’Little Women’ Adaptation Lands in the Great American Family: Meet Cast

The Great American Family takes on the March family story.

The network’s first ensemble Christmas movie, „A Little Women’s Christmas,” is a contemporary reimagining of Louisa May Alcott’s classic 1868 novel, starring Jillian Murray as Jo March, Trevor Donovan as Friedrich „Fritz” Behrer, and Laura Osnes as Beth March and Jane Lilly. Meg March, Jessie Hatch as John Brooke and Julia Reilly as Amy March. Gladys Knight will also perform and sing her new original Christmas song, „Joy.”

For the fourth year, the movie will air during the „Great American Christmas.” Their 2024 holiday schedule includes “Aurora Christmas,” “A Christmas Less Traveled,” “Love at the Kettle,” “My Grown-Up Christmas Wish,” “A Royal Christmas Ball” and “A Vintage Christmas.”

„’A Little Women’s Christmas’ is a new Christmas classic, with an incredible ensemble cast and an adaptation of the original story that is one of the best stories I’ve ever read,” said Bill Abbott, president and CEO of Great American Media. „Louisa May Alcott aimed to focus on the culture of young women, their hopes, ambitions and dreams, and it remains one of the most widely read and beloved stories ever written.”

Directed by Brandon Clarke, the film was written by Dion Sheehan and Taylor Bird. Executive producers include Hatch, Knight, Clark, Brian Bird, Toy Truesdell, Darrin Chavez, Brian Williams, Charlie White, Lori Overhold, William McDowell and Joyce Miller Roy. „A Little Women’s Christmas” is produced by Rodney Eldredge, True Brand Entertainment, Third Coast Film and Empress of Soul Productions.

„Little Women” was frequently adapted for both stage and screen. In 1933, Katharine Hepburn directed the first sound adaptation of the film, followed by the first color adaptation in 1949 with Elizabeth Taylor and Janet Leigh, which earned two Academy Award nominations and one win. In 1994, Gillian Armstrong directed a large ensemble led by Winona Ryder, Kirsten Dunst, Claire Danes, Susan Sarandon, Christian Bale and others, which was nominated for three Oscars. In 2017 (and in the US in 2018), BBC and PBS’ Masterpiece adapted Alcott’s novel into a television series, with Maya Hawke as the lead. Then, in 2019, Greta Gerwig’s “Little Women” became a box office sensation and was nominated for six Academy Awards.