‘MURDER, SHE BAKED: A CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE MYSTERY’
CAST BIOS
ALISON SWEENEY (Hannah) – Alison Sweeney is busy juggling roles of host for NBC’s Emmy®-nominated reality series, “The Biggest Loser” and her award-winning portrayal as Sami Brady on NBC’s hit daytime drama “Days of Our Lives” with her roles as producer, director, author, wife and mother.
Sweeney, who just completed her tenth consecutive season as host of NBC’s “The Biggest Loser,” leads the hit reality series, which transforms the lives of show contestants and television viewers worldwide. Sweeney was so inspired by the contestants running a marathon each season that she trained and completed the 2012 Los Angeles Marathon and the 2012 Nautica Malibu Triathlon.
Sweeney is also an accomplished author. Her most recent book, The Mommy Diet, was released in 2011. The book reveals the diet of nutrition, fitness and self-care women can follow to look and feel fantastic before and during pregnancy, and after giving birth. The Mommy Diet focuses on ways to get and keep physically and mentally healthy, while offering ways to slim down after having a child in a positive, attainable way. Dr. Oz, Holly Robinson Pete and Jillian Michaels are amongst those who provided endorsements for her book. In 2013, Hyperion will release Sweeney’s first penned novel, The Star Attraction.
No stranger to the camera, Sweeney began her acting career at age four. Her credits include guest-starring roles on “Friends,” “Mercy,” “Las Vegas,” “American Dreams” and “St. Elsewhere.” At 16, Sweeney joined the cast of “Days of Our Lives.” In her almost 20 consecutive years as Sami Brady, her character has tackled controversial storylines including bulimia, date rape, teen pregnancy and capital punishment. Sweeney’s performance has garnered numerous awards including The Soap Opera Digest Awards four times (1986, ’98, ’99 and 2001) for the role of Favorite Villain and the award for Favorite Good Girl in 2001. Sweeney also won the award for America’s Favorite Villain at the 29th Annual Daytime Emmy® Awards. During the past few years at “Days of Our Lives,” Sweeney has added director to her long list of credits.
Sweeney continues her philanthropic work as an ambassador for Stand Up To Cancer and a member of the Entertainment Council for Feeding America. Sweeney resides in Los Angeles with her husband Dave, a California Highway Patrol officer, and their 7-year-old son Ben and 3- year-old daughter Megan.
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CAMERON MATHISON (Mike) – Perhaps best known for his role as Ryan Lavery on “All My Children,” Emmy® nominated actor Cameron Mathison has graced the screen in both film and television projects.
Mathison first appeared as Ryan Lavery on “All My Children” in 1998 and earned great acclaim through this role from the critics and fans alike, taking home a Soap Opera Digest Award for
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Outstanding Male Newcomer in 1999, the honor of one of America’s 100 Most Eligible Bachelors from People magazine in 2000, the Special Fan Award for Irresistible Combination in 2002 and Daytime Emmy® Award nominations for Outstanding Supporting Actor in 2002 and 2005. Mathison serves as a special correspondent for “Entertainment Tonight,” “Extra” and “Good Morning America” and had the honor of co-hosting the 35th Annual Daytime Emmy® Awards in 2008.
No stranger to television movies, Mathison played a lead role in ABC Family’s “See Jane Date,” Lifetime’s “The Wife He Met Online” and “Any Mother’s Son” and GMC’s “Carpenter’s Miracle.” Most recently Mathison starred in two Hallmark Channel Original Holiday Movies, “The Christmas Ornament” with Kellie Martin and “Window Wonderland” opposite Naomi Judd and Chyler Leigh, “My Gal Sunday” and “Along Came A Nanny” on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries.
On the big screen, Mathison made his feature film debut in “54,” opposite Salma Hayek and Ryan Phillippe. He followed that role up with the independent movie “Washed Up” and the feature film “The Surrogate,” which was released in 2013.
Mathison has made several pivotal guest starring roles on top television shows, including TV Land’s “Hot in Cleveland,” Lifetime’s “Drop Dead Diva,” ABC’s “Desperate Housewives,” “Castle,” “The Job” and CBS’s “CSI” and “JAG.”
A man of many talents, Mathison also appeared on the fifth season of ABC’s “Dancing with the Stars,” where he advanced all the way to Week 9.
BARBARA NIVEN (Delores) – Barbara Niven is one of Hollywood’s busiest actresses and served on the National Board of Directors for the Screen Actors Guild. She has appeared in over 100 film and TV roles, plus more than 2500 TV & radio commercials. You’ve seen her on the networks Hallmark Channel and Lifetime, as well as in television shows “NCIS,” “Cold Case,” “One Life to Live” and as Marilyn Monroe in the TV movie “The Rat Pack.” Niven has gained international acclaim as Hollywood’s Top Media Trainer and Video Marketing Expert. She created Unleash Your Star Power! ™ to help others hone their message, makeover their professional image and use video to dominate their niche. Clients include business owners, professionals, CEOs, entrepreneurs, hosts, speakers and authors. From her studio in Los Angeles, she offers custom video production services, one-on-one coaching and video Boot Camps. Her Unleash Your Star Power! ™ Home Study Course is the easy, ultimate media training system. Her newest book, 111 Star Power Tips: Insider Secrets From a Hollywood Pro is full of professional tips and secrets for videos, TV & radio interviews and public speaking.
She is also a celebrity speaker and best-selling author. Business and motivational topics include “Unleash Your Star Power!,” “Be a Video Marketing Superstar,” “ACT As If It’s Already Happening Until It Is” and “Live Your Dreams!” She shares her struggle with bulimia in Eating Disorders & Pressures to be Perfect and has appeared twice on national television talking about
(more) HALLMARK MOVIES & MYSTERIES / ‘MURDER, SHE BAKED: A CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE MYSTERY’ – Cast Bios – Page 3 the pressure to be thin in Hollywood. She is profiled in the book Feeding the Fame: Celebrities with Eating Disorders.
Niven feels blessed to be living her crazy acting dream and is passionate about using her success to inspire and support others to achieve their own goals. She created a Dreamers Network on her Facebook page that is over 8,100 people strong. It’s an international “support group” for dreamers that offers inspiration, advice and “pay it forward” #KindnessRevolution motivation. Her motto? “Don’t settle for less than wonderful in your life. Live your passion. Connect to your purpose. Make a difference. And… don’t give up five minutes before the miracle!”
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