The Chicago Bears and Hallmark Channel turned Lake Forest's Gorton Center into a Hollywood set Tuesday, Oct. 13, for the red-carpet premiere of "Holiday Touchdown: A Bears Love Story."
Bears quarterback Caleb Williams, tight ends Cole Kmet and Colston Loveland, and head coach Ben Johnson walked the carpet at the venue on East Illinois Road. Former Bears Dan Hampton, Mike Singletary and Charles Tillman also appeared. The film airs Saturday, Oct. 17, on Hallmark Channel.
The event transformed the nonprofit arts center into a holiday spectacle, first reported by the Chicago Tribune. A Bears-themed sleigh greeted guests. Nutcrackers stood beside miniature Bears helmets behind the bar, and servers circled the room with "Hallmark Hot Dogs."
Outside, a few dozen fans watched from behind a barrier. The Bears offered them donuts and hot chocolate, plus a photo opportunity with mascot Staley Da Bear, who wore an orange-and-black Christmas sweater and a necklace of Christmas lights.
The film is the third in Hallmark's NFL franchise, following editions set in Kansas City and Buffalo over the past two years. Director Dustin Rickert told the Tribune each installment is built around its city's culture, teams and fandom. The movie was shot in Chicago over the summer.
According to the Hollywood Reporter, the story follows freelance reporter Avery Clark, played by Lyndsy Fonseca, who returns to Chicago for Christmas and lands a story profiling a Bears superfan about to attend her 500th game. Robert Buckley co-stars as the superfan's grandson, a Chicago firefighter.
Actor Jake Connelly, an Arlington Heights native who appears in "Stranger Things," arrived in an orange tie. He told the Tribune that meeting the Bears players exceeded his expectations.
The Gorton Center, home to the John & Nancy Hughes Theater, hosted the premiere. The film also stars Marsha Mason, Barbara Alyn Woods and Khary Payton, with cameos from Connie Payton, Tamera Mowry-Housley and Marilu Henner.
