Lacey Chabert Trades Christmas Snow For ‘Paris Is Always a Good Idea’, Her Boldest Hallmark Adventure Yet

Lacey Chabert has built an empire out of cozy Christmas romances, but her latest project sends her somewhere entirely new. Hallmark’s Queen of Christmas is taking on the lead role in a new limited series, ‘Paris Is Always a Good Idea‘, alongside Scott Michael Foster, based on the best-selling romance novel by Jenn McKinlay.

This isn’t a typical two-hour Hallmark movie either. The limited series consists of six hour-long episodes, giving Chabert far more room to stretch than fans are used to seeing from her.

‘Paris Is Always a Good Idea’ Cast and Characters

In the story, career-driven nonprofit executive Chelsea Martin, played by Chabert, travels to Paris with her confident rival-turned-ally Jason Knightly to secure a major donation. A heartfelt message from her late mother and a loving push from her sister Annabelle sends her on an unexpected journey to reconnect with the three great loves she once left behind.

Chelsea retraces old footsteps from the rolling hills of Ireland to the magic of Paris and the sun-kissed vineyards of Spain, discovering that sometimes moving forward means first looking back. That premise gives Chabert’s character an emotional arc that goes well beyond a simple meet-cute.

The rest of the cast includes Barbara Niven, Henry Czerny, Rebecca Hanssen as Annabelle Martin, Stephen Hagan, Julien Marlon Samani and Alejandro Albarracín. Czerny, known for the Mission Impossible films, plays Chelsea’s now-widowed father Glenn, whose own new engagement helps push Chelsea to confront her past.

Chabert also serves as an executive producer on the series alongside Carrie Stein, Daniel March, Mike Benson, Rachel Gesua, Heidi Cole McAdams and Lauren Muir, with the show written by McAdams and Muir. That kind of creative control speaks to just how invested Chabert is in getting this story right.

The Hallmark+ Series Premiere Details

The first two episodes of Paris Is Always a Good Idea premiered on Hallmark+ on Thursday, July 30, with new episodes streaming weekly on Thursdays. That rollout is a departure from the usual one-and-done Hallmark movie release, letting the story breathe across several weeks.

Chabert herself explained why the expanded format made sense for this particular tale. She noted that exploring Chelsea’s relationships in places like Ireland, France and Spain would be a lot to squeeze into one of the network’s traditional two-hour timeslots.

She pointed out that six episodes make it so much easier to tell the whole story, letting viewers live and breathe in it instead of rushing to get in and out. She also stressed that the show still delivers everything audiences expect from a Hallmark project, just with more room to explore.

Despite the bigger canvas, Chabert has described ‘Paris Is Always a Good Idea’ as landing somewhere between a romance and a family movie with a touch of romance. That balance seems intentional, keeping the show grounded in familiar Hallmark territory even as it experiments with format.

Filming Locations Across Europe

The production didn’t fake its European backdrops. Chabert filmed scenes standing on the historic Pont Louis Philippe stone bridge over the Seine at dusk, just yards from Notre Dame Cathedral. She described the experience as magical, soaking in the atmosphere between takes.

Chabert also revealed that the crew filmed under and on the Eiffel Tower itself, calling the entire shoot a spectacular setting to work in. Getting that kind of access in one of the world’s most photographed landmarks is no small feat for a television production.

Showrunner and executive producer Lauren Muir explained that the mostly international crew was recruited specifically because they were adept at handling locations filled with tourists. The goal was avoiding inconveniencing or shutting down the areas while still capturing all the beautiful surroundings.

Muir also teased that the romantic stakes stay high throughout the season. She previewed that there are twists and turns ahead, calling it a romance-forward show with a very clear love story for audiences to root for.

Chabert’s Career Beyond Christmas Movies

This project fits into a broader stretch of activity for Chabert. The actress, 43, has starred in more than 40 Hallmark movies, including Christmas in Rome, A Merry Scottish Christmas, A Christmas Quest set in Iceland, and her most recent film, Lost in Paradise, set in Fiji.

She isn’t slowing down after wrapping in Europe either. Chabert’s 2026 Christmas movie, Holiday Ever After, A Disney World Wish Come True, has already wrapped filming and is set to premiere as part of the network’s Countdown to Christmas. That project trades the streets of Paris for the theme parks of Florida, a striking contrast to her current series.

Foster, her co-star, brings his own Hallmark pedigree to the table as well. He previously starred in last year’s Return to Office alongside Janel Parrish, as well as 2021’s Love, for Real and 2019’s In the Key of Love. Their pairing as workplace rivals turned travel companions gives the series a familiar enemies-to-lovers spark layered on top of the emotional family storyline.

With three former loves, a grieving family, and half of Europe as the backdrop, which of Chelsea’s old flames are you hoping wins her heart by the time the season wraps?