By Kayla DeKraker
Mother-daughter duo Alison and Megan Sweeney got the opportunity of a lifetime: starring alongside one another in a Hallmark Channel movie.
The upcoming ROMANCE AT HOPE RANCH sees Alison’s 17-year-old daughter make her acting debut, and the pair loved working together.
“At first, I wasn’t sure about casting her, but I’m so glad that I did!” the 49-year-old mother told PEOPLE of the experience in a recent interview.
Megan added, “I’ve always been inspired by my mom’s dedication to her acting career, and I wanted to make her proud since she offered me a role in her movie. At first, I was incredibly nervous because I’d never acted in front of the camera before and wanted to be perfect for her.”
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The movie follows Alison’s character Hope Morgan, who, after her daughter leaves for college, “sets out to begin a new chapter of her life — fulfilling her childhood dream of running a ranch in the picturesque town of Ruidoso, New Mexico and reviving the beloved Giddy Up Gala, a tradition she’s determined to bring back.”
“But her fresh start at Hope Ranch quickly turns into a whirlwind of challenges. As Hope navigates ranch life, sparks fly with old flame Jack Bennet (Gabriel Hogan), who’s moved to Ruidoso in a bold attempt to win her back,” the description continues. “Hope finds unexpected support in her charming neighbor Tom Grayson, her best friend Lori, and the quirky townsfolk who rally around her. As she helps her daughter overcome a fear of failure at college, Hope faces her own issues accepting help. As the gala approaches, she discovers that community, love, and second chances might just be the key to building the life she’s always dreamed of.”
Megan explained that her character in the movie felt more “natural” than she anticipated.
“Once we got on set, because I was playing her daughter and, like my character, am going off to college soon, the scenes felt more natural than I anticipated,” she said.
Alison shared how the movie brought up bittersweet feelings of her own.
“I was surprised by how sincere and sweet the first scene was between Megan and me, when my character, Hope, drops her daughter off at college,” she said. “I had initially approached it purely from an actor’s perspective, but once we were filming together, the reality of the moment really hit me because of how soon I’ll be dealing with that with Megan in our real lives. It made me far more emotional than I expected.”
ROMANCE AT HOPE RANCH joins Hallmark’s lineup of “Loveuary” romance movies. Other new flicks coming this month include THE WAY TO YOU, starring Kim Matula and Aaron O’Connell, BECAUSE OF CUPID, featuring Amy Groening and Evan Roderick, and THE STAR BETWEEN US, which sees Sarah Drew opposite Matt Long.
ROMANCE AT HOPE RANCH wraps up the month, premiering on Feb. 28 at 8/7c. It will be available to stream on Hallmark+ the following day.
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