‘An Unexpected Christmas’ Hallmark Movie Premiere: Cast, Trailer, Synopsis

Hallmark Channel’s very merry holiday season continues with the newest “Countdown to Christmas” holiday premiere, “An Unexpected Christmas.” The film, starring Tyler Hynes and Bethany Joy Lenz, premieres Friday night.

The film, one of several airing during the Merry Thanksgiving Weekend event, will be a special treat for fans of both stars, who are certain to be familiar to Hallmark fans. While Lenz may still be most widely recognized for her role as Haley James Scott on “One Tree Hill,” she has been making herself a comfortable name on Hallmark in recent years, starring in films such as “Royal Matchmaker,” “Bottled with Love,” “A Valentine’s Match,” “Just My Type” and “Five Star Christmas.”

Hynes, of course, is someone fans will definitely be familiar with as well, with a bevy of titles for Hallmark to his name. His most recent projects have included “Falling for You,” “It’s Christmas, Eve,” “Flip That Romance,” “Wedding March 5: My Boyfriend’s Back,” “The Mistletoe Secret,” “Winter in Vail,” “On the 12th Date of Christmas,” “It was Always You,” “Sweet Carolina,” “Roadhouse Romance” and “My Christmas Family Tree.” This will, however, be his first film with Lenz.

So what will happen with this holiday film?

“Jamie (Hynes) travels home a week before Christmas but he still hasn’t told his family he broke things off with his girlfriend Emily (Lenz), whom they adore,” a synopsis for the movie reads. “When Emily arrives in town unexpectedly for work, Jamie offers her a deal—he'll get the Governor to deliver the Christmas Day address for her marketing campaign and in return, Emily will stay with his family for the week under the pretense she and Jamie are still together.”

Naturally, the idea seems to be one that is ill-advised, and sure enough, trouble will follow them. However, with a bond that seems to be rebuilt with the time they spent together, Jamie will find a way to try and not only make things right with his family but with Emily as well.

“What follows is a week of awkward fumbling and near misses as Jamie and Emily try desperately to keep their true relationship status a secret. Eventually, their ruse begins to unravel,” the synopsis reads. “Just when it seems like Christmas has been ruined, Jamie pulls out all the stops to make things right, resulting in a very unexpected Christmas.”

“An Unexpected Christmas” airs Friday, Nov. 26 at 8 p.m. EST on Hallmark Channel.