Lifetime’s first gay Christmas movie adds a real-life couple to the cast
Deck the halls with boughs of holly because Christmas is coming! From hot chocolate & fireplaces to snowball fights & snow angels, Christmas is a time full of jolliness & joy. This Christmas is going to be a little more special thanks to Lifetime’s new movie The Christmas Setup.
Yes, we are well-aware that Lifetime makes dozens of Christmas movies every year. However, this year the network has created its first movie with an LGBTQ romance as the main storyline – a big round of applause please.
Something new
What makes The Christmas Setup unique is the networks idea to cast the real-life same sex married couple Ben Lewis & Blake Lee as the main couple. In a statement made by Amy Winter, Lifetime’s head of programming, she said, “The world we create on camera should reflect the world we live in.”
The Christmas Setup follows the story of a lawyer named Hugo, played by Ben Lewis, who goes to Milwaukee with his best friend Madelyn, played by Ellen Wong, to spend the holidays with his mother Kate, played by Fran Drescher.
Hugo’s mother is in charge of the local Christmas celebrations and arranges for Hugo to run into his high school friend & crush Patrick, played by Blake Lee, who has returned after a success in Silicon Valley. The two are instantly attracted to each other but Hugo gets himself into a pickle after he is offered a job position in London – Hugo must make a big decision.
“As part of Lifetime’s legacy of telling stories reflective of the culture, the network is redefining traditional holiday movies in its slate with diverse talent in front of, and behind the camera,” the press release stated. The Christmas Setup was written & directed by members of the LGBTQ community and many were quick to praise Lifetime’s casting decisions.
Way to go Lifetime!
In addition to making their first movie with LGBTQ as the main storyline, Lifetime revealed they are creating A Sugar & Spice Holiday, their first movie centered on an Asian American family. Let’s just take a moment to stand up and give Lifetime another round of applause.
A Sugar & Spice Holiday stars Jacky Lai, Tony Girous, and Tzi Ma. The film centers on the story of a young Chinese American architect named Suzie, played by Jacky Lai, who returns to Maine to spend Christmas with her family. Suzie draws on her family’s cultural traditions to spice up an old-fashioned Christmas baking competition.
The two films, The Christmas Setup and A Sugar & Spice Holiday are revolutionary additions to Lifetime because “they continue our effort to tell the stories of the diverse communities represented by our viewers,” stated Amy Winter. “Our hope with these inclusive films and others is that people will see themselves while enjoying universally relatable holiday romances.”
Although there is no official date set, the films will premiere during the annual It’s a Wonderful Lifetime holiday lineup. We’ll definitely enjoy a diverse Christmas this year.
