Kimberley Sustad's Christmas Is Nothing like in Her Movies – Facts about the Hallmark Movies Star

Canadian-born actress Kimberley Sustad spends her Christmas engaging in several fun activities with her family, including keeping a childhood tradition alive.

Kimberley Sustad built her career as a screen and stage actress and is most recognized for her Hallmark Christmas movie roles.

Beyond her career, Sustad is also a doting mom of two children and a wife to a Canadian-based entrepreneur and CEO.

Kimberley Sustad's Personal Life

Born on May 28 to Graham and Sylvia Starmer, Sustad relocated from Ottawa, Ontario, her birthplace, to Winnipeg, Canada. Growing up, Sustad lived an active lifestyle riding horses and playing basketball.

She was only a young girl when theater became of interest. When her family got wind of this, they became key players in turning Sustad's fascination with the arts into a career.

During her school days, Sustad involved herself in on-stage performances. When she graduated from Trinity Western University with a degree in Acting, Sustad pursued a career in the entertainment industry.

In 2004, Sustad married her college sweetheart, Scot Sustad, co-founder of Digital Hot Sauce, a strategy and growth marketing company. Previously, Scot held the CEO position but became a marketing strategist in 2021.

Scot is also the co-founder of Brands For Better, which, according to his LinkedIn profile, is a "collaborative project bringing some of Vancouver's most innovative and forward-thinking companies together to make a measurable difference in the city and our community."

He also founded Adventure Teaching and The Arrival Store Inc., where he also served as CEO for five years in Seattle, Washington.

Although busy with his business ventures, Scot is also a proud father to two children, Vienna and Ari, whom he shares with the actress.

Kimberley Sustad's Career

Before becoming an accomplished actress, Sustad worked at The Cheesecake Factory while starting her professional career. She first took her skills to the stage, joining several theater productions and eventually making her way to Broadway.

Some of her most recognized Broadway productions include "One Slight Hitch" and "Boeing-Boeing." It wasn't until 2009 that she made her television debut in the made-for-tv movie, "Thunderballs."

Although Sustad has appeared in several films and television shows, she is most recognized for her Hallmark movies. She has starred in over ten Hallmark Channel movies thus far since her 2012 debut in "A Bride for Christmas."

Sustad became a leading lady two years later in "The Nine Lives of Christmas." She brought to life the character Marilee, a vet student who fell in love with her neighbor. In 2021, Sustad reprised the role in "The Nine Kittens of Christmas."

Some of her fan-favorite movies include "A Godwink Christmas," "Christmas by Starlight," "Sensibility & Snowman," and "Wedding Every Weekend."

In 2020, Sustad went beyond her normal career scope and co-wrote "Christmas By Starlight" with her co-star, Paul Campbell.

Some of her other on-screen credits include "Supernatural," "You, Me, Her," "The Twilight Zone," "Travelers," "Chesapeake Shores," "Spotlight on Christmas," and "North to Home."

Kimberley Sustad's Christmas

Because of her many Christmas movies, Sustad claims she often gets asked how her Christmas goes. She said:

"By the time Christmas rolls around for me, after having done all of the little things in movies. I sit and have red wine [...] and watch my kids play with their new toys. I feel like I cannot top everything that I do in a Hallmark movie every year [...]."

Her family usually has a game night on Christmas eve and spends time bonding with each other. Sustad also likes to cook for her family, focusing most of her time on the turkey. The other dishes prepared are Chinese takeout, a tradition that began when she was a child.

Holiday Christmas movies are always anticipated during the Christmas season. With the many viewers they have accumulated throughout the years, Hallmark Channel launched its first-ever Christmas Con in 2019. The program aimed to honor places where the Christmas spirit was most felt.