Remember 2020’s gay cowboy movie ‘Dashing in December’? Yeah, us too.
In 2020, Netflix and Freeform gifted the LGBTQ+ community with queer storylines in Let It Snow and Ghosting: The Spirit of Christmas. It must have reminded Hollywood that the LGBTQ+ community deserves representation in holiday movies, too.
That year shaped up to be an excellent one for queer holiday content. Several major studios have announced holiday-themed films with queer lead characters. Hulu released Happiest Season, directed by Clea DuVall and starring Kristen Stewart and Mackenzie Davis. Additionally, Lifetime announced The Christmas Setup and Hallmark premiered The Christmas House.
Related | This Is the LGBTQ+ Christmas Film You’ve Been Waiting For
There was even a gay cowboy Christmas romance coming from Paramount Network.
What Is Dashing in December?
In Dashing in December, New York City investor Wyatt (Peter Porte) returns home for the holidays to convince his mother, Deb, played by Andie MacDowell, to sell her farm. When he arrives, Wyatt meets a handsome ranch hand, Heath (Juan Pablo Di Pace), working on the property, which doubles as a holiday attraction.
In true holiday-movie fashion, the men have instant chemistry. We’d be willing to bet Wyatt changes his mind and decides his mother should keep the ranch. He’ll then leave the Big City to move home and live his happily ever after with Heath on the farm.
Related | Real-Life Husbands to Star in Lifetime’s First Gay Christmas Movie
The Argentinian-born Di Pace opened up to OUT about what it was like to be queer on screen as an out actor. “It’s a weird mixture of freedom and Oh, f***. You’re like, Oh, I’m kissing a boy and this is what I usually get turned on by in real life, and at the same time, you’re nervous because you’ve never allowed yourself to be that free in that setting.”
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Di Pace went on to say, “I have played gay twice before but this is the first time that I’m doing a love story and it just opens up a whole can of worms for me. This film was very therapeutic.”
Written and directed by Jake Helgren, Dashing in December costars, Caroline Harris, and Carlos Sanz. Dashing in December is set to premiere on December 13 on Paramount TV as well as Logo, Pop, and TV Land.
Dashing in December had a fairly decent Audience Score on Rotten Tomatoes. The film landed at 64%, which is pretty darn good for a made-for-TV holiday movie.
Watch the jolly holly trailer below and watch Dashing in December on Amazon.
