DON’T MISS IT!!! “You Won’t Believe Who’s Under the Beard!”: Virgin River’s Alexandra Breckenridge Transforms Into Santa in Netflix’s Wildly Festive New Movie
Netflix is unwrapping a brand-new holiday surprise — and at the center of the Christmas chaos is none other than Virgin River fan favorite Alexandra Breckenridge.
Known to millions around the world as Mel Monroe, the compassionate nurse-turned-midwife whose journey of healing and love anchors the small-town drama,
Breckenridge is stepping into a role that no one — and we mean no one — saw coming. This winter, she trades flannel jackets and lakeside sunsets for jingle bells, chimney soot,
and a full white beard in the delightfully offbeat holiday comedy My Secret Santa, arriving on Netflix Wednesday, December 3. Yes — Alexandra Breckenridge is playing Santa Claus. And the transformation is so convincing that even her biggest fans are already saying: “I didn’t recognize her at all.”
From Heartwarming Nurse to Holiday Imposter
The film marks a daring, hilarious shift from the emotional depth and romance of Virgin River. While viewers are waiting eagerly for Season 7 — especially after Mel and Jack’s romantic getaway to Mexico began filming — Breckenridge is serving up a different kind of warmth this holiday season: one full of laughter, identity twists, and unexpected love.
In My Secret Santa, Breckenridge plays Taylor, a determined single mother who’s desperately juggling bills, parenting, and emotional exhaustion during the holidays. When she discovers that a luxurious ski resort is paying top dollar for a seasonal Santa, she hatches a plan that’s bold, slightly chaotic — and downright genius.
Disguising herself as “Tom,” a rosy-cheeked, deep-voiced, middle-aged Santa Claus, Taylor takes the job. Prosthetics. Voice change. The full beard. A complete transformation. But beneath the comedy lies something more tender — a woman doing everything she can to give her daughter the Christmas she deserves.
Romance in a Red Suit
Just when Taylor believes she can balance “Santa life” and real life, fate tosses in a twist: she begins to fall for her new boss — the handsome and soft-hearted resort manager, played by Ryan Eggold (of New Amsterdam fame).
Cue the comedic dilemma:
- She’s Santa (publicly).
- She’s Taylor (privately).
- And now she’s catching feelings for the man who thinks she’s a jolly old guy.
It’s Tootsie meets The Santa Clause — with a splash of modern heart.
Breckenridge described the role as “terrifying, exhilarating, and completely unlike anything I’ve ever done,” calling the experience a rebirth of her artistic passion.
“It scared me. And that’s why I said yes. Becoming Santa meant letting go of vanity, letting go of control, and completely disappearing into someone else. It reminded me why I love acting.”
— Alexandra Breckenridge, speaking to Entertainment Weekly