New Hallmark Christmas movie includes local talent

Snow came early for a small area in the Southeast as a Hallmark Christmas movie was being filmed. 

Miracle in Bethlehem, PA required some local talent as well as snow for a few of the scenes. 

For Meghan Esau of Steinbach, it was her first taste of working as an extra on a movie set. 

“I basically was a background extra in a shopping experience,” she explains. “So, it was filmed at The Rustic Wedding Barn, which is just in La Broquerie. Beautiful location and absolutely perfect for any kind of event that you have, perfect for a Hallmark movie. But it was a really seamless experience, a lot of fun. I got to meet a lot of fantastic people and honestly, it was pretty rewarding to see how the film industry works.” 

Esau was one of the shoppers at the market. 

“Basically, I’m wandering around, we’re chatting with other people, silently chatting of course. The idea behind it is to make it look very natural in the scene for the actors who the movie is about.” 

Esau says she recognized many local people who were part of the movie as extras. 

“I saw an old principal that I knew, I saw two people I went to university with, it was very fun. I saw old colleagues. It’s Steinbach area, so we are all connected in some way or another.” 

She also met several experienced extras who shared some tips with her. 

“Their main point was, ‘when you’re mouthing words, just continue mouthing watermelon blueberry’ because it looks the most natural. And I thought that was really fun.” 

With this being a Christmas movie, Esau says they were wearing winter clothes to go along with the snow that was brought in for filming. 

Miracle in Bethlehem, PA is scheduled to air on December 21st. 

This is how the Hallmark Movies website summarizes the movie: Successful and fiercely independent, Mary Ann Brubeck (Laura Vandervoort) adopts a baby girl to raise on her own just before Christmas. Due to weather, she and the baby get stuck in Bethlehem, PA for the holidays. When there is no room at the inn, her only option is to stay with the innkeeper 's brother, Joe (Benjamin Ayres), a quintessential bachelor who lives in a house that he treats like a barn. As Mary Ann learns the value of community by spending time with Joe's family and participating in the local church's Christmas events, Joe starts getting his act together with new motivation... and the two begin to see each other in a new light. 

-With files from Carly Koop

In response to Canada's Online News Act and Meta (Facebook and Instagram) removing access to local news from their platforms, SteinbachOnline encourages you to get your news directly from your trusted source by bookmarking this page and downloading the SteinbachOnline app.