Why You Haven't Seen Alicia Witt On Hallmark In A While

It's been quite a while since we've seen Alicia Witt in any Hallmark Channel movie. The child prodigy was a regular presence on the network ever since her first film, "A Very Merry Mix-up," in 2013, which was quickly followed by more festive and heartwarming holiday flicks including "Christmas at Cartwright's" and "I'm Not Ready for Christmas." After starring in "Christmas Tree Lane," which marked her last project with Hallmark at the time of writing, in 2020, Witt was forced to take a break from acting in order to deal with some devastating personal issues. In 2021, both of her parents, Robert and Diane Witt, were discovered lifeless in their Massachusetts home just a few days before Christmas. As reported by The Telegram & Gazette, their official cause of death was "probable cardiac dysrhythmia" caused by prolonged exposure to the cold. 

It wasn't until early 2022 that the Hallmark star broke her silence on the tragedy through a heartbreaking Facebook post. "It still doesn't feel real," Alicia began. "The circumstances around my parents' sudden passings have become fodder for press, and there are some misconceptions rolling around — understandably so." The actor added, "I had no idea that their heat had gone out. [...] My heart is broken." Her post was accompanied by photos of Alicia with her folks as both a child and an adult. "They loved me so," she wrote towards the end of her tribute. "I loved them so." But that wasn't the only personal struggle the Hallmark fan favorite endured. 

In addition to dealing with the heartbreaking death of her parents, Alicia Witt also suffered a major health setback in 2021 as she was diagnosed with HER2-positive breast cancer. The "Two Weeks Notice" star opened up about her devastating diagnosis in another, lengthy Facebook post in 2022, confirming that she had undergone a unilateral mastectomy and had six rounds of chemotherapy as part of her ongoing treatment. "Coming off my 14 city album and book release tour at the end of October, I returned home to Nashville and got a biopsy I'd been trying to schedule on a lump I'd felt for the past several months," she recalled. "November 4, I was heading out the door for my friend Cindy's birthday gathering when I saw my doctor was calling. 'Oh good', I thought; 'I'm about to have confirmation that all is well.'" 

Disclosing that cancer runs in her family, the "Chasing Shadows" hitmaker noted that she had chosen to keep a positive mindset towards her diagnosis and thanked everyone who supported her. Witt also stressed the significance of getting annual tests for women, acknowledging that, had the lump in her breast been detected much quicker, she could've had it removed instead of enduring a mastectomy. But regardless of that, she still considers herself insanely lucky to have caught the cancer in its earlier stages. "Thank God," Witt expressed. "Thank you, God."

Now that Alicia Witt has recovered from cancer and is back to acting and singing full-time, fans are hoping that the "Orange is the New Black" alum will make her grand return to Hallmark sooner rather than later. In 2022, Witt admitted that although she hadn't received any offers from the network to appear in their Christmas movies, she was still excited by the prospect. "We've been in touch recently & my understanding is that it's been an oversight, with the changes over there," she explained in response to a fan on X, formerly known as Twitter." "I've always loved making them & hope to next year!" The following year, the actor echoed that sentiment when asked by an Instagram user about her status at Hallmark. "My heart would be very happy to make another Christmas movie with them this year!" Witt replied, adding, "I miss making them."

As recently as April 2024, the actor and singer-songwriter discussed the idea of returning to Hallmark in a comment she wrote on an Instagram post, stating that she will always be open to any future collaborations with the network. "If that's in the stars for the future I would always make time!!" Witt affirmed. Aside from hopefully returning to Hallmark shortly, the actor has been keeping busy promoting her horror movie "Longlegs," which co-stars Nicolas Cage, Blair Underwood, and Maika Monroe. Witt is also recording a new Christmas album and is on tour throughout summer 2024 publicizing her EP "Witness," which she released in 2023.