Celebrity Extra: Lacey Chabert
By Dana Jackson
Q: I know it's not even Halloween yet, but when will the Hallmark Christmas movies begin airing? I hope they're not being postponed because of the strikes. -- L.E.
A: It appears filming was already completed before the writers' and actors' strikes began. According to Entertainment Weekly, the Hallmark Channel, the Hallmark Movies & Mysteries network, and the streaming service Hallmark Movies Now will air a combined 42 new holiday movies starting this October -- Oct. 20 to be exact. One of the most anticipated is a "Party of Five" reunion with Lacey Chabert and Scott Wolf in "A Merry Scottish Christmas." The actors played siblings in the late-1990s series and will once again star as brother and sister -- but as different characters.
Both are veterans of the Hallmark Channel, but this is the first time they've teamed up in decades. Chabert told Variety that the two have talked for years about doing another project together. The screenplay for "A Merry Scottish Christmas" was written by "Dateline" correspondent Andrea Canning and author Audrey Schulman. The film follows two siblings who reunite in Scotland with their mother at Christmas where "a big family secret is revealed." The movie premieres on the original Hallmark Channel on Nov. 18 at 8 p.m. ET.
In addition to Chabert and Wolf, other returning Hallmark favorites include Catherine Bell, Jonathan Bennett, James Denton, Ryan Paevey, Bethany Joy Lenz and Victor Webster. Be sure to visit EW.com/movies/hallmark-christmas-movie-schedule-2023 for release dates, times and more details on Hallmark's Countdown to Christmas.
Lacey Chabert (Upcoming in "A Merry Scottish Christmas"). Photo Credit: Depositphotos
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Q: Is it true that Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce are dating, or is this just a publicity stunt? How serious is it? -- C.E.
A: Back in July, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce attended Taylor Swift's concert as a fan, but also with the hope of meeting her in person backstage. He reportedly made her a friendship bracelet with his phone number on it, but still didn't get to meet the pop star in person. Fast forward a couple months, and rumors began swirling that the two did eventually connect and are, in fact, dating. It wasn't until Swift attended a Chiefs game in person, cheering him on next to his mom, Donna, that the rumor was confirmed to be true.
If you didn't get a ticket to Swift's live concert tour this past year, you can see her on screen in "Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour" at your local movie house beginning Oct. 13.
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Q: Is it true that Mark Wahlberg is quitting acting? When will his last movie be? -- K.J.
A: In a candid interview with Cigar Aficionado, 52-year-old movie star Mark Wahlberg recently admitted that his days of acting "at the pace I am now" will end sooner rather than later. That doesn't necessarily mean he's retiring completely, but he does want to spend more time with his wife and four kids, who now live in Nevada instead of Los Angeles.
Wahlberg's already starting to transition to an off-camera role in show business as a producer and hopes to begin directing, but still has several starring roles on the horizon, including "The Six Billion Dollar Man."
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