Alison Sweeney has been one of Hallmark’s most beloved stars for over a decade. The actress, who rose to fame in the ’90s as a soap star on Days of Our Lives, made her Hallmark debut with the film Second Chances in 2013, and went on to be a fixture of the channel in the popular Hannah Swensen Mystery franchise and cozy holiday movies like Christmas at Holly Lodge, Good Morning Christmas! and Open by Christmas—to name just a few.
Tonight, This Time Each Year, Sweeney’s 30th (yes, you read that right!) Hallmark movie debuts, and First for Women has a sneak peek, with an exclusive clip of the charming new romance. Watch the clip here, and be sure to tune in tonight at 8 p.m. ET to see the actress’ milestone movie.
The plot of This Time Each Year
This Time Each Year, which Sweeney also executive produced, kicks off Hallmark Mystery’s Miracles of Christmas programming. For the first time, Sweeney stars opposite fellow Hallmark staple Niall Matter, and the two veteran actors play a separated couple navigating the challenges of co-parenting their young son.
With the holidays on the horizon, the pair decide to pretend they’re still happily married ahead of a tense family visit. Will attempting to relive their years of marital bliss bring up messy drama, or will they realize they were meant to be together all along, just in time for Christmas? You’ll have to watch to find out!
What Alison Sweeney has said about This Time Each Year
On Instagram, Sweeney shared, “I am so excited about this project. We spent so much time developing this story and finally getting it on camera. So many people helped make this possible, It truly is a passion project. Especially our incredible partners at Hallmark Mystery have my heart for believing in me and this story.”
Sweeney also said she relates to her This Time Each Year character, and revealed that she made some creative contributions to the script in her position as producer. In an interview, she admitted that reaching her 30th Hallmark movie came as a surprise, saying, “I was shocked. I had no idea and then I started counting them up and realized it was true. It just seems crazy. I remember so clearly my first Hallmark movie . . . and what fun we had. I remember thinking it was such a cool opportunity and I was so excited. Now, here I am, 30 movies later, and it still feels just as challenging, just as rewarding, just as fresh every time. I love it.”
While Sweeney is a seasoned Christmas movie star, she teased that This Time Each Year is different from some of her early work, revealing, “This is not the typical Christmas movie. We’re tackling some complicated issues that lots of people deal with at the holidays. We wanted it to be fun and funny and delightful and romantic, but also address some of the more serious aspects of family dynamics.”
We’re excited to see how Sweeney’s latest movie stands apart, and we hope she sticks around for 30 more Hallmark hits.
