Mario Lopez Teams With Tony Danza and Dominic Lopez in Christmas at The Starlight
mario lopez is set to star in Christmas at The Starlight with Tony Danza and his son, Dominic Lopez, a three-generation casting move for a holiday film that will begin production in Buffalo, New York, in June 2026. Lopez also serves as executive producer, putting him on both sides of the camera for the project.
The Starlight casting
Lopez plays Frank’s son, while Danza plays Frank, a legendary song and dance performer, and Dominic plays Frank’s grandson. Great American Media announced the casting around a story built on legacy, traditions, and coming home, with The Starlight at the center as a beloved local supper club in a close-knit American town.
Lopez said, "Working with Tony Danza as my father in this story is incredibly special, and having Dominic play my son makes it even more personal. Christmas at The Starlight is about family, honoring where you come from, and recognizing the traditions and people that shape your life." That framing makes the cast more than a holiday package; it puts a real family inside a script about family transfer, which is a cleaner hook than the usual seasonal ensemble setup.
Buffalo in June 2026
Production begins in Buffalo in June 2026, extending Lopez’s existing relationship with the Western New York region as a filming location. The project sits inside Great American Media’s holiday slate, and the location choice gives the film a practical production base rather than a generic holiday backdrop.
Jody Hahn is directing, with Mark Roberts and Jeff Stearns producing and Megan Henry Herzlinger and Brian Herzlinger writing the original screenplay. The story centers on Frank preparing to sell the family’s cherished restaurant lounge after 40 years of operation, a setup that gives the film a built-in deadline and a business decision at the center of the drama rather than just seasonal sentiment.
Lopez’s 2025 run
Lopez already had two holiday-era credits in 2025: he starred in Great American Family’s The Christmas Spark and executive produced Chasing Christmas, which featured Dominic Lopez. That track record explains why this new project lands as a continuation of an established holiday lane, not a one-off casting stunt.
Dominic Lopez has also appeared in Once Upon A Christmas Wish and Bad Counselors, giving him more screen experience than a novelty family cameo usually suggests. For viewers, the practical takeaway is simple: the cast is set, the setting is Buffalo, and the production clock starts in June 2026, so this is the point where the film moves from announcement to actual shoot.
