The charitable Ella heads out on a boat in 1905 and ends up in 2025. Nick has to figure out how to get her back in time-and decide if their newfound love can stand the test of it. Photo: Ginna Claire Mason, Wes Brown
Credit: ©2025 Hallmark Media/Photographer: Robert Clark
Wes Brown feels it’s necessary to call out Ginna Clare Mason on her humility.
The two star in Christmas in Newport which tells the story of Ella (Mason), a charitable and spirited Newport socialite in 1905 who upon learning her father intends for her to become engaged to a man she’s never met, she sets sail on a schooner and wistfully wishes for a different life.
During her journey, she’s shocked to suddenly find Nick (Brown), a sailor and local Newport historian, aboard her schooner and accuses him of being a stowaway. But Nick insists he owns the boat and a standoff ensues.
Once on dry land, Ella realizes that somehow, she’s traveled from 1905 to 2025. As she spends time there and gets a glimpse at what her future in 1905 appears to be, she becomes reluctant to return, especially since she and Nick have grown close and she now knows how true love feels.
With regard to playing someone who travals between two different time periods, Mason says, “Oh, gosh, it was so much fun. I think Ella has this sort of grace and wonder that she carries into both centuries, and also this strength that’s really endearing.”
She says that the ‘gorgeous sets and the incredible costumes’ helped her stay in character in both eras.
“But I think getting to play with her mannerisms and her rhythm of speech was such an exciting challenge,” she adds, also saying that, “And to just get to play with my imagination — jumping forward 120 years, what would it be like for a person to experience our technological advances, our inflatable snowman, our paper cups and women in pants and having a lady boss? I think that was a really fun challenge.”
For his part, Brown says that watching Mason ‘transition from one time period to another was interesting to watch.’
“Getting to react off of what she was doing…. well, I knew she would bring it, and she brought it, and it made for some really great moments between us that I know you’re going to recognize in the film.”
Along with a plethora of story elements — time travel, boats, and more — Mason says that there’s one more piece to movie that she thinks viewers will love. “There’s a song called ‘Timeless Christmas’ that is inspired by the plot of this film. Wes has previously recorded music, and I’m from Nashville. I recorded music, and it was really fun to take this love story and put it into a song.”
She says that the song is ‘its own time capsule with a holiday spin to it.’
This is when Brown calls out Mason for being a bit too humble.
“I love that she says, ‘I’m from Nashville and I put out a music.’ She’s skipping the fact that she was on Broadway for, like, half a decade.”
Mason laughs a little as she says, “I guess that’s my early 20th century modesty coming out. You know, women didn’t boast about themselves then.”
What’s unique about this film, points out Brown, is that, “It feels like old school filmmaking — with big sets, and a sweeping story and all of that. And, of course, it has, at its core, love.”
‘A Newport Christmas’ airs Sunday, November 2nd at 8/7c on the Hallmark Channel, and is available for streaming on the Hallmark+ app.