Let's be honest. Most of us watch Made-for-TV holiday movies for the comfort, not the high-stakes drama. We want the snow (or the fake sand version of it), the inevitable romance, and those familiar faces that make us point at the screen and say, "Wait, where do I know them from?" When it comes to the cast of Christmas in Palm Springs, that feeling is constant. This 2014 flick has become a staple of the holiday rotation because it doesn’t just lean on one star; it pulls in a weirdly effective mix of 90s icons, soap opera veterans, and character actors who have been in basically everything you've ever seen.
It’s about a family trying to reconnect while a father figures out a big business deal in the desert. Simple? Sure. But the chemistry of the actors makes it work.
Patrick Muldoon: The Charming Lead
Patrick Muldoon plays Jessica’s (Dina Meyer) ex-husband. He’s one of those guys who has stayed remarkably consistent in the industry for decades. If you grew up in the 90s, you probably remember him as Austin Reed from Days of Our Lives. He was the guy everyone was obsessed with for a solid few years. Or, if you’re more of a sci-fi fan, you definitely recognize him from Starship Troopers.
In Christmas in Palm Springs, Muldoon brings that specific kind of "lovable but struggling" energy. He’s trying to win back his family while balancing a massive career move. It’s a trope, yeah, but Muldoon has this natural charisma that makes you actually root for him instead of just rolling your eyes at the screen. He’s done a ton of these holiday movies—Holiday Road Trip comes to mind—so he knows exactly how to play the beats without making it feel forced.
Dina Meyer: More Than Just a Rom-Com Mom
Dina Meyer is the heart of this movie. She plays Jessica, the mother trying to hold everything together while her kids scheme to get their parents back together. Meyer is a powerhouse who often gets overlooked in these kinds of roles. Most people know her as Detective Kerry Li from the Saw franchise. It’s a total 180 from a sunny Palm Springs Christmas movie, which just shows her range.
She also played Dizzy Flores in Starship Troopers alongside Muldoon, so this movie was actually a mini-reunion for them. That’s probably why their "divorced but still clearly in love" vibe feels so authentic. They have a shorthand that you can’t just fake on a two-week filming schedule. Meyer doesn't play Jessica as a victim or a nagging ex-wife. She plays her as a woman who is genuinely exhausted but still hopeful.
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It's refreshing.
The Kids Bringing the Parent Trap Energy
The plot really moves because of the kids, played by Ian Ziering's actual kids? No, that's a common mix-up. The children in the cast of Christmas in Palm Springs are played by actors who had to carry the "mischievous but sweet" mantle. They are the ones driving the engine of the plot, trying to orchestrate a reunion in the heat of the California desert.
The Supporting Heavy Hitters: Joey Lawrence and Beyond
Okay, can we talk about Joey Lawrence? He pops up here and he is just... Joey Lawrence. Whether you know him from Blossom (who can forget the "Whoa!"?) or Melissa & Joey, he brings a very specific energy to the screen. In this film, he isn't the main lead, but he adds that layer of "TV royalty" that makes these movies feel legitimate.
Then you have David O'Donnell. He’s basically the king of the "other guy" roles in Christmas movies. He’s been in A Christmas Proposal, The Christmas Spirit, and a dozen others. He’s reliable. He knows his lighting. He delivers his lines with exactly the right amount of sincerity.
- Brendan Fehr: You might remember him from Roswell or CSI: Miami.
- Yasmeen Bleeth: (Wait, no—common misconception, she wasn't in this one, though people often confuse 90s starlets in these ensembles).
- The Setting: Palm Springs itself acts like a character. It's that mid-century modern aesthetic that makes the movie look more expensive than your average budget holiday flick.
Why This Specific Cast Worked
Most holiday movies fail because the actors look like they’re just waiting for their paycheck to clear. You can see it in their eyes. But with the cast of Christmas in Palm Springs, there’s a sense of genuine fun. Maybe it was the location. Filming in Palm Springs is objectively better than filming in a fake-snow-covered lot in Burbank during a heatwave.
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The chemistry between Muldoon and Meyer is the anchor. Without them, it would just be another "parents get back together" story. They make the stakes feel real. When they argue, it feels like an argument two people who have been married for ten years would actually have. It's not just "movie fighting."
The Business Plot vs. The Family Plot
The movie balances Patrick Muldoon’s character trying to land a big deal with the Mayor (played by the legendary Bill Cobbs) while his kids are basically running reconnaissance missions. Bill Cobbs is another one of those "I know that guy!" actors. He was in Night at the Museum, The Hudsucker Proxy, and The Bodyguard. Having an actor of his caliber as the Mayor adds a lot of weight to the "business" side of the movie.
Cobbs has this incredibly warm, gravelly voice that just screams "wise mentor." He doesn't have to do much to command a scene. He just stands there and you listen.
Real-World Filming Locations and Trivia
If you’re watching this and thinking about booking a trip, most of the exterior shots were actually done in Palm Springs. They used the iconic windmills, the downtown strip, and several of the high-end resorts. It gives the movie a "vacation" feel that is a nice break from the usual small-town-with-a-gazebo setting of most Hallmark or Lifetime movies.
One thing people often get wrong about this movie is the timeline. It came out in 2014, right when the "Christmas Movie Industrial Complex" was really starting to take off. It wasn't quite as polished as the movies coming out in 2025 or 2026, but it has a charm that those newer, more "corporate" movies sometimes lack.
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What You Should Do Next
If you’re a fan of this cast, don't just stop at this movie.
- Check out the Muldoon/Meyer Reunion: Go back and watch Starship Troopers. It is a wild experience to see the "parents" from a Christmas movie fighting giant space bugs together.
- Look for Bill Cobbs’ deeper filmography: If you liked his presence here, watch The Ultimate Gift. It’s a tear-jerker but shows why he was one of the most respected character actors in the business before his passing.
- Palm Springs Travel: If you’re actually going to Palm Springs, visit the Aerial Tramway. It’s not just a movie backdrop; it’s genuinely one of the coolest things to do in the desert, and it's where a lot of that "mountain" feel in the movie comes from.
The cast of Christmas in Palm Springs isn't just a random assortment of actors. It's a calculated blend of nostalgia and talent. It works because it doesn't try to be anything other than what it is: a warm, slightly cheesy, ultimately heart-filling story about people trying to do better for the people they love. Honestly, that’s all we really want in December anyway.
If you want to track down where to watch it, it usually cycles through the free ad-supported streaming services (FAST channels) like Tubi or Pluto TV every November. It's worth the 90 minutes if only to see Patrick Muldoon and Dina Meyer share the screen again. They just have it.
Next time you see a familiar face in a holiday movie, check the credits. Chances are, they’ve been in your favorite shows for the last twenty years. The "comfort watch" is built on the backs of these hardworking actors who know exactly how to make a predictable story feel like home. No matter how many times we see the "divorced parents reunite" trope, it still hits when the right people are playing the parts. This cast proved that.