Tony Danza, Mario Lopez and His Son Dominic Shake It Up in ‘Fun’ “Christmas at The Starlight” First Look (Exclusive)

NEED TO KNOW

• Mario Lopez’s son Dominic plays his on-screen son and his wife Courtney performs a song in the film

• The movie explores family traditions, legacy, and the emotional ties that bring people back to their roots

• Mario says sharing the screen with his son and Tony Danza made the project deeply personal and meaningful

Mario Lopez’s new Christmas movie — much like his epic Christmas celebrations at home — has become a family affair.

In addition to his son Dominic Lopez playing his son in Christmas at The Starlight, PEOPLE can exclusively reveal that his wife, Courtney Lopez, will be performing a song in the film.

The multi-generational movie, which will premiere on Great American Family later this year, is set at a local supper club filled with family traditions, and its owner, Frank (Tony Danza), is preparing to sell the family business after 40 years. The rest of his family, including his son (Mario) and grandson (Dominic), “are drawn into an emotional journey that reminds them what is worth preserving — and how faith, family, and home can quietly lead us back to where we belong,” according to the official synopsis.

In exclusive first-look photos, Danza, 75, Mario, 52, and Dominic, 12, reveal some of what they have on tap. (See what we did there?)

“The older I get, the more Christmas becomes more about time with family and friends,” Mario tells PEOPLE. “Sharing the screen with Tony Danza was an honor, and getting to make those memories alongside my son Dominic — and having my wife Courtney sing a Christmas song — made it all the more special and fun.”

“I hope when people watch it, they laugh, they feel something, and it becomes part of their own holiday tradition,” Mario adds.

“Working with Tony Danza as my father in this story is incredibly special, and having Dominic play my son makes it even more personal,” Mario told PEOPLE previously. “Christmas at The Starlight is about family, honoring where you come from, and recognizing the traditions and people that shape your life. … I’m proud to be part of a movie that celebrates those values in such a heartfelt way.”

Christmas is “all about familia. Spending time together, drinking, eating, gambling, listening to music, watching movies and just checking out and focusing on what’s important,” Mario told PEOPLE last year. “Not worrying about all the other stuff, just locking in and being with each other.”

The actor especially loves sharing a mix of traditions with his family, from his favorite Mexican tamales to his wife’s Italian cooking.

“I get the best of both worlds,” he said. “My grandmother, rest in peace, she started with tamales, and my mom continues the tradition, and my sister. The thing about tamales too, there’s so many different kinds… you can have them for breakfast, lunch, dinner, incorporate them so you get a little thicker come the holidays.”

“At its heart, this film is about legacy — the lessons passed from father to son, the traditions that anchor families, and the cherished places where memories become part of who we are,” Great American Media president and CEO Bill Abbott said in a statement. “Bringing Mario and Tony together as father and son, with Dominic continuing that lineage on screen, gives this story a rare authenticity and emotional resonance.”

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Christmas at The Starlight premieres during Great American Christmas which returns to air in October across all Great American Media platforms.

Read the original article on People