From Party Of Five To Hallmark: 13 Facts About Lacey Chabert

Lacey Chabert was born in Purvis, Mississippi, where she spent nearly a decade before moving to pursue show business. According to Southern Living, Chabert's family lived next door to her grandmother, with whom she was very close. They were so tight-knit that she even carries around her grandma's watch in her purse on a daily basis, per Us Weekly. "One of my favorite childhood memories is baking with my grandmother in her kitchen," Chabert told Southern Living, adding, "She was one of my very best friends and my biggest cheerleader, so her passing was heartbreaking but I love that I have those memories with her of cooking in her kitchen."

Chabert lives in California, like most actors, but her family is still rooted in the South — though they have changed states. Most of her family now lives in Texas, and they also share a very strong connection with Louisiana. Chabert's father is Cajun and from Louisiana originally, which appears to have had lasting effects on her family's traditions. "There are a lot of differences in the food and culture between Texas and Louisiana but, at the same time, I feel like — especially around the holidays — there's such a focus on family and being with the ones you love, whether that's friends or family. I think those are definitely the same in both places," she told Southern Living. Chabert is incredibly close with her family and was shattered when one of her siblings, older sister Wendy, died in 2022, she shared on Instagram.

Lacey Chabert started working on "Party of Five" at age 11, and she spent the majority of her teenage years playing Claudia Salinger. By the time she finished, she was nearly an official adult — which means that she saw a lot of her teenage milestones in the "Party of Five" timeframe. "Everything a young lady could go through happened to me during that show. I loved it. You know, all the things," she said on "Strahan & Sara." This included having her first kiss and getting her first bra, both for storylines she had to film as Claudia, she shared on "Access Live."

In a 1998 interview with Vibe magazine — in which she was for some inexplicable reason interviewed by the comedian Sinbad — Chabert detailed the awkwardness of smooching in front of roughly a hundred people. "It was my first kiss, yeah. I didn't know what to do," she said in the interview. "So my sisters told me to, like, practice on a pillow, you know? But it didn't kiss me back so I didn't know what to expect. But it was good practice I guess." 

Unfortunately for Chabert, it would have been impossible for her first kiss to be with her actual on-set crush, who at the time was Scott Wolf. Not only was Wolf a grown man, being 14 years older than Chabert, but he also played her brother, Bailey Salinger, on "Party of Five" (per "Access") — and this was not "Game of Thrones."

"Mean Girls" is one of those movies that defined a generation, and it has truly become a classic. The film came out in 2004, but has stood the test of time — and if you are not convinced, just look for the requisite memes every October 3rd. Lacey Chabert was one of the main stars of the film, appearing as gossipy Gretchen Wieners, heir to the Toaster Strudel empire. On numerous occasions, she has said that she would be up for reprising her role in a sequel, though the closest we have gotten to a sequel is a Zoom reunion during the pandemic, hosted by Katie Couric.

"Of course, I'd love to revisit that character. But for now, catching up on the Zoom was awesome," Chabert told "Access" shortly after the reunion, which was done to promote voting. And even though there is no "Mean Girls 2" in the pipeline, Chabert has spent time thinking about where Gretchen would be today. "Oh, she's running the Toaster Strudel empire, obviously! I think that she and Jason worked it out, they got married — they were each other's high school loves and they have lots of little babies," Chabert said in a Forbes interview. She shared a similar vision for the character when ET asked, telling the outlet, "...Gretchen was one of the most fun characters I've ever played. I would love to see what she's doing now."

If you are a fan of Hallmark movies, you have probably noticed that the same actors tend to appear in many of the films. People like Alicia Witt, Danica McKellar, and Andrew Walker are staples on the network, but Lacey Chabert just may be its queen (or co-queen with Candace Cameron Bure). And don't take our word for it, because the numbers speak for themselves. According to her IMDb, Chabert has appeared in some 30 Hallmark original films, and that number can be expected to keep climbing, since she signed a big deal with Crown Media Family Networks (which owns Hallmark) in February 2022, per Variety.

Not only has Chabert been doing Hallmark movies for over a decade, but she typically films four to five each year, per Tinseltown Mom. Her specialty is the Christmas movie genre — TVLine has done the math and Bure is also up there — but she has appeared in everything from "All of My Heart," about a woman who falls for the co-owner of a house she inherits, to "Love on Safari," which is about exactly what it sounds like. Chabert is also the star of the popular "Crossword Mysteries" movies and was one of the headliners for the channel's "The Wedding Veil" trilogy. "Lacey's warmth, talent, relatability and creative sensibilities have endeared her to millions of Hallmark viewers for more than ten years, making her one of our most in-demand stars," EVP of programming Lisa Hamilton Daly said in a statement (via Variety).

In 2019, TVLine noted that Lacey Chabert had starred in eight Christmas movies for the Hallmark Channel, tied with Candace Cameron Bure for the most of any actor. But she is now on top alone, as Bure has since appeared in three while Chabert has filmed four more holiday films, per IMDb. These include "Haul out the Holly" and the very poorly named "Time For Us to Come Home for Christmas" (seriously, is that title long enough?). Though these films all generally contain similar tropes, they differ in terms of the plots, characters, and settings. "Christmas at Castle Hart" was filmed at an actual castle in Ireland, for instance, while "The Christmas Waltz" required Chabert to take dance lessons (per Tinseltown Mom and "Access").

Many of us might get sick of the holiday cheer, especially if we had to film these movies in the summer and fall. Luckily for Chabert, she is a massive fan of the holiday and finds tremendous joy in the films. So, too, do fans, as Forbes has noted that the Hallmark Channel is generally number one with females ages 18-49 and 25-54 in November and December. 

For Chabert, it is easy to get into the Christmas spirit, as she is "obsessed" with the holiday, according to an interview she did with Southern Living. "I like to draw it out as long as possible, so it makes sense that I would enjoy making these movies. You would think I would be tired of Christmas, but no," she said.

Lacey Chabert has been in Hollywood for about three decades and, as such, has acquired more than a few famous faces as friends. Her rolodex includes everyone from Kaley Cuoco (per People) to fellow Hallmark staples Autumn Reeser and Alison Sweeney, both of whom starred alongside Chabert in "The Wedding Veil" and its sequels. When she had her baby shower back in 2016, more of Chabert's inner circle was revealed. Guests included celebrities Ali Fedotowsky, Amy Davidson, Haylie Duff, Beverly Mitchell, and Willa Ford, per People. That same year, she was seen amongst Cuoco and others at Davidson's own baby shower, via Instagram.

In addition to her Hallmark friends, Chabert has grown close to other co-stars over the years. The "Party of Five" cast is still in touch, and according to a 2022 Marie Claire article on Amanda Seyfried — who played Karen in "Mean Girls" — the two actors remain very chummy. Seyfried crocheted a baby blanket for Chabert's daughter. In fact, they are so close that Chabert was interviewed for the piece. 

Chabert is also tight with her "Mean Girls" co-star Jonathan Bennett, who played Aaron Samuels and with whom she has since appeared in three other projects. "16 years ago this beautiful girl went shopping with me at the mall, and I was awestruck by her heart and her beauty. Little did I know that she would be a rock for me throughout the next 16 years and see me through the ups and downs of life and show business," Bennett wrote in a September 2020 Instagram tribute to Chabert.

In January 2022, The U.S. Sun ran an article with the headline "Curse of the Child Actor" and cited Shia LaBeouf, Lindsay Lohan, and Demi Lovato as examples of child stars whose lives went off the rails at one point or another. While we would not go so far as to call it a full-blown curse, it is hard to argue that there has not been an issue with many kid actors having struggles once they reach their teenage years. Some have died far too young — like Brad Renfro and River Phoenix — while others like Drew Barrymore, Jason Bateman, and Mackenzie Phillips had many years of instability but eventually turned their lives around.

But there are people who have been able to transition from childhood to adulthood without heading down a problematic path, and Lacey Chabert is one example. She rose to fame before she even hit puberty, but she has remained level-headed, humble, and out of the Hollywood party scene. She has credited this to her family and friends and, in particular, her parents. "Looking back now as an adult, I'm incredibly grateful that my parents were so protective and did their best to always put my well being above any career decision," she told Fox 411 in 2013. "Navigating the transition from child actor to an adult actor isn't easy. The judgment, criticism, and rejection you face as an actor can be overwhelming."