'USS Christmas': Meet Jen Lilley and Barbara Niven, cast of Hallmark's romance mystery flick
Hallmark network that wears a penchant for amazing feel-good films and mysteries is back to solve a riddle this Christmas. Hallmark Movies & Mysteries is coming up with ‘USS Christmas’, a film that is replete with a curiosity awakening story, spirited festivity vibe, and charming characters. The movie will be a part of the network's annual ‘Miracles of Christmas’ programming event – 'your home for the holiday'.
The movie has a layer of mysticism around it and is unique in the narrative as it hints towards going back 50 years in the past to discover the story of a sailor who fell in love on a cruise. The journalistic nature of the narrative makes it wittily interrogative, where a journalist holidaying on a cruise seeks to solve a puzzling love story. The movie’s enigmatic yet all engaging plot makes it a sure shot entry into our bucket list. Before we head to watch it, here’s the impressive cast of the movie.
Cast
Jen Lilley as Maddie
Jen Lilley has tasted success on both silver and the small screen with acclaimed works like the Academy Award-winning film ‘The Artist’, the iconic daytime television series ‘Days of Our Lives’ and ‘General Hospital’. The multifaceted personality who has worked as an actress, singer, and philanthropist has come across numerous roles in her career. The actress is not new to Hallmark, her earlier credits include ‘Yes, I Do’, ‘Harvest Love’, ‘Eat, Play, Love’, ‘A Dash of Love’, ‘Mingle All the Way’, ‘Winter Love Story’, ‘Paris, Wine & Romance’, and ‘Love Unleashed’. Lilley has also garnered fame in the field of music and embraced philanthropy. The actress launched her first original single, ‘King of Hearts’ in the fall of 2018, with 100% of her initial proceeds going to Project Orphans to ensure life-saving heart surgery for a boy named John.
She has also worked for multiple charities and even received accolades and praise for her work. This included receiving the National Educators Award for work in Guatemala. Lilley is an active advocate for children’s rights and supports charities that emphasize foster care, adoption, protecting children against physical and sexual abuse, human trafficking, and other issues. She is associated with charities like charities Childhelp, ECPAT, and The Dave Thomas Foundation to mention some.
Trevor Donovan as Billy
Trevor Donovan was born in Mammoth Lakes, California where he grew up engaged in sports like skiing and snowboarding. Apart from being active and excelling in sports, he has been a true renaissance man. The actor is able to play guitar, sing and he has a bachelor's degree in graphic design. He is prominently known for works like ‘90210’, ‘Texas Rising’, ‘J.L. Family Ranch’ and Hallmark Channel’s ‘Marry Me at Christmas’.
Some of his notable credits in the world of films and television include action/comedy ‘Hot Water’, miniseries ‘Runaway Romance’, ‘Sun Records’, ‘The Client List’, ‘Melissa & Joey’, and ‘Lucifer’ to name some. Besides the production and filmography work, the actor is also an ambassador for Habitat for Humanity and actively involved in volunteering with Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice & Human Rights.
Barbara Niven as Elizabeth
Barbara is a multi-talented personality as she is an actress, producer, and speaker. She has an impressive career having featured in over 100 films and 2500 television and radio commercials. The revered personality has also served for over three years on the National Board of Directors for the Screen Actors Guild. The actress is not new to Hallmark, she has appeared in the superhit Hallmark Channel primetime series ‘Chesapeake Shores’ and is soon to star in another of Hallmark films ‘Christmas in Evergreen’. Some of her other credits include Hallmark Movies & Mysteries original ‘Crossword Mysteries: A Puzzle to Die For,’ Murder She Baked’ and Hallmark Channel Original Series ‘Debbie Macomber’s Cedar Cove’.Besides her acting and production work, Niven is a widely known celebrity speaker and best-selling author. She speaks on business and motivational topics and goes by the motto “Don't settle for less than wonderful in your life. And don't give up five minutes before the miracle!"
‘USS Christmas’ releases November 28 at 10 pm ET on Hallmark Channel.
