Stars of ‘Holiday Touchdown: A Bills Love Story’ on hand to watch near-impossible finish

Behind the Screens with Joshua Maloni

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Down 15 points late in the fourth quarter Sunday night, the Buffalo Bills had a 99% chance of losing their season-opener to the Baltimore Ravens. Instead, they overcame near-impossible odds to win the day and secure a happy ending.

Kind of sounds like a Hallmark movie, right?

Well, there was a little bit of Hallmark magic in Highmark Stadium, as Holland Roden, Matthew Daddario and Andrew Walker – the stars of the upcoming “Holiday Touchdown: A Bills Love Story” – were in attendance.

On the day Hallmark announced the release date for its “Countdown to Christmas” feature (Nov. 22), the three stars came to Orchard Park to meet fans, visit some popular tailgate parties, and cheer on their favorite NFL team.

Each of the actors wore a custom-made Buffalo jersey with “Holiday Touchdown” on the back. As they walked the grounds around the former Ralph Wilson Stadium, they took notice of a new home field now under construction – and they often shouted “Go Bills!” in solidarity with their brothers and sisters in red, white and blue.

"Holiday Touchdown: A Bills Love Story" stars Andrew Walker, Holland Roden and Matthew Daddario.

Matthew Daddario, Holland Roden and Andrew Walker check in on "Pinto Ron” Ken Johnson.

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“This is our first game,” Roden said.

Daddario noted some of the film’s creative team attended a game late last season.

“They showed us videos, and it set kind of a high bar,” he said. “I'm kind of looking forward to seeing what's going to happen here, because some of it was pretty intense. We're venturing into that now, and I'm kind of looking forward to it.”

Roden said, “We shot a tailgate scene in the movie, so we actually got to go back to the same house where we shot that fake tailgate scene and be part of the real one. That was a real ‘art imitates life’ experience.”

Walker – perhaps the most well-known Hallmark Channel actor, with more than 20 features on his reel – made a surprise cameo in “Holiday Touchdown,” appearing in East Aurora on the very last day of filming in June.

“There was a lot of begging to the right people to get here,” Walker joked. “They knew that I was a huge Bills fan growing up. I grew up in Montreal, Canada, so my adopted NFL team is the Bills. I put a phone call in to the head of programming, and I was like, ‘Listen, I know I probably can't be the lead of this movie, but if I can just have a small part, and just experience it, that would be really, really special.’ And she's like, ‘Andrew, you don't make these phone calls that often, so maybe we'll make something happen for you.’ And here I am with these folks.”

Daddario said, “I did not know this – that’s so cool! … That’s what Bills fans are like: You want to be a part of that thing.”

Walker called the Buffalo tailgate atmosphere a “one-of-a-kind situation.”

“I'm just excited to actually see it in real life, and experience it as well,” he said.

Walker explained, “My scene was at Bar Bill, but just to experience the fandom, and the people – and all those people at the bar were legit fans – and the bartender that I was working with, that I was doing the small cameo with – he'd been working there for 30 years. He knew everybody would show me Josh Allen's glass on the wall. He was showing me all the flares. And I never even knew they did this. But he was like, ‘Yeah, Josh comes in here on a random Tuesday night; has wings; his favorite wings are the Cajun honey barbecue; and he just hangs out with the community.’

“That's, really, when you think of the Buffalo Bills, that's what you hope from the players. You know, they're kind of an extension of the fan base here.”

Mark Kless is excited to meet Andrew Walker.

Holland Roden with Jenny and Mark Kless.

Matthew Daddario with Jenny Kless.

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Roden, Daddario and Walker were not adding any content to “Holiday Touchdown” with this visit.

“Today is just for fun – just for us to have a great time, and enjoy Buffalo and its finest moment, which is always Bills tailgating,” Daddario said.

In fact, there were several memorable moments as the trio visited Jenny’s Bills Bus, where they met Jenny Kless and her husband, Mark. The actors peeked inside the 1965 RV bus, tried some ribs, then took pictures and chatted with curious onlookers.

They then circled the wagons to Hammer's Lot, where they met (and Roden cleaned the ears of) “Pinto Ron,” who had just been covered in ketchup and mustard. Fans inquired about the movie, as chefs prepared various meats on hot metal surfaces including a rake and a saw.

“Holiday Touchdown: A Bills Love Story” will debut at 8 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 22, on the Hallmark Channel – a cornerstone of this year’s “Countdown to Christmas” programming.

Roden said, “We just hope we do Buffalo justice on creating this love letter to the Bills, and the love letter to Buffalo. But as far as the warmth this city carries, it’s one of a kind – and you can see why they're the No. 1 fandom in the NFL.”

In their final home-opener at Highmark Stadium, the Bills defeated the Ravens, 41-40, on “Sunday Night Football.”

WATCH:

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