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Filming for ‘Secret Angel’ brings early Christmas spirit to Provo Towne Center

Posted at 10:05 PM, Aug 13, 2017
and last updated 2017-08-14 08:54:22-04

PROVO, Utah -- It may be the middle of summer, but at Provo Towne Center it looks like the holidays are just around the corner.

Don’t worry, the Christmas creep hasn’t creeped into summer just yet. The mall is decked out because it’s the scene of a new movie called ‘Secret Angel’. Markus Hill is the associate producer of the film.

"It's kind of comical to see people's reactions as they walk through the doors of the mall and they are transformed into this winter wonderland and they look at their phone and they're like: 'it's August,'" Hill said.

The film stars Tatyana Ali, who you may recognize from "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air". She played Ashley Banks, but this time she plays a mall manager who falls in love with the mall's Santa Claus.

"You get to see this really romantic, beautiful story of opposites attracting over the holidays," Ali said.

Hill says this is the sixth movie that he's produced here in Utah.

"I think this state is almost as busy as Los Angeles is right now," Hill said.

"This is certainly my first time in Provo and I kind of love it," Ali said. "People are nice. The whole crew, we're having an amazing time here and feeling really welcome."

The majority of the film takes place in Provo’s Towne Center, which is still open to customers.

"We're also filming in the Salt Lake City area as well before we take off at the end of the month, at the end of August," Hill said.

You can look forward to spotting your home in this new movie, and if you're a "Fresh Prince" fan, there's a little reunion you can look forward to as well.

"We actually bring in Joseph Marcell, who played Geoffrey the butler on the 'Fresh Prince of Bel-Air,' who is also in this movie," Hill said.

"Secret Angel" does not have a distributor yet, but producers are hopeful you'll be able to see it on TV sometime this upcoming holiday season.