Kimberly Williams-Paisley Hallmark Movies That Did And Didn't Land With Fans

Kimberly Williams-Paisley's star has risen in recent years thanks to her string of Hallmark films and decades-long, low-key marriage to country star Brad Paisley. But her newest fans may not know she got her start in the 1991 film "Father of the Bride," acting opposite Steve Martin. After landing spots in "According to Jim" and "Two and a Half Men," she found a home on the Hallmark Channel; her first film with the network was 2017's "Darrow & Darrow." 

In 2021, she collaborated with her younger sister, Ashley Williams, on two Christmas films. "A lot of the time Hallmark movies I think are really fun to watch because it's about a guy and a girl and whether or not they're going to be together," Williams-Paisley told People. "For the two of us, these movies were really about women supporting women and that was a really fun thing. That's a really important part of our relationship."

Williams-Paisley wasn't spotted onscreen much between 2021 and 2025; she revealed that in 2022, she suddenly lost her voice. She was diagnosed with muscle tension dysphonia and couldn't speak, meaning she had to miss out on new roles, which left her heartbroken. However, in 2024, a medical procedure helped her regain the ability to speak. She also hosted the reality series "Farmer Wants a Wife" and currently stars in ABC's "9-1-1 Nashville." Time will tell if more Hallmark films are in the cards. Below, read about the fan-favorite — and least favorite — films starring Kimberly Williams-Paisley.

In 2001, Kimberly Williams-Paisley starred in a made-for-TV film called "Follow the Stars Home." Though the movie aired on CBS, it was produced for the Hallmark Hall of Fame, which at the time aired on network television. In "Follow the Stars Home," Williams-Paisley played Dianne Parker-McCune, a woman raising a disabled daughter while torn between giving her ex-husband a second chance or pursuing a relationship with his kinder, more understanding brother. Dianne also struggles with her alcoholic mother and her mother's abusive boyfriend.

Reviewers praised it for being heartwarming and touching on more serious subjects than Hallmark is typically known for. "Kimberly Williams is a beautiful actress, and this movie has become one of my favorites. 

A beautiful look at what love can do with the unexpected things that might seem 'bad' at first but turns out to be blessings in disguise," a reviewer on Rotten Tomatoes wrote. "This is such an incredible movie. It really makes you grateful for what you have. The cast is incredible and Kimberly Williams plays the part of a grief-[stricken], struggling mother beautifully," a fan concurred on IMDb.

Sixteen years after an incredible transformation into a wife, mother, and star in her own right, Williams-Paisley's next Hallmark Channel film was 2017's "Darrow & Darrow." She portrayed Claire Darrow, a lawyer who believes in fighting for what's right, even if it means sacrificing profit. Claire defends a local shop owner and friend who has been accused of robbing a jewelry store, all the while juggling her preteen daughter and her estranged mother. During the case, she butts heads with assistant district attorney Miles Strasberg (Tom Cavanagh), who continually asks her out.

Viewers had mixed reactions to the film, with critiques aimed at the convoluted mystery. They also felt not enough clues given to figure out the case's conclusion and that the final courtroom scene was too much of an info dump. "I found myself going, 'wait, when did we learn that?' Or, 'when did they find that out?'" a Redditor said. 

"If there's any weak spot, it's the central mystery ... which is essentially swallowed up by the surfeit of character-based subplots (basically Darrow only has time to interview about one witness and the whole case crumbles)," a Letterboxd member wrote. "The courtroom denouement strives for 'Perry Mason' but feels more like a kangaroo court, or some child's approximation of how a trial proceeds gleaned from bad procedural television."

Between installments of "Darrow & Darrow" films, Williams-Paisley starred in 2017's "The Christmas Train." The movie co-stars Dermot Mulroney as Tom, a jaded journalist on a train, who runs into his ex, Williams-Paisley's Eleanor, whom he still has feelings for. Various other passengers on the train seem to know more than they let on about Tom and Eleanor's relationship.

Hallmark fans derided "The Christmas Train" as too cliché and a manipulative twist ending more akin to a psychological thriller than a rom-com. And though the cast featured names like Mulroney, Williams-Paisley, Joan Cusack, and Danny Glover, their performances didn't receive much love either. "Every corny, tooth-aching cliché you can think of is included in the script, and there's even a few included that I'd never heard before—and I sincerely hope I'll never have to hear them again. 

Literally every single line of dialogue and plot point is terrible," a viewer wrote on IMDb, titling their review "The worst Hallmark Christmas movie ever made." A Letterboxd reviewer said, "The main characters have no chemistry. Like, at all. Why does anyone want them together? And the twist made so little sense that I thought I'd missed something."

Williams-Paisley returned as Claire for a sequel to "Darrow & Darrow" in 2018, titled "In the Key of Murder." Claire and ADA Miles (Tom Cavanagh) work together to exonerate Miles' sister, a musician who has been accused of murdering her manager.

This film was more well-received than its predecessor, and Williams-Paisley highlighted one of the differences: "I definitely think this 'Darrow and Darrow' is even more playful than the first one and I love those playful scenes," she told International Business Times, adding, "I love this role and love doing these movies." And though Cavanagh has been married to his wife since 2004, he brought some chemistry to his character's flirty relationship with Claire. 

They also felt the core mystery was better executed than the one in the first film. "An improvement on the first TV movie as Cavanagh and Williams-Paisley start to build a chemistry together," a Letterboxd reviewer noted. "An excellent choice of actors, quirky and charming. The [storyline] was a good one, interesting little murder mystery to keep you guessing, without taxing the brain cells too much! I am looking forward to the next one," an IMDb review said.

The "Darrow & Darrow" series continued with its third installment, "Body of Evidence," in 2018. Williams-Paisley as Claire and Tom Cavanagh as Miles returned to team up on a case involving a woman who may have been wrongly imprisoned for the murder of her husband a year prior. While trying to prove the woman's innocence, Miles struggles with his career as a prosecutor, and he and Claire dance around defining their relationship.

Fans say the "Darrow & Darrow" movies are stronger with each installment. "Body of Evidence" was praised for its storytelling and the growing chemistry between the characters. Writing for his blog Carstairs Considers, critic Mark Baker said, "I do love the characters here and how they all interact. The teasing is wonderful, and I laughed a few times along the way to the climax." 

A reviewer on IMDb wrote, "The series is well cast, well directed, and enjoyable. The plots are light and easy to follow which is a nice respite from the many many shock value, slap in your face shows out there these days."

In the final "Darrow & Darrow" film, "Witness to Murder: A Darrow Mystery" (2019), Claire and Miles once again find themselves on opposite sides of the courtroom. Claire defends an old colleague of her mother's, and Miles represents the prosecution. The two lawyers pause their burgeoning romance just as Miles' old flame, a police lieutenant, enters the picture.

Viewers criticized the bland writing and predictable mystery. "The first few movies were charming, this time the characters were annoying about their 'non' relationship and most of the movie felt very contrived," an IMDb critic wrote. 

Another IMDb reviewer also compared this film unfavorably with the other "Darrow & Darrow" episodes and felt the chemistry between the leads was wasted on their tepid romance, writing, "There are so many things wrong with the story I don't have the patience to list them. Not the least of these is the developing romance where the characters also act like Middle Schoolers. The court scenes come off like the juvenile's take on a 'Perry Mason' episode."

In 2020, Williams-Paisley left the "Darrow & Darrow" series and had a Southern accent to portray the Spirit of Christmas Present in the holiday film "A Nashville Christmas Carol." The film starred Jessy Schram (one of the most surprisingly wealthy Hallmark stars) as Vivienne, a workaholic TV producer visited by the Spirit of Christmas Past and the Spirit of Christmas Present, who guide her toward a more peaceful inner life and a reunion with her ex.

The film featured appearances by country singers such as Wynonna Judd and Sara Evans. Reviewers unfamiliar with the country-music scene did not enjoy these cameos. A Letterboxd reviewer said, "A country music theme is a big challenge for me ... Plus the singers shouldn't have been giving actual speaking roles because they are lifeless, monotone, and absolutely terrible." 

Although Williams-Paisley played only a minor role in this film, she was still called out for her attempt at a southern accent; an IMDb reviewer wrote that the Nashville-centric Hallmark films "are generally weak on plot and heavy on singers who can't act. You'll usually find at least one flat or embarrassing performance — hello, Wynonna Judd and Kimberley Paisley-Williams of the varying accent."

Williams-Paisley teamed up with her younger sister, Hallmark stalwart Ashley Williams (who has experienced some ups and downs with her films' receptions), for a duo of movies titled "Sister Swap" that were released a week apart in 2021. The two films were cut from the same roll of footage, with Ashley Williams telling PIX 11, "We talked about maybe making it one movie but it just didn't feel like enough, you know?" Williams-Paisley added that creating the movie was "one of the great joys of my entire career." 

The first film, "A Hometown Holiday," focused on Williams-Paisley's character, Jennifer, a widow who swaps places with her sister, Meg, to restore their late uncle's small-town movie theater.

A Letterboxd reviewer thought the concept of one story told from two points of view was cool, but concluded, "This was just kind of boring? ... And I've kind of already forgotten how it resolved even though I finished it a few hours ago lol." A reviewer on IMDb felt the actors' talents were wasted with the uneven writing: "The chemistry between Kimberly and Mark [Deklin, portraying a love interest] was fine. ... Given that Kimberly and Ashley are both great at comedy, I'm surprised that this series was more of a drama. And not a very well done one at that."

The second "Sister Swap" film, "Christmas in the City," focused on Ashley Williams' character, Meg, as she takes over her sister Jennifer's Salt Lake City restaurant. Though Williams-Paisley didn't play as prominent a role, she emphasized, "I hope that people will see the love in these films. They are certainly made with love and joy" (per a Hallmark Channel promo).

However, the reception to the second installment was lukewarm. Reviewers complained that the storyline was confusing at times and that the two films together didn't quite pull off the "one story, two points of view" concept. 

"I am not even sure what the storyline was supposed to be. But the most watchable part is the interaction and relationship between the sisters," one IMDb viewer wrote. A Letterboxd user said, "It feels more like a few deleted scenes from the first with a lot of random stuff added on ... It is fun to have two movies that when watched together tell a larger story. But this didn't quite pull that off."