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COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH<\/a>) \u2014 Christmas content is king this time of year, and Columbus native Maurice Hall is making his name in the holiday movie genre.<\/p>\n Hall co-wrote, produced and starred in \u201cA Heart For Christmas<\/a>\u201d in 2024, his debut Christmas movie. It was an ambitious project and a success for a man who\u2019s accustomed to success.<\/p>\n Hall was as a record-setting running back at Brookhaven High School before beginning his career at Ohio State. He and the Buckeyes won the national title in 2002, and Hall scored several critical touchdowns that season, including the game-winning score against Michigan.<\/p>\n Former Longaberger attraction, out of a \u2018Hallmark movie,\u2019 for sale <\/a><\/p>\n Hall later worked at NBC4 in the sports department, serving as a reporter for Football Friday Nite and as an Ohio State football analyst. He then moved to the Los Angeles area to launch an acting career. His new project, \u201c#WorstChristmasEver,\u201d has already garnered attention just for the clever name itself.<\/p>\n \u201cTo be able to make an independent project from the ground up, to have the supporters from all over the country, but most especially in Ohio, who saw \u2018A Heart for Christmas\u2019 and said, \u2018Oh man, I believe in what you\u2019re doing, and I want to support you on this next Christmas movie,\u2019\u201d Hall said.<\/p>\n The movie is based on a real-life Christmas experience from co-creator and producer Tony Patterson, who has teamed up with Hall on several projects over the past 15 years. Patterson was flying home for a family Christmas in Atlanta at his ex-wife\u2019s house, only to find most of the family was not able to get there. It set him up for an awkward holiday, but also, an incredible premise for a movie.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen I went back to L.A. and told Mo, he said, \u2018That\u2019s a movie,\u2019 and we started writing it,\u201d Patterson said.\u00a0\u201cWe know our strengths. We know our weaknesses. So as a co-writer, co-director and co-producer, we sort of know how to go in and out of what needs to be done.\u201d<\/p>\n Maurice\u2019s co-star, Shanti Lowry, plays the role of \u201cAlisha\u201d in \u201c#WorstChristmasEver,\u201d She\u2019s known Hall as an actor and writer, but on this trip to Ohio to promote the movie, she\u2019s learning more about Hall\u2019s other life of fame as a Buckeye.<\/p>\n Plan your visit with Santa: Central Ohio guide to festive events in 2025 <\/a><\/p>\n \u201cEveryone really loves Mo, honestly,\u201d she said. \u201cHe\u2019s in the scene, we\u2019re playing around, and then I remember, like, this is this pedestal man for a lot of people. And me too, honestly.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThe even more gratifying part is being able to have, you know, our cast and our co-director and co-writer come back with me to see the love that we\u2019re going to get for this movie,\u201d Hall said. \u201cIt\u2019s friends, it\u2019s family that know are really coming out to support and that\u2019s what this is all about.\u201d<\/p>\n For Hall, his trip home is a reminder of the journey he went on to get to Hollywood, having no guarantees of success.<\/p>\n \u201cIf there\u2019s a place where you need to go in order to make a career for yourself, in order to pursue your passion, I encourage you to do it because it can work out,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n The movie will premiere Thursday night at Studio 35 in Clintonville. Tickets are available for that event at this link: #WorstChristmasEver with Maurice Hall Q&A!<\/a><\/p>\n \u201c#WorstChristmasEver\u201d can be seen on streaming services Apple TV, Amazon Prime and the free Tubi app.<\/p>\n Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.<\/i><\/p>\n