5, 2016

at the Universal Hilton Hotel in Universal City, California.

*The Coat of Many Colorsis available now on DVD!

The 2016 Movieguide Awards!!!

 

The Movieguide Awards (also known as: the Christian Oscars) were held February 5, 2016 at the Universal Hilton Hotel in Universal City, California. They "celebrate the best, most inspiring movies and TV shows of the past year."

I thought I would share some special pictures below of the event! The awards will air on TV - February 22, 2016 at 7pm/6c. on the REELZ channel.

Ricky Schroder and Alyvia Alyn Lind
Photo credit: FayesVision

Kevin Sorbo and Renee Olstead
Photo credit: FayesVision

Sadie Robertson and Joe Mantegna
Photo credit: FayesVision

Jane Seymour
Photo credit: FayesVision

Brian and Patty Bird
Photo credit: FayesVision

David Henrie
Photo credit: FayesVision

Lily Tomlin, Dolly Parton and Alyvia Alyn Lind
Photo credit: FayesVision

Sadie Robertson
Photo credit: FayesVision

Kevin Sizemore
Photo credit: FayesVision

Jen Lilley
Photo credit: FayesVision

 

Kevin Sorbo
Photo credit: FayesVision

 

Gigi Rice and Ted Mcginley
Photo credit: FayesVision

Ricky Schroder with wife Andrea and daughter Faith
Photo credit: FayesVision

 

Alyvia Alyn Lind
Photo credit: FayesVision

Renee Olstead
Photo credit: FayesVision

Corbin Bernsen
Photo credit: FayesVision

Ernie Hudson
Photo credit: FayesVision

David A.R. White and Andrea Logan White
Photo credit: FayesVision

Cote De Pablo, Benjamin Anderson and Guests
Photo credit: FayesVision

Dr. Ted Baehr - Founder and Publisher of Movieguide and daughter Evy
Photo credit: https://twitter.com/movieguide

Looks like it will be a tremendous show honoring many wonderful, inspirational shows from the past year.

Here are the nominees...



$100,000 Epiphany Prize to the Most Inspiring Movie of 2015:

The 33
Brooklyn
Captive
Do You Believe?
Manny
War Room
Woodlawn




$100,000 Epiphany Prize to the Most Inspiring TV Program of 2015:

A.D.: The Bible Continues
Ancient Roads from Christ to Constantine
Blue Bloods: Hold Outs
Chicago Fire: Forgiving, Relentless, Unconditional
Dolly Parton’s Coat of Many Colors
Saints & Strangers




Bradley Foundation Faith & Freedom Award for Movies

Cinderella
The Good Dinosaur
The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2
Joy
Max
McFarland, USA
Woman in Gold




Best Movie for Families

Cinderella
The Good Dinosaur
Home
Inside Out
Max
Paddington
The Peanuts Movie
Shaun the Sheep Movie
The Spongebob Movie: Sponge Out of Water
War Room




Best Movie for Mature Audiences

The 33
Ant-Man
Avengers: Age of Ultron
Captive
The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2
Joy
Jurassic World
The Martian
McFarland, USA
Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation




Most Inspiring Performance for Movies

Antonio Banderas - The 33
Kate Mara - Captive
Ted McGinley - Do You Believe?
Juliet Stevenson - The Letters
Karen Abercrombie - War Room
Sean Astin - Woodlawn
Jon Voight - Woodlawn

Download and Watch - Here!

Most Inspiring Performance for TV

Emmett J Scanlan - A.D.: The Bible Continues
Joe Dixon - A.D.: The Bible Continues
Juan Pablo Di Pace - A.D.: The Bible Continues
Gordon Clapp - Chicago Fire: Forgiving, Relentless, Unconditional
Alyvia Alyn Lind - Dolly Parton’s Coat of Many Colors
Gerald McRaney - Dolly Parton’s Coat of Many Colors
Jennifer Nettles - Dolly Parton’s Coat of Many Colors
Vincent Kartheiser - Saints & Strangers

Be sure to watch
The Movieguide Awards Show on TV -

February 22, 2016 at 7pm/6c.
on the REELZ channel

to see ALL the Winners!!!

*Just a thought...

There are some Excellent Nominees Above, (including the amazing, fantastic little actress Alyvia Alyn Lind of Dolly Parton's Coat of Many Colors) but I was VERY Surprised NOT to See anything from Hallmark or UP included in the Movieguide Awards, and there are certainly plenty of movies from either network that could have been included.

If Movieguide is looking for the "best, most inspiring movies and TV shows"... then I think they should have nominated Hallmark's "Signed, Sealed, Delivered", from Producer Martha Williamson of "Touched by an Angel". The "Signed, Sealed, Delivered: Truth be Told" and "Signed, Sealed, Delivered: Impossible Dream" movies were filled with such incredible, heartfelt inspiration and unwavering patriotism. It's truly shocking this series was overlooked in this category again this year.

Also, Hallmark's "When Calls the Heart" is always filled with beautiful, inspiring moments, especially the last episode, "When Calls the Heart: New Year's Wish". The WCTH series was nominated last year, but forgotten this year.

And... then on UP, many of their original movies are faith inspired: including "I Am Potential" (a touching story of triumph over tragedy), "Like a Country Song" (starring Joel Smallbone of the Christian Brother Duo "For King and Country"), "Christian Mingle" (starring actress Lacey Chabert), and Many More...

Please share -- What did you think of the Nominees this Year?