- Alison Sweeney and Victor Weber continue their chemistry in the latest Hannah Swensen movie, A bit of a scam
- Sweeney told PEOPLE that she thinks it’s “obvious that Chad is interested” in Hannah despite their “adversarial relationship”
- “You just have to meet them all, accept them all and then ride with us,” Sweeney quips about the latest Hannah Swensen mystery
The Hannah Swensen movies always feature a crime to be solved, but the latest installment of the Hallmark franchise, A bit of a scamit also presents a mystery about Hannah and Chad’s future together.
“Obviously, Chad is interested,” Alison Sweeney, who plays Hannah opposite Chad Victor Webster, tells PEOPLE. “Although I do like that he’s holding her back so much from getting involved in these investigations. He doesn’t just hand over information. I thought it was such an adversarial relationship for them, even though they really love each other very much. There is definitely room for growth in this relationship.”
Alison Sweeney and Victor Webster sip and sizzle in Hallmark’s new Hannah Swensen First look at the film (exclusive)
A Bit of Deception: The Hannah Swensen Mystery sees Hannah and Chad take their own approach to solving the murder while also trying to clear the name of a colleague who appears to be connected to the crime.
“The whole setup is really fun,” says Sweeney, 48. “Hannah is hosting Lonnie’s high school party, and you feel like you’re meeting all the players in their natural elements. You don’t get insights like, ‘Is that a person who’s going to die?’ Or, ‘Is that a person who is a murderer?’ You just have to get to know them all, understand everything and then ride with us and try to remember all the clues we laid down at the beginning.”
Sweeney admits that even she it doesn’t always remember tracks during recording. “We shoot it in a mess, so you get a little confused,” says the actress. “I’m like, ‘Wait, do I know this has happened before?’ Or, ‘Where am I?’ Fortunately, we had a great director, Kevin Leslie, who followed it all and explained some of it.”
Alison Sweeney in ‘A Sprinkle Of Deceit: A Hannah Swensen Mystery’.
Bettina Strauss/Hallmark Media
After completing 10 Hannah Swensen movies, Sweeney imagines herself as a rookie detective like her character.
“I listen to a lot of podcasts and watch a lot of them Date lineand trying to get clues,” she says. “And then with Hannah, I don’t want her to be the one using all the vernacular. She’s still a baker who understands these things; I like to keep her, not the expert.”
Sweeney’s son Ben, 19, worked on set Death Wish: A Hannah Swensen Mystery in 2023, but could not continue A bit of a scam because of his school schedule. “He went back to school, so he couldn’t, but the whole team was asking, ‘How’s he doing in school and college?'” Sweeney says. “It was fun to have a bunch of people who knew him so well and missed him. He had a great experience.”
The Hallmark star did indeed have a special visit from another loved one on set. Sweeney teases that she’s cast “another Hallmark actress who’s a dear friend of mine” for a “very fun cameo.”
“I can’t wait for the fans to see her and I’m going crazy because it was so funny for her,” Sweeney says.
Later this month, Sweeney’s 30th Hallmark film, Time every yearwill debut on Hallmark Mystery after Hallmark begins its holiday programming on Friday, October 18.
Despite her extensive Hallmark resume, “I’m most recognized for Hannah,” says Sweeney. “The other day I met someone at the grocery store and she was quoting some of the movies, her favorite lines from the movie, and it was so cute.”
Alison Sweeney will miss her son who graduated from college — and his car: ‘We had a built-in Uber driver!’ (Exclusive)
As the Hallmark universe expands with sequels to beloved movies and trilogies like Wedding veilin which Sweeney starred alongside Lacey Chabert and Autumn Reeser, Sweeney teases the film she’d like to see again. “Maybe in the near future I’ll talk about something else we’ve been working on,” she says.
Although Sweeney can’t give too much away yet, “I’m happy with whatever comes my way,” she says. “What I love about making Hallmark movies is that the whole family can watch them together, there’s something for everyone. This was a blessing.”
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A Bit of Deception: The Hannah Swensen Mystery premieres Friday, October 4, at 9:00 PM ET on Hallmark Mystery.
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Source: HIS Education