A frequent star of Christmas movies, Lacey Chabert was the natural choice to lead the first-ever collaboration between Hallmark and Disney.

Lacey Chabert firmly believes you can never have too much Christmas.

In fact, her family now starts celebrating months before the holiday—and keeps the decorations up well into the New Year. In 2025, they didn’t bother waiting at all.

“Every year it’s just gotten a little bit earlier,” Chabert says. “We used to start decorating around Thanksgiving, then on Nov. 1. And this year I was like, ‘Why wait?’”

That holiday-forward mindset makes Chabert—widely known as Hallmark’s Queen of Christmas—the perfect star for a first-time collaboration between Hallmark and Disney.

Holiday Ever After: A Disney World Wish Come True, starring Chabert, is an original holiday romance currently filming on location at Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando.

The upcoming movie will air later in 2026 as part of Hallmark’s 17th annual “Countdown to Christmas” programming event of holiday-themed movies, which reaches some 40 million viewers each year.

Chabert announced the project on Dec. 6, while standing inside Disney’s Magic Kingdom—an appropriately magical setting for the news.

A Holiday Wish—and a Second Chance at Love

In the upcoming film, Chabert plays Lindsay, who travels to Disney World with her extended family for a Christmas vacation. There’s just one problem: The man staying in the room next door is Philip (Travis Van Winkle)—the disastrous first date she’s desperate to forget.

As fate (and a little Disney magic) would have it, both families are vacationing together. When Lindsay makes a holiday wish at the Cinderella Fountain, sparks begin to fly, and rivalry slowly turns into romance.

The movie also stars Christy Carlson Romano (Kim Possible) and Richard Kind (Inside Out and Only Murders in the Building).

“Storytelling is at the heart of both Disney and Hallmark, and that magic shines even brighter during the holidays,” says Sally Conner, vice president of global content at Disney.

“We’re thrilled that Walt Disney World will serve as the immersive setting for a Hallmark movie highlighting the cheerful festivities of the season. The film is a wonderful way to share that joy and pixie dust with fans everywhere.”

Why Hallmark Christmas Feels Like Home

For Chabert, stepping onto a Hallmark movie set—especially for a Christmas film—feels like a time for kindling cherished family memories.

Her most recent project, She’s Making a List, co-starring real-life friend Andrew Walker, instantly resonated with her. “I fell in love with the story because it’s whimsical,” she says. “It brought back some wonderful childhood memories and reminded me of the Christmas movies I grew up watching.”

Those favorites include Home Alone, Christmas Vacation, Christmas with the Kranks, and The Santa Clause trilogy. Today, watching them remains a cherished tradition she shares with her husband, David Nehdar, and their 9-year-old daughter, Julia—along with plenty of Hallmark movies, of course.

“I love watching our favorite movies over and over,” Chabert says. “Somehow they never get old.”

She paints the scene effortlessly: pajamas, hot cocoa, homemade snacks, twinkling lights and a crackling fire. “It’s all so cozy,” she says. “It’s truly my favorite time of year, so why not prolong it as long as possible?”

Sweet festive treats play a starring role in Chabert’s holiday traditions. Among her favorites are her grandparents’ sweet potato pie, her grandmother’s coconut cake— made each year with her sister—pecan pralines, and a variety of homemade cookies.

Some of her most vivid Christmas memories trace back to her childhood in Mississippi. “We woke up one Christmas morning and it was snowing—the first time I’d ever seen snow,” she recalls. “It was picturesque and perfect.”

But what stays with her most is the simple magic of being together. “Running down the hallway with my three siblings, rounding the corner, seeing the tree lit up, knowing Santa had visited,” she says. “My mom is making hot cocoa in the kitchen, there are lots of delicious holiday treats, and the feeling of our family being together—that evokes a really happy feeling for me.”

Loving Her Hallmark and Mean Girls Fans

So, what does it feel like to Chabert to know she is part of something that brings so much joy to millions of fans?

Few fan bases are as passionate—or as loyal—as Hallmark viewers, and Chabert doesn’t take that lightly. “I consider it a privilege,” she says. “There’s so much content out there that people can watch, and I’m incredibly thankful that people keep choosing these stories.”

Hearing that her movies have become part of families’ holiday traditions never gets old. “That means the world to me,” she says. “The fact that I’ve found a home at Hallmark is truly a blessing. I love being a part of something that is uplifting and adds a little bit of goodness back into the world.”

As for her Mean Girls fan base, two decades after its debut in 2004, the film continues to resonate across generations—through movie sequels, a Broadway musical and numerous high school productions.

Chabert attributes its longevity to the movie’s universal themes. “I think everyone can relate to a character or an experience in that movie,” she says. “I had such a blast making it, and I’ll always be grateful I had the opportunity to play Gretchen Wieners.”

Love Stories Around the World

Beyond Christmas, Chabert’s Hallmark career has taken her across the globe—helping a Christmas ornament artisan in Rome, competing in a royal chocolate contest in Brussels, and saving an inherited safari lodge and the animals in Africa.

When possible, her daughter joins her on set. “Being away from her is hard on both of us,” Chabert says. “So, if logistics allow, she comes for at least part of the trip.”

International films also hold a special place in her heart. “The location becomes a character in the movie,” she explains. “I want the audience to feel like they packed up and went with us. So, we always try to show off the beauty of the areas where we are.”

Her current Hallmark film, Lost in Paradise, filmed in Fiji, offers something a little different, while still delivering Hallmark’s signature feel-good romance. “It’s an adventure I never would have taken in my regular life,” she says. “When work overlaps with dream destinations, it’s such a gift.”

Among her most cherished projects is The Wedding Veil trilogy, filmed with close friends Alison Sweeney and Autumn Reeser.

While there are no new installments planned, Chabert hasn’t given up hope. “I would love to reunite,” she says. “Those movies were incredibly special.”

The bond went beyond the screen. “They’re not just love stories—they are about friendship, and the friendship that these three women share and how they are there for each other through life’s ups and downs,” Chabert says. “That’s why they resonate.”

Motherhood Is the Real Magic

If there’s one role that surpasses all others, Chabert says, it’s motherhood. “Being a parent makes you reflect in a whole new way,” she says. “Seeing the world through my daughter’s eyes—it’s magical.”

Her hope for her daughter is simple but powerful: kindness, confidence and belief in her dreams. “When her teacher tells me she’s been a helper, it means everything to me,” Chabert says. “She is a wonderful girl who has taught me so much.”

Though she doesn’t claim titles like “Queen of Hallmark” or “Hallmark’s Sweetheart,” Chabert deeply values what the network represents.

“For me, the biggest thing about these holiday movies is the feeling of community and taking time to slow down,” she says. “Celebrating with the people you love— romantic partners, family and friends. We must stop and slow down when we can in this busy world and just reflect on what’s most important to us.”

Chabert believes that’s why Hallmark continues to thrive.

“My goal is always to entertain you. I love that these movies have some funny parts, as well as poignant aspects. What Hallmark does so well is highlight the good in the world,” she says. “I hope that my movies bring comfort, laughter, and joy, long after the holidays are over.”