The protagonist in the Hallmark Channel TV movie Christmas at Graceland is Chicago business executive Laurel. When she travels to Memphis to seal a big deal with a family-owned bank, she runs into her former boyfriend Clay (Wes Brown). They used to sing together as a duo back in the day. With Laurel in town, Clay tries to pull her back into the music industry by getting her perform at the Graceland Christmas concert.
Laurel is portrayed by real life singing sensation Kellie Pickler. The North Carolina native is known for competing on Season 5 of American Idol in 2006 with roommate Katharine McPhee (Pickler came in sixth place; McPhee was the runner-up; Taylor Hicks won). As an actress, this is Pickler’s first leading role, unless you include her CMT reality TV show I Love Kellie Pickler with her husband, country musician Kyle Jacobs. Pickler and her professional dance partner Derek Hough won Season 16 of Dancing with the Stars in 2013. As a singer, Pickler has released four studio albums including her latest, The Woman I Am (2013). Christmas at Graceland premieres Saturday, November 17 at 8 pm.
Pickler got glammed up for the CMA Awards…
