Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce Inspire Lifetime Holiday Movie

Christmas in the Spotlight’ will center on the relationship between a pop star and a football player.

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Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce Inspire Lifetime Holiday Movie
‘Christmas in the Spotlight’ will center on the relationship between a pop star and a football player.

By Rick Porter

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September 6, 2024 10:04am
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Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce are nominated for 2024 Kids’ Choice Awards.
Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift Patrick Smith/Getty Images
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The most followed celebrity relationship of the moment — that of Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce — has inspired a Lifetime Christmas movie.

The cable network will air a movie called Christmas in the Spotlight later this year as part of its annual “It’s a Wonderful Lifetime” slate of holiday programming. The story centers on — and this may seem familiar — a pop star named Bowyn (Jessica Lord) who hasn’t found Mr. Right, until she meets a professional football player (Laith Wallschleger) backstage at one of her shows.

After Drew publicly declares he has a crush on Bowyn, they begin dating. Their feelings for one another grow, but “with people questioning if their feelings for each other are real or just for show, the pressure mounts from the press, paparazzi, their fans and even their family,” the movie’s description reads.

And what does this have to do with Christmas? “The pair has until the end of the holiday season to decide if they want to stay together, or let it go down in flames,” per the logline

The movie will also star TV host Jeannie Mai as Bowyn’s manager and model/TikTok influencer Haley Kalil as Drew’s sister-in-law.

The story of Christmas in the Spotlight, even if it’s not officially inspired by Swift and Kelce, parallels the real-life romance in several ways: Before they began dating, the Kansas City Chiefs tight end attended a Swift concert in his home stadium last year; he later said on his and brother Jason’s New Heights podcast that he wanted to give Swift a friendship bracelet containing his phone number after the show but wasn’t able to do so. The two began seeing one another not long afterward; Swift attended several Kansas City Chiefs games last season and was also in the stands for Thursday’s NFL season opener
Click to expand the Mega Menu
The Hollywood Reporter homepage
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Home
TV
TV News
Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce Inspire Lifetime Holiday Movie
‘Christmas in the Spotlight’ will center on the relationship between a pop star and a football player.

By Rick Porter

Plus Icon
September 6, 2024 10:04am
Share on Facebook
Share on X
Share to Flipboard
Send an Email
Show additional share options
Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce are nominated for 2024 Kids’ Choice Awards.
Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift Patrick Smith/Getty Images
Logo text
The most followed celebrity relationship of the moment — that of Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce — has inspired a Lifetime Christmas movie.

The cable network will air a movie called Christmas in the Spotlight later this year as part of its annual “It’s a Wonderful Lifetime” slate of holiday programming. The story centers on — and this may seem familiar — a pop star named Bowyn (Jessica Lord) who hasn’t found Mr. Right, until she meets a professional football player (Laith Wallschleger) backstage at one of her shows.

After Drew publicly declares he has a crush on Bowyn, they begin dating. Their feelings for one another grow, but “with people questioning if their feelings for each other are real or just for show, the pressure mounts from the press, paparazzi, their fans and even their family,” the movie’s description reads.

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And what does this have to do with Christmas? “The pair has until the end of the holiday season to decide if they want to stay together, or let it go down in flames,” per the logline.

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The movie will also star TV host Jeannie Mai as Bowyn’s manager and model/TikTok influencer Haley Kalil as Drew’s sister-in-law.

The story of Christmas in the Spotlight, even if it’s not officially inspired by Swift and Kelce, parallels the real-life romance in several ways: Before they began dating, the Kansas City Chiefs tight end attended a Swift concert in his home stadium last year; he later said on his and brother Jason’s New Heights podcast that he wanted to give Swift a friendship bracelet containing his phone number after the show but wasn’t able to do so. The two began seeing one another not long afterward; Swift attended several Kansas City Chiefs games last season and was also in the stands for Thursday’s NFL season opener.

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Lifetime’s chief competitor in the cable holiday movie realm, Hallmark, is also diving into the NFL world for one of its films — with official sanction from the league. Hallmark, which is based in Kansas City, will air Holiday Touchdown: A Chiefs Love Story, incorporating elements of the team’s branding and using Arrowhead Stadium as one of its filming locations.

Eirene Tran Donohue, who has penned several Lifetime holiday films, wrote the script for Christmas in the Spotlight; Michelle Ouellet directs. Off Camera Entertainment is producing the film. Stephanie Slack and Margret Huddleston executive produce along with Richard Foster and Chet Fenster of GroupM Motion Entertainment.