Tatyana Ali to Star in Lifetime’s Holiday Movie “Secret Santa”

Tatyana Ali is getting into the Christmas spirit…

The 38-year-old half-Afro-Panamanian American actress and former The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air star will star in the recently greenlit Lifetime holiday movie Secret Santa (working title).

Tatyana Ali

Ali will star opposite Mindy Sterling, Dan Lauria and Brendan Fehr in the two-hour original movie, which is currently shooting in Salt Lake City, Utah for a premiere this winter.

The plot: Christmas is Hillary Nash’s (Ali) least favorite time of year. As the Senior Financial Analyst at the upscale Hudson Valley Outdoor Mall, she has to be the annual Christmas Grinch and cancel the leases of under-performing stores by the end of the year. One afternoon, her 8-year-old niece Molly, asks the mall Santa to help find a boyfriend for her beloved aunt. Unbeknownst to Molly, and Hillary, the mall Santa is just a substitute filling in and is actually Ryan McCue (Fehr), a lawyer-turned-artist who is decorating the mall for Christmas and trying to find his way after quitting his job and losing his fiancee. As Hillary and Ryan begin to fall for each other, they each don’t realize the other’s true identity: Hillary who is tasked with closing a failing gift wrap shop run by Ryan’s Aunt Patty and Ryan who is too ashamed to tell Hillary that he is the acting mall Santa.

The cast also includes Kim Fields and Jasmine Guy.

Sterling plays cheery Agnes, who along with her husband, played by Dan Lauria, run the mall cookie store, bringing a combination of sweetness, advice and answers to all.

Ali’s recent credits include television

Velasquez to Star in Faith-Based Film “A Question of Faith”

Jaci Velasquez is keeping the Faith

The 36-year-old part-Spanish and part-Mexican American actress and singer has signed on to star in Silver Lining Entertainment’s A Question of Faith.

Jaci Velasquez

The faith-based film revolves around three families — same community, different cultures — who are all complete strangers, living vastly separate lives until a tragic texting-and-driving accident puts them on converging paths of love, forgiveness, grace and mercy.

In addition to Velasquez, the film also stars Richard T. Jones, C. Thomas Howell, Kim Fields, T.C. Stallings and Greg Alan Williams .

Kevan Otto (In the Name of God) is directing the film, which was written by Terrence “Ty” Manns.

The film is scheduled for release in 2016.

Velasquez’s previous credits include appearances in Chasing Papi, The Encounter and Jerusalem Countdown.

Rivera to Compete on ABC’s “Dancing With The Stars”

Geraldo Rivera is ready to shake his bon bon…

ABC has announced the full cast of Dancing With The Stars Season 22 ahead of its March 21 premiere, with the 72-year-old half-Puerto Rican attorney, reporter, author, and talk show host making the lineup.

Geraldo Rivera

Rivera, the host of the newsmagazine program Geraldo at Large and regular guest/contributor on the Fox News Channel, is partnered with professional dancer Edyta Śliwińska. 

He will also have the distinction of being the oldest contestant this season.

This isn’t Rivera’s first foray into reality television…

He competed on the 14th season of The Celebrity Apprentice, where he ultimately placed second to fellow TV personality Leeza Gibbons.

In addition to Rivera, the list of celebrity dancers includes Mischa Barton (Notting Hill), Good Morning America meteorologist Ginger Zee, Living Single’s Kim Fields, NFL star Antonio Brown and Jodie Sweetin (Fuller House).

Here’s the complete list of celeb dancers and their professional partners:

  • Mischa Barton with Artem Chigvintsev
  • Antonio Brown with Sharna Burgess
  • Nyle DiMarco with Peta Murgatroyd
  • Kim Fields with Sasha Farber
  • Doug Flutie with Karina Smirnoff
  • Marla Maples with Tony Dovolani
  • Von Miller with Witney Carson
  • Wanya Morris with Lindsay Arnold
  • Geraldo Rivera with Edyta Sliwinska
  • Jodie Sweetin with Keo Motsepe
  • Paige VanZant with Mark Ballas
  • Ginger Zee with Valentin Chmerkovskiy