Alison Sweeney: Double Duty and Family Ties at Hallmark
Alison Sweeney is currently captivating audiences with a double dose of Hallmark magic, starring in and producing two new films back-to-back. This showcases her versatility as an actress and her growing influence behind the camera. But it’s Romance at Hope Ranch that holds a particularly special place in her heart.
A Family Affair: Romance at Hope Ranch
Romance at Hope Ranch isn’t just another Hallmark movie for Sweeney; it’s a deeply personal project. The film features her 17-year-old daughter, Megan Sweeney, playing her on-screen child, and beautifully incorporates their shared passion: horseback riding. “I have been developing Hope Ranch for about two years,” Sweeney explains. “I was working on the concept with the writer, and it had come up in conversation that I had never been in a horse movie. Every time a great horse-themed movie comes out on Hallmark, I’m always like, ‘Why isn’t that me?’”
Inspired by this idea, Sweeney collaborated with her Hannah Swensen Mysteries co-star, Gabriel Hogan, who brought his extensive experience with horses (gained from his role in Heartland) to the project. “He does a series called Heartland, and he has lots of experience working with horses, so he had the interest, and he developed an idea,” she says. “We sort of married that all together, and came up with the concept of Hope Ranch, which is, in some ways, themed after my family. My character’s name is Hope, my mother’s birth name was Hope, and my grandmother’s name was Hope, so that was a little tribute to my mom and the fact that she brought being obsessed with horses into my family, and my daughter and I both carry that on. I have a dream of wanting to own a ranch, so bringing that to life in this role and this character was super fun.”
Megan Sweeney’s Debut
The decision to cast Megan wasn’t immediate. “There was an awkward silence on the phone where I just was so stunned,” Sweeney admits. “It literally had not ever occurred to me. I kind of stammered a bit, and then was like, ‘I mean, yes, of course, that would be amazing.’” While Megan doesn’t currently plan to pursue a professional acting career, she embraced the opportunity with dedication. “Megan was so excited when I asked her if she would be interested in doing it,” Sweeney relays. “And she took it really seriously and worked really hard and did a lot of prep in the memorizing and understanding how to do on-camera acting. She’s done theater at school, but performing on a stage is extremely different from how to perform in front on camera. She did a great job, and I am so proud of her.”
Sweeney maintained a professional boundary on set. “We had a little chat before I officially offered her the job,” she shares. “I said, ‘So, when we’re on set, I’m your producer. This is a different relationship, and when I am being a professional at work, you have to take it seriously.’ She agreed, and we shook hands on it, and she did take it very seriously.”
Preparing for Hope Ranch and Beyond
Sweeney’s recent guest appearance on Jonathan Bennett’s Finding Mr. Christmas, which involved horseback riding, proved to be excellent preparation for Romance at Hope Ranch. “I had recently done a guest spot on Jonathan Bennett‘s show, Finding Mr. Christmas, where there was horseback riding,” she says. “I had to have the horse and then do the scene and then get on a horse and ride away with each contestant. I did it about eight times, and it was a perfect warm-up for me to do this movie, because I got really used to navigating horseback riding and dealing with horses while acting at the same time.”
Sugar & Vice: A Return to Mystery
Following Romance at Hope Ranch, Sweeney returns to the beloved world of Hannah Swensen Mysteries with Sugar & Vice, premiering March 7th. This installment unfolds during a masquerade ball, where a murder and a storm trap the guests, challenging the baking sleuth to uncover the culprit. “I thought that a masquerade would be a really fun way to do an Agatha Christie-style idea where it all happens in one night and someone inside the building did it,” Sweeney notes. “It was a fun twist for us.”
The film marks Sweeney’s fourth writing credit for the franchise, alongside her starring role and executive producer duties. “It’s different and challenging each time, and I think that’s partially to do with me, because I’m always looking for new ideas,” she explains. “You want to just keep it fresh and keep the audience surprised and keep the characters challenged in the format.”
Sweeney credits Deidre Hall from Days of our Lives with shaping her approach to writing and collaboration. “When I started on Days of our Lives [as Sami Brady] in 1993, Deidre Hall [Marlena Evans] said to me, ‘The script is a skeleton for the actors to hang their ideas and their character and their performance on,’” Sweeney recalls. “I feel like my favorite moments when we’re filming is when an actor gets a really good idea based on what I wrote and they make it better.”
And, of course, writing murder mysteries requires a bit of research. “I spend a lot of time Googling,” Sweeney quips. “I mean, I hope nothing bad ever happens to anyone I know, because my search prompts are definitely questionable!”
Romance at Hope Ranch, Movie Premiere, Saturday, February 28, 8/7c, Hallmark Channel
Sugar & Vice: A Hannah Swensen Mystery, Movie Premiere, Saturday, March 7, 8/7c, Hallmark Channel
Keep up with your favorite shows… delivered to your inbox! Sign Up (It’s free!)
