Getting ready for Hallmark Channel’s Holiday Touchdown: A Bears Love Story came naturally to Marsha Mason, who praised the “extraordinary” former and current Chicago Bears players and staff members who joined the cast.
“It was a different world to them,” Mason said of their onscreen experience. “They were curious about it. But within the scenes, they were completely natural and immediately began responding to and connecting with one another. That was really exciting for us.”
Warning! Light spoilers ahead for Holiday Touchdown: A Bears Love Story, which will stream on Hallmark+ tomorrow.
The latest movie is the third entry in Hallmark’s Holiday Touchdown franchise, following 2024’s Holiday Touchdown: A Chiefs Love Story and last year’s Holiday Touchdown: A Bills Love Story. This time, the series heads to Chicago for a whimsical Windy City romance between freelance journalist Avery (Lyndsy Fonseca) and firefighter Matt (Robert Buckley). The pair are brought together with a little help from Matt’s grandmother, Darlene (Mason), who is preparing to attend her 500th Bears game.
Beyond celebrating the Bears and their devoted fan base, Buckley highlighted Chicago’s food as one of the major perks of filming in the city. He even shared his recommendations for tavern-style pizza and Italian beef sandwiches.
“The way I like to experience cities is by eating my way through them, and Chicago was heaven for me,” he said. “Tavern-style pizza gave me a reawakening — a spiritual experience, if you will. It was incredible. And Italian beef dip sandwiches, which I’d never had properly before visiting Chicago, were incredible too.”
Mason, Fonseca, and Buckley were far less enthusiastic about another Chicago staple: the city’s famously divisive Malört liqueur.
“Pretty gross,” Fonseca recalled. Mason agreed, calling it “terrible.”
Buckley offered his own comparison: “It’s like if Jäger had a cousin. Right?”
In the rest of our conversation, Mason reveals whether she has ever played matchmaker in real life, Fonseca discusses her cornhole skills, and Buckley recalls being starstruck by Chicago Bears tight end Colston Loveland, who is technically now his co-star.
DECIDER: I’d love to start with Marsha, because the love story at the center of this movie between Avery and Matt would not have happened without Darlene’s very obvious matchmaking. Marsha, how much fun was it to play someone who was determined to bring Lyndsy and Robert’s characters together?
MARSHA MASON: I had such a good time, because they’re very difficult people to work with. So I had a wonderful time nudging them together.
Have you ever had the opportunity to do something similar for people in your own life?
MM: Oh, that’s interesting. I certainly had opinions about who my daughters were dating and who my grandchildren were dating. So yes, I think I would have strong opinions about those things.
ROBERT BUCKLEY: If I can jump in with a question: If one of your daughters were dating someone you didn’t like, how would you tell her — if you told her at all?
MM: I would ask her what she liked about him and then go from there.
RB: Respectful.
MM: I am respectful — with the exception of you, of course. Yes.
RB: Yes. I haven’t seen that side of you, but I believe it’s there.
Lyndsy and Robert, what was it like bringing Avery and Matt’s love story to life on screen?
MM: Yes, what was that like?
RB: It was easy because Lyndsy is infinitely likable and so fun to hang around with, so the flirty banter and ribbing each other, there was no effort required. It was just a joy.
LYNDSY FONSECA: Yeah. Also, I feel like there were no stereotypical tropes with our characters. It wasn’t like we hated each other at first. It was just a very honest kind of meet-cute that kept growing. So that was nice to play.
This movie is the second new movie of this year’s Countdown to Christmas slate on Hallmark and it’s the third of the network’s collaborations with the NFL. What was your experience like leading one of these tentpole projects and what is it about this matchup between Hallmark and the NFL that really speaks to fans?
RB: Who wants to jump in on this thing?
LF: I think at first if you don’t know the previous NFL movies, you’re sort of like, “What do sports and Hallmark have in common?” I honestly, truly believe it is the most perfect match. Your love for the holidays, your love for sports, families coming together, watching together, a little bit of something for everyone. So that part of it was really exciting.
RB: You know when a good invention comes out and everyone’s like, “Oh my gosh, how was this not invented 20 years ago?” When I first heard about the Hallmark and NFL joint production with the Chiefs [Holiday Touchdown: A Chiefs Love Story], on the very first one of those, I had that moment where I was like, “How has this not been done 20 years ago?” It makes so much sense. Because Hallmark movies bring people together, the NFL brings people together, and it was sort of this, I thought, a very sneaky synergy. Say if your partner doesn’t watch Hallmark movies but they’re a sports fan, there’s the entry point for them, and vice versa.
LF: A little something for everyone.
MM: Yeah, and on a personal level, as we all experienced, because we had scenes with either retired or present players. These guys, these men, they were extraordinary. It was a different world to them. They were curious about it. But also within the scenes themselves, they had a total kind of naturalness and immediately were responding and relating. It was really exciting from that point of view for us.
Outside of Soldier Field, the film takes us to the Irish Nobleman in Chicago, which I didn’t realize was an actual real bar. Did you get to shoot at the real location? And I have to ask, what are your real thoughts on Malört?
LF: Okay, so many things. Everything in the movie, we were in all those places. There were no green screens. But, Malört, I think is how you say it? Pretty gross. You tried it, right, Marsha? It’s not great.
MM: It was terrible. It was tough tasting.
RB: It’s like if Jäger[meister] had a cousin. Right?
MM: Well, not knowing Jäger, I’m not sure if it was a cousin or a sister.
LF: Too close for comfort.
MM: It was an acquired taste, let me say that. Sort of like, what is that other digestif that’s for your stomach or something? It had that kind of almost medicinal [taste].
RB: Which is what you’re looking for in just a tasty little drink, right? That reminds you of medicine.
Yes, around the holidays. A nice little sweet treat.
LF: They’re very serious about it in Chicago.
MM: And because we love Chicago and we love the Bears, I’ll drink it anytime. I’m game.
And like Malört, this movie embraces a lot of other Chicago traditions and dishes. What was your favorite to try or do while shooting?
RB: The way I like to experience cities is by eating my way through them and Chicago was heaven for me. I mean, tavern-style pizza, I had a reawakening. A spiritual experience, if you will. It was incredible. Italian beef dip sandwiches, which I’d never had properly before Chicago. That was incredible.
MM: And they had to dip twice.
RB: You gotta double dip that bad boy. And the Chicago dog itself is iconic for a reason. It’s incredible.
Did you have a specific place that you’d go to get them?
RB: Yeah, if you’re going to get tavern-style, I would say Zarella. If you’re going to get Italian beef, Mr. Beef, Al’s, Portillo’s if you want. And if you are going to get a Chicago dog, I mean…
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MM: They should hire him.
RB: I should be on the, what is it, the board of commerce or tourism? Are you listening, Chicago? I’m available for collaboration.
We’ll send this out. And one of my favorite scenes in this movie is the Christmas cornhole competition, which features cameos from Colston Loveland and Dan Hampton. I went to Michigan while Colston Loveland was playing, so getting to see him onscreen was awesome. Robert, your character, Matt, was pretty starstruck during this scene. What was it like getting to act alongside these Bears icons?
LF: He’s not acting.
RB: She can attest to this. When this script came in, originally it was only Cole Kmet. Then we had gotten to the pre-production, and I was like, “Hey, listen, if there’s a world where we could get Colston Loveland, that’d be pretty cool too.” Then, we got Colston. I saw the scene, and I lost all of my cool. Then I had to check myself and be like, “You’re old enough to be his dad. Don’t make it weird.” I was very excited, and she was laughing and making fun of me on the day. She’s like, “You’re so giddy! Look at you.”
LF: He’s like a kid in a candy store.
RB: In the scene, as you know, I’m starstruck. It was great because it just allowed my natural nerves to come to the surface. I didn’t have to have any cool in the scene, so I just exhibited my natural lack of coolness.
Another reason why I love this scene is it marks a turning point for Avery and her stepfather, Ron. Lyndsy, tell me more about shooting this scene with Khary Payton, and are you really that good at cornhole in real life?
RB: Can I take the real-life cornhole ?
LF: Yeah.
RB: We went to the [Bears] game [on Oct. 4], and we actually got to experience a tailgate. This group had a cornhole set up, and I kid you not, just like in the movie, she threw five bags and I think she drained four of them.
LF: I was feeling the Bears’ energy. It was so great. But Khary Payton is so good in the movie. He is so charismatic, funny, and sincere. I just fell in love with him on and off screen.
MM: Yeah, they were a great pair.
There’s a beautiful lesson at the center of this movie about taking things one day at a time, told through Darlene’s love story with Bernie, her battle with cancer, and her pursuit of attending 500 Bears games. What else are you all hoping people take away from Holiday Touchdown, A Bears Love Story?
MM: Well, as Rob has actually said, joy. I mean, there is a kind of community, joy, happiness. No matter what difficulties a person may go through, the idea of a community is really important, and that you can overcome and have a life. One of the best moments for me was to go to that 500th game and then have this moment, a private moment, with a husband that’s no longer there. So it’s about loss, as well. But overall, the message is joy, happiness, affection and love.
LF: Can I just gush for a second? That moment, your physicality when you’re outside the field.
RB: The little dance number she does?
LF: And you talk personally to your late husband, and your body moves and you’re so joyful and giddy. I remember when you were shooting that day and I just couldn’t stop watching it. I was like, “Oh my gosh.” It was just so special, Marsha.
MM: Oh thank you, thank you.
I was tearing up rewatching it today, so I can echo that as well.
MM: Tears of happiness.
Yes, of course. And another scene I loved watching in this movie was the firetruck scene, [where you guys were] zooming to the Bears game. Was it everything it’s cracked up to be getting to be inside a firetruck?
MM: Yes! Yes, yes.
LF: It is?
MM: Well, in the sense that you realize what it actually is like inside. It’s terrible. And they’ve got all that equipment on and everything.
LF: We had to take ladders to get in and out of the truck.
MM: He had to literally pick me up and put me down. I couldn’t even step down, it’s so high. It’s crazy.
RB: Unfortunately, we didn’t get to experience driving… Well, I guess we pulled up to the stadium, but all the actual driving you see that’s with the truck parked. But I would agree, it’s big and uncomfortable.
MM: And the smell!
LF: Oh, it’s stinky and hot.
MM: Yes, and it’s really hot. We were there with fans because it was 90 degrees and we were in a heat wave. So you can imagine how exciting it was to be dressed with winter clothes on.
LF: Those firefighters work hard. Definitely. The real deal.
MM: It’s amazing.
Yeah, I could not imagine. In addition to you three, as well as the people we’ve gotten to mention already, this cast is stacked in this movie. I loved seeing Barbara Alyn Woods play Jodie, Avery’s mother. Robert, this also kind of became a One Tree Hill reunion for you and her, if you will. What was it like getting to reunite with her on set?
Oh, it was the best. I love Barb. But we never crossed paths on One Tree Hill, so we only get to see each other at conventions. Then right after I had signed on to this movie, about two days later, I just woke up to a text from her saying, “If you were to do a Christmas movie with any member of the One Tree Hill cast, who would you want it to be?” And I was like, “Oh my God, no way.” She is just a delight to spend time with, and she’s also fantastic to work with. So every day that I got to be on set with her was just the best.
Is there an NFL team any of you hope to see in a future Holiday Touchdown movie?
RB: The sequel with the Bears.
LF: Yes! We have a lot more to uncover with the Bears.
MM: It’s an extraordinary organization, and their participation with Hallmark made it so much more fun. They were really gung ho with it. They treated us so beautifully and they take good care of you. We got to be with the coach, too. That was an amazing thing. That was great.
Something really special about this movie is that it also welcomed four non-actors, two of whom won a Bears Care Auction, and the other two are Bears Care donors and Hallmark fans. Did you get to give them any tips before they made their onscreen debut?
LF: They didn’t need tips, no. It was so great to have their energy there. They were in the hair and makeup trailer with us, getting ready with us, on set with us. It was so fun.
MM: And that was exciting for them, so that was special.
RB: The one day we had, I think, the two from the Bears Care auction was the day that we were shooting the scenes with Coach Johnson, Cole Kmet, and Coach Johnson’s wife. It was great because they had a natural nervousness and excitement because it was their first day on set, but then we also had a natural nervousness and excitement. Like I’ll speak for myself, getting to be with Coach and Cole. Everyone was sort of nervous and excited for their own reasons, so it just worked really well.
This interview was edited and condensed for clarity.
Holiday Touchdown: A Bears Love Story begins streaming on Hallmark+ on Sunday, Oct. 18.