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    Maclain Nelson headshot

    Maclain Nelson

    Director · Writer·Active 2018–2026
    View on IMDbView on TMDB

    Career at a glance

    18Hallmark films

    6 at Christmas

    Audience rating6.5 / 10

    across 9 rated films

    Weirdness5.1 / 10

    Right on the Hallmark median

    Best reviewed

    The Presence of Love7.1

    Most recent

    Missing the Boat2026

    Maclain Nelson is the steady hand behind the camera on 20 Hallmark films, and since his 2018 start he has kept the work landing at a respectable 6.5 on average. He knows what the network wants from him, and he delivers it. Small towns turn up in five of his titles, winter in six, and Christmas accounts for six as well, so the December slate clearly trusts him to keep the snow falling and the pacing warm. His high point is The Presence of Love from 2022, which at 7.1 is comfortably his best-reviewed, with Small Town Christmas from 2018 and Hidden Gems just behind. If you have ever settled in for a cozy holiday premise and never thought about who steered it, there is a fair chance it was him.

    Maclain’s signature

    Across 18 films, Maclain often leans into Christmas and is frequently set in small towns.

    • Christmas6 films
    • small towns5 films
    • an executive2 films

    Coming up next

    Newest title for Maclain
    • 2026Missing the Boat poster
      Missing the Boat

      Director · Not yet rated

    8 hours

    8 hours of Hallmark Christmas movies, and counting.

    Adds up across 6 festive titles.

    Known for

    Haul Out the Holly poster
    Haul Out the Holly6.0

    Director · 2022

    Weirdness 5/10

    Small Town Christmas poster
    Small Town Christmas6.7

    Director · 2018

    Weirdness 5/10

    Christmas on My Mind poster
    Christmas on My Mind6.5

    Director · 2019

    Weirdness 6/10

    Christmas in Vienna poster
    Christmas in Vienna6.4

    Director · 2020

    Weirdness 5/10

    The Presence of Love poster
    The Presence of Love7.1

    Director · 2022

    Weirdness 4/10

    Certified weirdHidden Gems poster
    Hidden Gems6.5

    Director · 2022

    Weirdness 8/10

    On-screen partners

    Eliza Hayes Maher headshot
    Frequent co-star

    Maclain’s most frequent on-screen partner is Eliza Hayes Maher, with 4 films together.

    • Haul Out the Halloween (2025)·
    • Haul Out the Holly: Lit Up (2023)·
    • Hidden Gems (2022)·
    • Haul Out the Holly (2022)
    • Wes Brown4
    • Ellen Travolta3
    • Lacey Chabert3
    • Laura Wardle3
    • Melissa Peterman3

    Where Maclain fits in

    The corners of the Hallmark universe Maclain keeps turning up in. Each one is a full ranked guide.

    • 🧁Baking & cooking movies
    • 🎄Christmas movies
    • ⭐Best Christmas movies
    • ❄️Winter movies
    • 🏘️Small-town movies
    • ☀️Summer movies

    All 18 movies

    Newest first

    2020s

    16 films
    • 2026Missing the BoatDirector · InternationalNot ratedWeird 5/10
    • 2025A Keller Christmas VacationDirector · InternationalNot ratedWeird 3/10
    • 2025Haul Out the HalloweenDirector · SuburbNot ratedWeird 6/10
    • 2025Home TurfDirector · College TownNot ratedWeird 3/10
    • 2025Return to OfficeDirector · Big CityNot ratedWeird 4/10
    • 2024Branching OutDirector · Small TownNot ratedWeird 5/10
    • 2024The Magic of Lemon DropsDirector · Small TownNot ratedWeird 9/10
    • 2023A Heidelberg HolidayDirector · HolidayNot ratedWeird 3/10
    • 2023A Nashville LegacyWriter · Big City6.4Weird 3/10
    • 2023Haul Out the Holly: Lit UpDirector · ChristmasNot ratedWeird 5/10
    • 2022Haul Out the HollyDirector · Christmas6.0Weird 5/10
    • 2022Hidden GemsDirector · Wedding Anniversary6.5Weird 8/10
    • 2022The Presence of LoveDirector · Rural/Farm7.1Weird 4/10
    • 2021Every Time a Bell RingsDirector · Christmas6.0Weird 8/10
    • 2021Love, for RealDirector · Resort/Vacation6.5Weird 4/10
    • 2020Christmas in ViennaDirector · Christmas6.4Weird 5/10

    2010s

    2 films
    • 2019Christmas on My MindDirector · Christmas6.5Weird 6/10
    • 2018Small Town ChristmasDirector · Christmas6.7Weird 5/10

    Maclain’s standouts

    • The Presence of Love poster
      Highest ratedThe Presence of Love (2022)

      Best-reviewed of the 18, at 7.1/10

      7.1
    • Haul Out the Holly poster
      Most divisiveHaul Out the Holly (2022)

      Lowest-rated of the 18 — every filmography has one

      6.0
    • The Magic of Lemon Drops poster
      WeirdestThe Magic of Lemon Drops (2024)

      The strangest of the bunch — 9/10 on our weirdness scale

    In pictures

    A quick look at Maclain’s Hallmark run — headshot and the posters fans know best.

    • Maclain Nelson headshotMaclain Nelson
    • Missing the Boat poster
    • A Keller Christmas Vacation poster
    • Haul Out the Halloween poster
    • Home Turf poster
    • Return to Office poster
    • Branching Out poster
    • The Magic of Lemon Drops poster
    • A Heidelberg Holiday poster
    • A Nashville Legacy poster
    • Haul Out the Holly: Lit Up poster
    • Haul Out the Holly poster
    • Hidden Gems poster

    Beyond Hallmark

    Where else you might recognise Maclain from — notable roles outside the Hallmark catalogue.

    • Mythica: The Iron Crownas Sergeant Lipschitz
      2016
    • Mythica: The Godslayeras Executive Producer
      2016
    • Once I Was a Beehiveas Writer
      2015
    • SAGA - Curse of the Shadowas Executive Producer
      2014
    • Vamp Uas Fred Green
      2013
    • My Girlfriend's Boyfriendas Club Host
      2010
    • Forever Strongas Scottish Captain
      2008
    • Wienersas Barri
      2008

    Maclain’s creative circle

    Go-to cast

    • Eliza Hayes Maher4 films
    • Wes Brown4 films
    • Ellen Travolta3 films
    • Lacey Chabert3 films
    • Laura Wardle3 films

    Who Maclain works with

    The cast and crew Maclain keeps ending up on set with — the regular faces you’ll recognise from one film to the next. Bigger circle, more films together.

    Maclain Nelson's most frequent co-stars, sized by shared filmsDavid M. Wulf: 4 films togetherDavid M. Wulf4 filmsEliza Hayes Maher: 4 films togetherEliza Hayes Mah…4 filmsNewton TerMeer: 4 films togetherNewton TerMeer4 filmsWes Brown: 4 films togetherWes Brown4 filmsEllen Travolta: 3 films togetherEllen Travolta3 filmsLacey Chabert: 3 films togetherLacey Chabert3 filmsLaura Wardle: 3 films togetherLaura Wardle3 films

    Movies by year

    Maclain Nelson Hallmark movies by release year120181201912020220213202232023220244202512026

    Ratings profile

    Average 6.5 across 9 rated movies — each dot is one film.

    Rating distribution for this filmography1510mean 6.5Haul Out the Holly: 6.0Every Time a Bell Rings: 6.0A Nashville Legacy: 6.4Christmas in Vienna: 6.4Hidden Gems: 6.5Love, for Real: 6.5Christmas on My Mind: 6.5Small Town Christmas: 6.7The Presence of Love: 7.1

    People also ask

    How many Hallmark movies has Maclain Nelson been in?
    We have 18 Hallmark movies on file for Maclain Nelson, spanning 2018–2026.
    What kind of Hallmark movies is Maclain Nelson known for?
    Maclain is best known for Christmas movies and romances set in small towns.
    What is Maclain Nelson's highest-rated Hallmark movie?
    The Presence of Love (2022) is Maclain's best-reviewed Hallmark film, with a 7.1/10 audience rating.
    What is Maclain Nelson's most popular Hallmark movie?
    Haul Out the Holly (2022) has more audience votes than any other Maclain Nelson Hallmark film, so it's the one most people have actually seen.
    Who does Maclain Nelson usually star with?
    Maclain has shared 4 films with Eliza Hayes Maher, their most frequent Hallmark co-star.
    What is Maclain Nelson working on next?
    Maclain has a new Hallmark title on the way: Missing the Boat (2026).
    Is Maclain Nelson still making Hallmark movies?
    Yes — the most recent Maclain Hallmark film we have is from 2026, so the credits keep coming.
    How many Hallmark Christmas movies has Maclain Nelson made?
    Maclain Nelson turns up in 6 Hallmark Christmas movies.
    What was Maclain Nelson's first Hallmark movie?
    The earliest Maclain Hallmark title we have is Small Town Christmas (2018).
    What does Maclain Nelson do in Hallmark movies?
    Maclain Nelson works on Hallmark films as director and writer.

    Data & sources

    Maclain’s filmography, credits and ratings are compiled from IMDb and TMDB, then checked and tidied by the Talking Hallmark team. Last updated June 2026.

    Catalogue curated by Alanna of Talking Hallmark. About the project

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