Ten-year-old P.E.I. actor makes Hallmark movie debut

Morgan Saunders, 10, poses in this marketing photo for the Hallmark Christmas movie "'Twas the Night Before Christmas." (CREDIT: Instagram)

It’s a big week and a big break for a young Prince Edward Island actor as ten-year-old Morgan Saunders makes her Hallmark movie debut.

The film “’Twas the Night Before Christmas” marks her first film credit.

The young girl has been acting for two years, and got her start on the island in a P.E.I. potato commercial.

Since then, she’s appeared in other commercials, short films, on television, and now her first feature film.

The Hallmark Christmas movie first aired Saturday. Morgan and her family watched it together.

“It was just like, ‘Well, that’s weird.’ It just doesn’t feel like it’s me.” said Morgan Saunders.

Her mother, Linda Saunders, says Morgan is a natural.

“Each time, you’re not filming huge chunks of dialogue. It’s usually a scene or two a day,” said Linda Saunders. “She memorizes very easily, so we just do it the night before.”

“‘Twas the Night Before Christmas” was filmed in Canada at locations near Ottawa and Montreal.

Morgan plays the young daughter of the male romantic lead, and she said it wasn’t too hard to get into character.

“She is an energetic, crazy child, as am I,” she said.

Morgan’s mom says it was a great experience.

“She had to learn to really go with the flow and be adaptable, so that was a big lesson she learned that you can’t get just from acting lessons,” she said. “You have to actually live it to learn those things.”

Morgan said she likes acting a lot and hopes to keep it up.

“It’s just very fun, and it was very surreal.”

“‘Twas the Night Before Christmas” will appear on the Hallmark channel throughout holiday season and will also be available to stream on CTV.ca.