‘CHRISTMAS IN THE AIR’ Cast Bios
CATHERINE BELL (Lydia) – Catherine Bell is best known for her work as the headstrong Marine Corps attorney Lt. Sarah ‘Mac’ MacKenzie on the action drama series “JAG” and in the ensemble drama series “Army Wives,” in which she portrayed Denise Sherwood on the long running Lifetime series.
Born in London, Bell moved to Los Angeles with her family at the age of three. While studying biomedical engineering at UCLA she ventured into modeling, which soon led to immediate recognition in both the United States and overseas. Building on her success as a model, she decided to pursue an acting career, which was launched soon thereafter.
Bell has built a new, loyal fan base with Hallmark Channel’s “The Good Witch” movie franchise, the most successful in network history. Starring as Cassie Nightingale, Bell completed seven original movies in the series, including “The Good Witch,” “The Good Witch’s Garden,” “The Good Witch’s Gift,” “The Good Witch’s Family,” “The Good Witch’s Charm,” “The Good Witch’s Destiny” and “The Good Witch’s Wonder.” In 2015, “The Good Witch” movie franchise transitioned into a successful television series for Hallmark and premiered April 30 and is currently in production on its fourth season. Other TV credits include Lifetime’s “Still Small Voices” and “Last Man Standing,” CBS’ “Company Town” and TNT’s “Good Morning Killer” as well as guest starring roles on “King & Maxwell” and “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.”
Bell’s feature film credits include Universal’s mega-hit Bruce Almighty opposite Jim Carrey, as well as Men of War, and Netflix’s The Do-Over alongside Adam Sandler. Most recently, she starred in the Hallmark Movies & Mysteries original “Home for Christmas Day,” which premiered in July 2017, and stars in UPtv’s “High-Rise Rescue.”
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ERIC CLOSE (Robert) – Eric Close currently stars on the hit show “Nashville” by Oscar® Winning writer Callie Khouri for the ABC network/CMT. Close stars as Teddy Conrad, the mayor of Nashville and former husband to Rayna Jaymes played by Connie Britton. Before this, he starred for almost a decade on the hit CBS series “Without a Trace” and “Now and Again,” and then teamed up again with the network as the lead of their series “Chaos,” directed by Brett Ratner. He also recurs as lawyer Travis Tanner on the critically acclaimed USA series “Suits,” opposite Gabriel Macht and Patrick Adams.
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Prior to this, Close starred in the series “The Magnificent Seven,” “Dark Skies,” and “McKenna,” while taking on a number television movies and miniseries such as “Seven Deadly Sins,” “Hercules,” “Follow the Stars Home,” “The Stranger Beside Me,” “Long Island Fever,” “Without Consent,” and “Unanswered Prayers,” which was produced by Garth Brooks, and based on his hit song of the same title. Close also appeared in the Golden Globe®-nominated mini-series “Taken,” which was executive produced by Steven Spielberg.
Close’s feature credits include Saving Angelo; Alvarez & Cruz; Liberty, Maine; The Sky Is Falling; Taking Liberty; and American Me.
Close graduated with a B.A. in communications from the University of Southern California in 1989. He then married his wife Keri in 1995 and has two daughters, Katie and Ella. Close and his family love philanthropy and traveling the world. He is a sportsman, preferring outdoor sports such as rock climbing, snow skiing, tennis, golf, sailing, surfing, scuba diving and fly-fishing. He also enjoys reading historical fiction.
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