Lori Loughlin Got The Axe From Hallmark After The College Admissions Scandal
In 2019, actor Lori Loughlin took a massive fall from grace when she was named as part of a college admissions scandal, along with her husband, Mossimo Giannulli. The duo was accused of paying $500,000 in bribes to falsely represent their two daughters, Olivia Jade and Isabella Rose, as crew recruits in order to get them into the University of Southern California. Loughlin and Giannulli were charged with conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud and money laundering. They initially pleaded not guilty but later changed their pleas to guilty.
Loughlin and Giannulli's virtual court hearing took place in August 2020 and the "Full House" actor was sentenced to two months in prison, while her husband received five months. Loughlin was also ordered two years of supervised release and 100 hours of community service, with a $150,000 fine. Since her involvement in the scandal, Loughlin's acting career also took a major hit, and the Hallmark Channel wanted nothing more to do with her.
Hallmark halted production of all shows featuring Lori Loughlin
Since her role as Aunt Becky in the ABC sitcom "Full House," Lori Loughlin has been known for her wholesome, family-friendly roles. In 2013, the actor landed a role in Hallmark's movie series, "Garage Sale Mystery" and then the "When Calls the Heart" TV series the following year. After her involvement with the college admissions scandal, the network announced they would no longer be working with her. "We are saddened by the recent news surrounding the college admissions allegations. We are no longer working with Lori Loughlin and have stopped development of all productions featuring Lori on the Crown Media Family Network channels — including #GarageSaleMysteries," the Hallmark Channel tweeted in 2019.
Loughlin faced another blow when she was let go from Netflix's "Fuller House" for its final season. The streaming network made no official announcement but the show addressed her character's absence by explaining that she went back to her hometown in Nebraska to help out her mother. Although Loughlin lost out on her roles with two big networks, she eventually made a comeback following her stint in prison.
Lori Loughlin made her acting return with another network
Lori Loughlin may have faced some setbacks after the college admissions scandal but she found a way to keep her acting career going. When the Hallmark Channel severed ties with her, she lost her role as Abigail Stanton in the Western drama series, "When Calls the Heart." However, the show was picked up by Great American Family TV and they allowed her to reprise her role as Stanton in the spinoff series, "When Hope Calls Christmas."
Loughlin also landed the lead role in the network's movie, "Fall Into Winter," which was her first since the scandal. Great American Media president and CEO Bill Abbott had nothing but high praise for Loughlin. "Lori is a genre-defining star that I have had the honor to call a close friend and collaborator for more than 15 years. We have a shared vision for creating meaningful and memorable movies that resonate with our passionate fans, and I look forward to welcoming her back to Great American Family to anchor our 2023 winter programming slate," he stated in a press release.
Along with serving her two-month sentence, Loughlin also committed to helping Ukraine's relief efforts and working with Project Angel Food. She also paid $500,000 for the tuition of two college students on her own accord. Loughlin is determined to put the past behind her and is ready to move on from the college scandal.