The lead character Hailey is portrayed by actress Taylor Cole in the upcoming Hallmark movie Long Lost Christmas. 

Hailey is an interior designer who is trying to surprise her mother Patricia with a wonderful Christmas gift. She is trying to reunite her mother with her extended family whom she has yearned for years but the plans are more complicated than it seems. While trying to surprise her mother with a wonderful gift, she finds a gift for herself as a love interest. 

In reality, Taylor is not an interior designer but a well-known American actress and model. She was born on April 29, 1984, in Arlington, Texas, and is 38 years old. She began her career as an actress in 2004 as Erika Spalding in the television series Summerland.

Taylor had already started working as a model during her high school days. She traveled around the world doing professional photoshoots in countries like France, Italy, England, and many more. 

However, she was not always in acting and glamour, in fact, she was a gifted athlete in her high school days and played volleyball for her high school. She also traveled around the world with the junior Olympic team according to her IMDb profile. 

While she might have crossed paths with her on-screen love interest in the movie Long Lost Christmas, she is married to producer Cameron Larson in real life. The couple got married on June 20, 2020, and due to covid-19 restrictions, they had a virtual wedding which was broadcasted to their loved ones and family members.