The protagonist in the new Hallmark Channel ‘Countdown to Christmas movie, A Big Fat Family Christmas, is photojournalist Liv Chang (Shannon Chan-Kent). When her family’s blow-out Christmas party gets her a cover story, she tries to keep her ties to the party a secret. Doing so, she risks her career and losing her relationship with new co-worker Henry (Shannon Kook).
Hollywood movie star Tia Carrere (Cassandra Wong in the Wayne’s World movies) plays Liv’s mother and she’s the one throwing the big party. Jack Wagner (When Calls the Heart, Melrose Place, General Hospital) plays the boss of Liv and Henry at the San Francisco Chronicle.
As seen in the trailer above, Carrere’s character teases her daughter Liv about Henry “dreaming about her.” Carrere knows how to cast a dreamy spell on a man, as seen in the Wayne’s World scene below with Mike Myers.
It’s been a busy year for Carrere: she’s also stars in comedian Jo Koy’s 2022 movie Easter Sunday, which is about a comedian who “attends a gathering of his loud and dysfunctional Filipino American family on Easter Sunday.”
Fun fact: Tia is also a two-time Grammy Award winner. She’s released five studio albums including Huana Ke Aloha, which won the Best Hawaiian Music Album Grammy in 2010.
A Big Fat Family Christmas premieres on Hallmark Channel on Friday, December 2 at 8 pm ET.
