Hallmark Star Kristoffer Polaha Says Film Set Turned Mission Field in Dominican Republic
The actor best known for his roles in Hallmark projects and the blockbuster film Jurassic World: Dominion says movies in production can serve as a mission to the local community – and this week, he posted a video demonstrating exactly that.
Kristoffer Polaha has starred in Hallmark titles such as Missing the Boat and the Mystery 101 series, but on Tuesday, he shared an Instagram video from the Dominican Republic set of a new film, explaining how the production is helping revive the surrounding village.
Polaha, who is a Christian, said it’s an example of where “movies become missions, and Hollywood becomes holy-wood.” He walked through a structure that was little more than a “cinder brick building” at the start, but was upgraded by the production crew, showing the transformation step by step. The building functions as a community center and church for the village.
Polaha then walked around the village, pointing to additional improvements, including buildings that had been freshly painted.
He wrote in the post that the production crew “paid local children a real, daily wage for being extras in the film, adding to the local economy and specifically to those families in a real and immediate way.”
He outlined other ways the crew invested in the community.
“We cleaned the river! We stuccoed and painted their church, I met the pastor and he was deeply pleased, we then added a coat of beautiful, tranquil blue paint, wrote HOPE on the back wall, a reminder of the greatest gift that is born out of a relationship with Jesus, and then we painted several of the surrounding houses, creating a renewed sense of home pride in the community, which I could feel as we wrapped from that location,” he wrote.
The impact could be felt in the community for years to come, he said.
“These little boys and girls saw actors and a film crew roll into their town, like an exciting circus, and treat them with dignity, respect, and joy. We played games and laughed. We hung out for six days making new friends, and now they are IN A MOVIE! I saw one little girl grow from camera shy to knowing how to find the lens. Just like a young person getting the chance to be in a school play in the US, I watched as this experience built self-confidence and promoted a sense of possibility for the future. I’m now very curious to see what these little ones do.”
Polaha didn’t disclose the name of the film but said he is looking forward to its release and remains grateful for the impact it had.
“What's happening is that we are leaving this community better than how we found it, which is a remarkable thing to be doing as a crew and as actors and as a film production,” he said. “Again, it's how movies are becoming missions, and Hollywood's holy-wood.”
Related Article
Actor Kristoffer Polaha Opens Up about His Faith in Christ: I Prayed, ‘Lord, Whatever You Want’
Photo Credit: ©Hallmark
Michael Foust has covered the intersection of faith and news for 20 years. His stories have appeared in Baptist Press, Christianity Today, The Christian Post, the Leaf-Chronicle, the Toronto Star and the Knoxville News-Sentinel.
Listen to Michael's Podcast! He is the host of Crosswalk Talk, a podcast where he talks with Christian movie stars, musicians, directors, and more. Hear how famous Christian figures keep their faith a priority in Hollywood and discover the best Christian movies, books, television, and other entertainment. You can find Crosswalk Talk on LifeAudio.com, or subscribe on Apple or Spotify so you never miss an interview that will be sure to encourage your faith.
Originally published May 01, 2026.
