The thing about Netflix holiday sequels is that they usually feel like a rehash. You know the drill: the same couple, a slightly different snowy backdrop, and a plot that’s thinner than a peppermint stick. But when the cast of A California Christmas City Lights hit screens, it felt a little different. Maybe it’s because the lead actors are actually married in real life, or maybe it’s the weirdly charming transition from a cow pasture to the San Francisco skyline.
Honestly, most people watching these movies just want to know if the chemistry is faked. In this case? Definitely not.
The Real-Life Romance Behind the Cast of A California Christmas City Lights
The heart and soul of the movie are Lauren Swickard and Josh Swickard. Lauren doesn't just play Callie; she actually wrote and produced the film. She’s kind of a powerhouse in that way. She met Josh on the set of another movie called Roped back in 2017. They didn't start dating until after filming wrapped because they wanted to keep things professional—classic move—but they ended up getting married in 2019.
When you see them as Callie and Joseph, you're looking at a couple that had just welcomed their first daughter, Savannah, only months before the sequel started filming in the summer of 2021. In fact, Josh has mentioned in interviews that Lauren was "memorizing circles" around him on set, which is high praise considering he’s a veteran of the soap opera world on General Hospital.
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Josh Swickard (Joseph)
Josh plays Joseph, the "city boy" who supposedly learned his lesson in the first movie but gets sucked back into the corporate vortex of his family's company, Van Aston Warehouses. If he looks familiar to the daytime TV crowd, it’s because he’s been playing Detective Harrison Chase on General Hospital since 2018. He brings that specific soap-opera earnestness to Joseph that makes the character's internal conflict—choosing between his fancy San Francisco life and the winery—actually believable.
Lauren Swickard (Callie)
Lauren (formerly Lauren York) is the engine of this franchise. In City Lights, her character Callie has to deal with the "fish out of water" trope in reverse. She’s the farm girl trying to navigate high-society charities and Joseph’s ex-girlfriends. Beyond the California Christmas world, she’s popped up in Dear White People and The Neighbor. She’s got this grounded energy that balances out the slickness of the city scenes.
The Supporting Players You Definitely Recognized
A movie like this lives or dies by its side characters. You need the funny best friend and the intimidating parent to make the rom-com gears turn.
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- Ali Afshar (Leo): Ali is basically the "secret sauce" of these movies. He plays Leo, Joseph’s driver/assistant/best friend. But here’s the kicker: Ali Afshar is one of the film’s actual producers. He’s also a professional race car driver in real life. The ranch where they filmed the first movie? That’s his family’s actual ranch in Petaluma.
- David Del Rio (Manny): David plays Manny, the guy who stays behind to help run the farm. He’s got great comedic timing, which makes sense if you’ve seen him in Pitch Perfect or the The Baker and the Beauty. He provides that much-needed tether to the "old life" while the main couple is busy being stressed in the city.
- Amanda Detmer (Wendy): She plays Callie’s mom. If you’re a fan of 90s/2000s cinema, you’ll recognize her from Final Destination or Big Fat Liar. She brings a certain warmth to the screen that makes the family stakes feel real.
- Laura James (Victoria): Every sequel needs a bit of friction, and Victoria is it. She’s the "ex-flame" who represents the life Joseph left behind. Laura James actually won America's Next Top Model (Cycle 19), which explains why she fits so perfectly into the high-fashion, high-society San Francisco vibe of the film.
Why the Location Change Shifted the Dynamic
A lot of fans were worried that moving the cast of A California Christmas City Lights from the rural charm of Petaluma to San Francisco would ruin the vibe. It didn't. Interestingly, they still filmed a lot of it in Petaluma, using local spots like the Hotel Petaluma to double for city interiors.
The sequel focuses heavily on the theme of compromise. It’s not just about "saving the farm" anymore; it’s about whether two people from different worlds can actually build a middle ground. Lauren Swickard has said she wanted to show that relationships aren't just about the "happily ever after" of the first kiss—they’re about the work that comes a year later.
Surprising Facts About the Production
- The Proposal Scene: In the movie, Joseph’s proposal to Callie is actually based on Josh’s real-life proposal to Lauren. He even used some of the same wording.
- COVID Constraints: This was one of the first productions to get back to work during the pandemic. They had to be super strict, which is why the cast feels so tight-knit—they were basically in a bubble together.
- Kane Lim Cameo: If you’re a fan of Bling Empire, you probably caught Kane Lim playing himself (well, "Kane Kim"). It was a meta-nod to the "City Lights" lifestyle.
What to Watch Next if You Loved This Cast
If you’ve finished the movie and you’re wondering where else to find this specific brand of charm, you have options. Most of this crew works together frequently under the ESX Entertainment banner.
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Check out Roped on Netflix if you want to see where Josh and Lauren first met. It’s a bit more "rodeo" and less "Christmas," but the chemistry is arguably even more raw there because they were actually falling in love during the shoot.
You can also follow Josh Swickard on his daily grind at General Hospital. It’s a different pace, but he’s a staple of the show. For Lauren, keep an eye on her writing credits; she’s been vocal about wanting to produce more female-led stories that don't just rely on typical tropes.
Actionable Insight: If you're looking to visit the real-world locations, head to Petaluma, California. You can visit the Spring Hill Cheese creamery, which served as the primary location for the Bernet Vineyard. It’s a real working dairy farm, and yes, it’s just as scenic as it looks on your TV screen. Grab some local cheese and do a self-guided tour of the downtown area to see where the "city" scenes were actually cheated into existence.