A Look Back At Warren Christie and Lacey Chabert’s Heartwarming Hallmark Film ‘The Color of Rain’

Long before Lacey Chabert became one of Hallmark’s most familiar faces and Warren Christie joined the new Little House on the Prairie, the two starred together in 2014’s The Color of Rain. And while both actors had already appeared in Hallmark projects (Chabert in over 40, Christie in about 10), the film marked the first time they shared the screen.

Based on a true story, The Color of Rain follows two people brought together by unimaginable loss who unexpectedly find love—and a second chance at building a family. More than a decade later, the film remains a memorable entry in both Chabert and Christie’s Hallmark careers.

What is ‘The Color of Rain’ about?

The Color of Rain follows a mother of two, Gina, whose husband recently lost his battle with terminal cancer. Wanting to be close to her children and searching for a way to cope, she begins volunteering at their elementary school where she meets the Spehn kids. 

When Gina discovers that the Spehn’s father, Michael, is in a tragically similar situation, having just lost his own wife to cancer, the two form an unlikely bond while helping each other get through the most difficult time in their lives. What follows is a friendship where Gina and Michael begin to lean on each other and heal, all while beginning to fall in love. 

‘The Color of Rain’ is a true story

While fans frequently turn to the Hallmark channel for a feel good Christmas film or a sweetly predictable romance, The Color of Rain offered something a bit different. The emotional film, which is based on the book of the same name, follows Michael and Gina’s real story of grief,  love and finding a way to cope with loss.

Matt Kell and Cathy Spehn, the previous spouses of Gina and Michael, had grown up as friends while living in Rochester, Michigan. Although they had formed a bond early on, their paths diverged in college and Cathy married Michael Spehn, while Matt tied the knot with Gina. Both couples went their own ways, welcoming children of their own and building successful lives. 

Matt was diagnosed with a rare and incurable cancer, leiomyosarcoma, and unfortunately lost his battle on Christmas day in 2005. The following year, Cathy discovered she had inoperable brain cancer and tragically died just 17 days after finding out. 

Having gone through very similar ordeals, Matt and Cathy’s surviving spouses turned to each other while dealing with their own grief and raising their respective children. But what began as a support system turned into love, which blossomed over the course of a year and a half. 

In 2007, Michael and Gina married each other and became a blended crew of 7. Together, the couple established the New Day Foundation for Families, created to help other families facing cancer. 

Chabert and Christie talk about the movie

It wasn’t until a few years after they tied the knot that Michael and Gina decided to share their story with the world in their 2011 book, The Color of Rain. Not long after that, the memoir was adapted into the emotional, heartwarming Hallmark film.

Both Chabert and Christie spoke about what drew them to the project and why they felt it was an important story to tell. 

“I saw a piece that Gina and Michael had done on the Today show, and I was really moved just by their story and the fact that they were able to find each other after suffering through such loss,” Chabert said. “I was really honored to be a part of it.”

Christie shared his own thoughts on joining the project, explaining, “I didn’t realize that it was a true story until the very last page, and at that moment my stomach dropped a little bit and I went back to figure it out… I just thought it was a really beautiful story about love and loss and healing, and an important one, and one that was going to resonate with a lot of people.”

As for what it was like working together, Chabert only had kind things to say. In an interview, the actress shared of Christie, “He is great! Warren is a million laughs a minute. He is so funny and I just adore him.”

You can watch The Color of Rain on the subscription-based platform, Hallmark+.