It was only a matter of time before Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s relationship sparked inspiration for more romantic entertainment and that time has finally come. Lifetime has just released their new film Christmas In The Spotlight.
With the Era’s Tour coming to an end and the Christmas season around the corner, Taylor Swift fans, like myself, are looking for more Taylor-related content. When I found out about this film, I was excited to see if it would live up to the Taylor and Travis love story that the world adores. But did it actually live up to those expectations?
What’s It About?
The film follows the love story between mega pop star Bowyn (Jessica Lord) and professional football player Drew (former NFL player Laith Wallschleger). After taking his niece to Bowyn’s concert, Drew admits to having a crush on the singer, posting a photo with her on social media. The two secretly begin seeing one another, hiding their relationship from the world. But the couple must navigate their relationship as it becomes public.
From the get-go, there are clear parallels between the characters and the iconic romance we are all familiar with.
What Do The Actors Think?
Taylor Swift has one of the largest fan bases in the world, so large that they continue to overflow her shows in sold-out stadiums. But is this Christmas movie going to get the approval of millions? I had the privilege to speak to both Jessica Lord and Laith Wallschleger and get their thoughts on how Swifties may react to the film.
“I can only hope that they’ll love it. I do think that people will enjoy the movie because if they love Taylor Swift, they’ll love Bowyn. I think they’ll love the story between these two people.” – Jessica Lord
“Well if [Swifties] go into it thinking ‘they’re trying to be Travis and Taylor,’ they are going to be surely disappointed… there is no replacing Taylor Swift or copying her in any way. This is just a humble offering to the fans to just watch a Lifetime movie during the holidays and have a laugh.” – Laith Wallschleger
The Characters VS The Celebs
Jessica says that she drew inspiration from the pop-star and was excited to embody the role. But she makes it clear that although the story was inspired by Taylor and Travis, Laith and Jessica worked hard to make the roles their own.
“Although it is inspired by Taylor and Travis, Bowyn and Drew do have their own love story. There’s a lot of Laith and myself sprinkled into these characters as well. So we really got to bring ourselves into these characters too.” – Jessica Lord
Taylor and Bowyn do have their similarities. Both are pop stars, loved and adored by the entire world. The movie even highlights Bowyn’s charitable personality, one that parallels Taylor Swift’s charity work. But they are different enough to allow Bowyn to stand alone as a character, rather than a copy of Taylor. It’s easy separating the two women while watching the film.
The same can be said about Drew. The one connection between Travis Kelce and Drew is the identical family dynamics. Drew is shown having a brother who also plays in the NFL, similar to Travis and his brother, Jason Kelce. We also get to see Drew interact with his nieces, similar to the relationship between Travis and his nieces.
Hidden Easter Eggs
As all Swifties know, Taylor Swift is the queen of easter eggs and hidden meanings. This movie does a fun job incorporating Taylor and Travis easter eggs through the film. Although the story and characters are meant to stand apart from Taylor and Travis, there are still plenty of easter eggs in the film that Swifties will appreciate.
Throughout the film, many recognizable Taylor Swift songs are hidden in the script. Lyrics from songs like “All Too Well,” “The Alchemy,” and “Mean” are casually mentioned in multiple scenes. If you aren’t familiar with Taylor’s songs, these moments will go over your head. But if you happen to be a fan, you will have a fun time catching all of these hidden gems.
One moment in particular that screams Taylor and Travis is when Drew does his touchdown celebration as he pretends to shoot an arrow into the sky. It’s reminiscent to Travis’s touchdown celebration and Taylor’s signature move when she performs her song “The Archer.”
From Drew repping the number 13 on the field to Bowyn’s fanbase being called “Arrowheads,” there are plenty of little moments that Swifties will notice.
Is It Swiftie Approved?
As a Swiftie, I had my doubts about this film. I didn’t know whether or not it was meant to be a copycat romance. But I was happy to find out that the plot strayed away from the original love story and became something new.
When trying to portray the world’s most famous couple, I’m sure it can be daunting. Nonetheless, Jessica Lord and Laith Wallschleger were able to make the roles their own. Drew and Bowyn are very much their own characters. They gave us a heartwarming holiday take on our favorite romance trope. Although, the movie is inspired by my favorite power couple, it felt like any classic romantic holiday movie. By the end of the film, you’ll forget that it’s inspired by Taylor and Travis. Aside from the occasional Taylor easter egg, the characters and plot are poles apart from the real-life romance.
I’m sure there are plenty of Swifties out there that will enjoy the movie for its similarities. There are cute Taylor and Travis moments that Bowyn and Drew pay homage to on-screen. But even if you aren’t a Swiftie, this is still a cute lighthearted holiday movie that you can enjoy with family and friends.
