Hallmark’s Groundswell is a romance film about Emma, a chef who makes the decision to break up with her boyfriend and go on vacation instead of staying with him. “Groundswell” was directed by Lee Friedlander. After spending some time in Hawaii, she caught surfing fever and decided to enroll in a class. There she meets Ben, an experienced surfer and instructor who teaches her how to surf. Spending time with Ben on the stunning island helps her better prepare for her personal and professional struggles.
Audiences are captivated throughout the Hallmark film’s uplifting narrative thanks to the stunning backdrops and outstanding actors. The film’s success can be attributed in part to its striking a healthy balance of drama and entertainment while also being visually appealing. Given the film’s many stunning settings, we can imagine a lot of people wondering where it was filmed, and we have the answers you’ve been looking for, right here!
Filming locations for Groundswell
Most of Groundswell was filmed on Oahu, Hawaii. The film’s principal photography began in the second half of May 2022 and lasted until June of the same year. Filming ended in 2022. Let’s examine together how the film was shot.
Oahu, Hawaii
“Groundswell” was filmed on many Hawaiian islands, including Oahu, which served as the setting for several of the sequences. It’s not surprising that the production team for the Hallmark film chose to shoot here in Hawaii since most of the story takes place in this location. Some water and surfing sequences were filmed at Waikiki Beach on Oahu, which is located in the neighborhood of the same name. One of only six beaches in the area, Waikiki Beach attracts many visitors year-round. These visitors come to Waikiki Beach for the spectacular ocean views. It appears that a significant part of the beach has been created by human activity, which is an interesting fact. Millions of cubic feet of sand were added to the beach as part of the process of developing and restoring the shoreline in and around Waikiki. Those planning their trip to Waikiki between mid-September and late March have the opportunity to experience a stunning sunset over the water.
The city of Honolulu, which serves as the capital of Hawaii, is located on the southeastern tip of the island of Oahu. In addition to being the location of the state capital, Oahu is also known for its many popular tourist attractions. The film Groundswell proves that this region does indeed have a robust surfing culture. Every year since 1983, the North Shore of Oahu has hosted a series of professional surfing competitions known as the Triple Crown of Surfing. The participants take part in the competition every year in the months of November and December. After the completion of the individual competitions, the results of the overall competition are counted and used to determine the overall winner.
It should come as no surprise that Oahu, located in the Hawaiian archipelago, is a popular choice for filmmakers when it comes to producing their projects. The island is home to a range of stunning landscapes and the local culture is rich and vibrant. Filming locations like Waikiki Beach are often used in films set in Hawaii or other coastal regions of the world. The characters have their own insightful experiences in Hawaii in a number of different films, just like the Hallmark film that everyone has seen. Many well-known films such as “Punch-Drunk Love” and “Big Eyes” have been filmed on the island of Oahu throughout its history as a location for film productions.
A groundswell in the casting
In the film “Groundswell” with Lacey Chabert, the role of Emma is played by the actress. She’s starred in The Wedding Veil Legacy and Christmas at Castle Hart, so this isn’t her first appearance in a Hallmark film. In the love story, Ektor Rivera plays surf instructor Ben. The actor may be familiar to you from his previous roles in films such as ‘Sugar Plum Twist’ and ‘La ltima Gira.’ Darren Darnborough as Garrett Weston, Napoleon Tavale as Sebastian, Omar Bustamante as Franky, and Lundon Knighten as Chef Tracy are some of the other characters making cameos.
The upcoming Hallmark film Groundswell will star Lacey Chabert (Christmas at Castle Heart) and Ektor Rivera (Sugar Plum Twist). The first episode of the project is scheduled to air August 21 on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries.
Katie Lee Biegel’s novel Groundswell is being adapted into a film of the same name. Beigel serves as executive producer on the project, in addition to having a cameo appearance in the production.
Emma (Chabert), an Atlanta chef, is experiencing both a personal and professional setback at the beginning of the film Groundswell. She then travels to Hawaii where she meets Ben (Rivera), a handsome and reclusive surf instructor who gives her a workout to help her get back on her feet.
In an interview with Deadline exclusively for the publication, Biegel remarked, “I’m a huge fan of Lacey’s films and she has been my dream character to portray Emma from day one.” This endeavor is very close to my heart , and I can think of no one better suited to take us on Emma’s journey than you.
Cameron Johann serves as Executive Producer on the Crown Media Productions show Groundswell. Both Ric Galindez and Roy Tjioe are involved in the production process. Carlie Mantilla and John Eliot Jordan wrote the screenplay, and Lee Friedlander is directing the production.
In February, Chabert signed a multi-picture deal with Crown Media Family Networks. As part of the deal, she will star, executive produce and develop other material in films airing on Hallmark Channel and other Hallmark platforms over the next two years.
Buchwald and DePaz Management are responsible for representing Rivera.
About Lacey Chabert
Lacey Nicole Chabert is the daughter of Julie (Johnson) and Tony Chabert, who worked as a sales representative for an oil company. She was born in Purvis, Mississippi. Their ancestry can be traced back to Cajun (French), Italian, English and Scottish families. Early in her life, Chabert began appearing in musical and theatrical productions in and around her Mississippi town. In 1991, she competed as a finalist in the TV show Star Search (1983). She began in the industry with a cough syrup commercial, then successfully auditioned for the Broadway version of Les Miserables, playing the young Cosette for two years. Since then she has appeared in a number of television programs, the most notable of which was Party of Five (1994), as well as a number of made-for-TV films such as Gypsy (1993), and she made her debut in a feature film entitled Lost in Space ( 1998). Known for her natural acting skills and endearing disposition, her voice has been described as “candyfloss”. Because of this, she has been cast in roles in animated films and television episodes such as Nickelodeon’s The Wild Thornberrys (1998). A truly talented musician, she not only enjoys a variety of activities—including shoe shopping—but also loves Cajun cuisine. Her family, which consists of two sisters and one brother, relocated to California from Mississippi because of the great job opportunities it offers.
About Katie Lee
Katie Lee’s birthday is September 14th and she was born in Huntington, West Virginia, United States. Her roles in Groundswell (2022), Younger (2015) and The Kitchen earned her a reputation as an actress and writer (2014). She has been happily married to Ryan Biegel since September 1st, 2018. They only have one child together. Billy Joel was her ex-husband in a previous marriage.
About Ektor Rivera
Born February 11 in Bayamón, Puerto Rico, Ektor Rivera is an American actor, singer and visual artist.
At the Marquis Theater in New York he played Emilio Estefan in the Broadway production of On Your Feet! This musical was inspired by married couple Gloria and Emilio Estefan, winners of 26 Grammy Awards. The play was written by Academy Award winner Alexander Dinelaris Jr. and directed by Tony Award winner Jerry Mitchell (Birdman).
His notable roles in plays and musicals include “Rent”, “Hairspray”, “In The Heights”, “Godspell”, “High School Musical”, “Piaf”, “The Outsiders” and “The Mousetrap”. ‘, which won the Olivier Award for Best Musical or Play.
NCIS, Start Up, “La Ultima Gira” based on the life of the great Latin musician Daniel Santos, “Lucia, Ignacio y otras historias” and other recent TV and film releases. For large companies, his image appeared in regional and global advertising campaigns.
Jennifer Lopez, a singer and actress, chose Ektor as one of the lead singers on the US TV and live show Q’Viva! She co-produced the television show The Chosen with Puerto Rican musician Marc Anthony and choreographer Jamie King, which has attracted over 30 million viewers. The show, presented LIVE at the Mandalay Bay Resort in Las Vegas to an audience of more than 10,000, was the first of its kind to air simultaneously on Univision and FOX in the United States.
Ektor was a member of the Broadway and Beyond cast that followed the Dr. Phillips Center in Orlando, Florida helped open its Walt Disney Theater. Broadway stars Sierra Boggess, Norm Lewis and Michael Urie appeared in the production, directed by Richard Jay Alexander.
In addition, Ektor Rivera served as the main presenter of Sistema TV’s Aventura Cientifica, which won an Emmy Award in the Environment category.
About director
Lee Friedlander is a well-known American film director, screenwriter and producer. He was born in the state of Connecticut.
filmography
| Year | title | Credited as | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | The Ten Rules: A Guide to Lesbian Survival | director | Short film, 28 minutes |
| 2003 | Give or take an inch | Short film, 14 minutes | |
| Wasabi tuna | movie, 93 minutes | ||
| 2004 | girls play | Director; writer | movie, 80 minutes |
| 2006 | What’s up Doc? | director | documentary |
| 2007 | ex and ohpilot episode: “There must be rules” | TV series | |
| Out at the wedding | movie, 96 minutes | ||
| 2010 | La Manzana (The Apple) | Director; writer | Short film, 17 minutes |
| 2011 | Life is short, opera is long | writer | Short film, 8 minutes |
| 2012 | house men | director | short TV film, 14 minutes |
| 2015 | double dad | movie, 85 minutes | |
| The Babysitter’s Black Book | TV movie, 88 minutes | ||
| A gift-wrapped Christmas | TV movie, 87 minutes | ||
| 2016 | killer coach | TV movie, 87 minutes | |
| 2017 | Anything for love | Director; TV game | TV movie, 83 minutes |
| Switched at Christmas | Director; writer | TV film, 90 minutes | |
| 2018 | Royal to the end | director | TV movie, 86 minutes |
| love of course | Director; TV game | TV movie, 84 minutes | |
| 2019 | good girls | director | TV Series, Episode: “This Land Is Your Land” |
| 2020 | TV Series, Episode: “Egg Roll” | ||
| 2021 | The good doctor | TV Series, Episode: “Forgive or Forget” |