Alison Sweeney Admits To Making Every Actor Do This On Her Hallmark Mystery Movie Sets

For over a decade, Alison Sweeney has embodied bakery owner and amateur sleuth Hannah Swensen in Hallmark’s beloved Hannah Swensen Mysteries franchise.

With the release of Reality Bites on February 6, 2025, she celebrated her 11th film in the series, according to Soaps.

While the franchise has evolved—introducing new storylines and even welcoming Victor Webster as a fresh character in 2024 following longtime co-star Cameron Mathison’s departure—Sweeney remains steadfast about one key rule as both lead actress and executive producer: No fake eating.

Alison Sweeney Stands Firm on Real Eating in Scenes

Speaking with CinemaBlend, Sweeney made it clear that she doesn’t allow actors to pretend to eat while filming.

“I am really firm with everybody that you cannot fake eat,” she stated.

Since Hannah Swensen’s Mysteries is centered around a bakery, scenes frequently take place inside the fictional Cookie Jar Bakery. These moments are filmed at Gratia Bakery & Café in Maple Ridge, British Columbia, per Moviedelic. With food being a major element of the series, Sweeney insists on authenticity.

“I am sort of a hard, old-school, tough producer in that way,” she explained. “I say to people, ‘No, you cannot just eat, like, half a bite of a lettuce leaf. You have to eat. You’re gonna do it. Eat. Take a real bite, and we will figure out how to edit around it.’”

Acknowledging that catching an actor mid-bite might not always create the most flattering shots, she added, “I would rather go for it and have to fix it after than do the cheesy not-eating eating thing. And also, it’s a show about cookies and baking, right?”

The rule is well-established among Hannah Swensen regulars, but even guest stars are warned ahead of time: If they’re in a scene with food, they will actually be eating.

The Serious Side of Food Prep on Set

While authenticity in eating adds to the franchise’s realism, it also requires careful preparation, especially after Cameron Mathison’s unexpected health discovery.

Mathison, who portrayed Detective Mike Kingston for years, learned he had celiac disease while filming the sixth movie, Sweet Revenge.

According to the Celiac Disease Foundation, consuming gluten—found in wheat, rye, and barley—can severely impact individuals with the autoimmune condition.

Mathison recounted his experience in a 2023 interview with TV Fanatic, explaining that while monitoring his glucose levels due to a previous kidney cancer diagnosis, he noticed an alarming spike while filming.

“My glucose levels skyrocketed to beyond hyper-diabetic,” Mathison revealed. “I’ve got a real serious gluten sensitivity, and it’s such a pain and so ironic. However, Mike isn’t (sensitive to gluten). If you watch some of the movies, I’m inhaling the brownies or the chocolate and cookies. And I really feel like it would be weird for the audience to watch Hannah’s fiancé take a little nibble of her yummy baked goods when it’s such a big part of this series of movies.”

Despite the challenge, the production team has been highly accommodating, making sure gluten-free alternatives are available when needed. Sweeney told CinemaBlend that careful planning goes into the treats seen on screen.

“We provide gluten-free stuff if needed or if they have allergies,” she said. “But we’re like, ‘No, you’re really eating in this scene, and you’re really taking a big bite in every take, and we’ll help you however we can, but that really needs to happen.’”

Another key consideration, she noted, is ensuring that the prop team selects the right type of cookies and pastries for scenes.

“You can’t have snap, crunchy cookies that are loud and weird. A lot of thought goes into this,” she said.

What’s Next for Hannah Swensen Mysteries?

Fans of the franchise can look forward to the next installment, Sweet Revenge: A Hannah Swensen Mystery, airing on February 22 at 6 p.m. Eastern time and March 2 at 8 p.m. Eastern time. The film will also be available for streaming on Hallmark+.

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