Toronto, 16 May 2018 – DHX Television’s Family Channel and Aircraft Pictures in association with American Greetings Entertainment announced today that principal photography has begun on its Holly Hobbie™ live-action series. The contemporary new tween drama, based on the American Greetings character first introduced in 1967, is being filmed in Toronto and Hamilton this month. The series makes its debut with 10 episodes in the US exclusively on Hulu this fall, followed by its Canadian debut on Family Channel. Universal Kids (US) has also purchased the linear rights for the series following its first window run on Hulu.
Ruby Jay stars as Holly Hobbie in the new tween series.
A dreamer and a doer, Holly Hobbie has lived her whole life in the small town of Collinsville. Holly’s a 13-year-old singer-songwriter who’s got her best friends and close-knit family by her side, but she’s dreaming of ways to save the world – even if it’s starting in her own backyard.
Cast for Holly Hobbie features newcomers and notable stars including: Ruby Jay (Modern Family, Grey’s Anatomy) as Holly Hobbie; Saara Chaudry (The Breadwinner, Max & Shred) as Amy Abbasi; Kamaia Fairburn (Star Falls, Odd Squad) as Piper Parish; Hunter Dillon (The Exorcist, Supernatural) as Tyler Flaherty; Charles Vandervaart (The Stanley Dynamic, Murdoch Mysteries) as Robbie Hobbie; Kate Moyer (Our House, IT) as Heather Hobbie; Erin Karpluk (Saving Hope, Being Erica) as Mrs. Hobbie; Evan Buliung (Reign, Bitten) as Mr. Hobbie; and Sara Botsford (Ride, The Lot) as Holly’s grandma, Helen Hobbie.
Holly Hobbie is produced by Aircraft Pictures, with the financial participation of the Shaw Rocket Fund. Anthony Leo and Andrew Rosen (The Breadwinner, Bruno & Boots: This Can’t Be Happening at Macdonald Hall) serve as producers. Karen Vermeulen, Ryan Wiesbrock and Sean Gorman of American Greetings Entertainment (Tinpo, Buddy Thunderstruck and Care Bears) and Matthew Wexler of Wexworks Media (D.N.Ace, Paw Patrol) are serving as executive producers alongside showrunner Sarah Glinski (Degrassi: Next Class, Degrassi: The Next Generation).
Follow Holly Hobbie on social media at:
Facebook – @HollyHobbie
Instagram – @HollyHobbie
Twitter – @HollyHobbieTV
About Aircraft Pictures
Aircraft Pictures is an Academy Award nominated production company founded by Anthony Leo and Andrew Rosen to create premium scripted content for kids, families and young adults. Based in Toronto, Canada with offices in Los Angeles, Aircraft develops, finances and produces content for a variety of platforms ranging from independent feature films to high-end television series to digital first productions. Recent projects include the Academy Award, Golden Globe and Critic’s Choice Award nominated feature film The Breadwinner (winner of the Toronto & Los Angeles Film Critics Award for Best Animated Feature); three television movies based on the Bruno & Boots book series by Canadian young adult fiction icon Gordon Korman; the animated supernatural comedy feature film Todd & The Book of Pure Evil: The End of the End; and the Kidscreen Award-winning single-camera comedy Raising Expectations created by Tom Saunders (Arrested Development) and starring Jason Priestley and Molly Ringwald.
About American Greetings Entertainment
American Greetings Entertainment is the owner for iconic entertainment brands such as Care Bears™, Holly Hobbie™, Madballs™, Packages from Planet X™, Twisted Whiskers™, Buddy Thunderstruck™ and its newest IP, Tinpo™. American Greetings Entertainment develops multi-platform entertainment franchises across all media channels and extensive consumer merchandising programs that immerse children and adults in brands they love.
Family Channel offers the best in family television entertainment in a premium, high definition, multiplatform environment. Dedicated to celebrating family life and providing a daily vacation for Canadian families, Family airs a unique mix of top-rated Canadian and acquired series, movies and specials. Family Channel subscribers have access to the Family Channel App, Family OnDemand and Family Online at no additional cost, to see hit movies and series when they want them, where they want them. Visit us at Family.ca.
DHX Television is composed of Family Channel, Family CHRGD, Family Jr. and Télémagino, and is part of DHX Media Ltd., a leading creator, producer, marketer and broadcaster of family entertainment. Dedicated to celebrating family fun, DHX Television delivers best-in-class programming through premium subscriptions and its original production mandate, and creates and produces captivating in-market events that appeal to Canadian families. DHX Television is home to world-renowned series including The Next Step, Degrassi: Next Class and Teletubbies. DHX Media Ltd. has offices globally, and is traded on the NASDAQ and Toronto Stock Exchange.
For further information, artwork and to arrange set-visits please contact:
Joanna Landsberg
Manager, Communications – DHX Television
416.977.7458
joanna.landsberg@dhxmedia.com
Brianna Hurley
Publicity Director – TARO PR
647.466.7189
brianna@taropr.com