Hallmark Stars Who Have Been Open About Their Sexuality
From Luke Macfarlane to Ali Leibert, here are some of the Hallmark stars who have shared details about their sexuality.
Since the early 2000s, the popular family channel has become a staple with pop culture enthusiasts looking to immerse themselves in heartwarming TV shows and films. From "Chesapeake Shores" and "The Good Witch" to "A Country Wedding" and "Once Upon A Christmas Miracle," viewers have been treated to endless love stories, holiday adventures, and wholesome magic that never gets old. When discussing the channel's success with NBC News, behavioral scientist Pamela Rutledge attributed it to the content's predictability. "The human brain loves patterns, and the predictability is cognitively rewarding," she explained. "Those predictable story arcs that draw on the standard patterns we recognize from fairytales offer comfort by presenting life as simple and moralistic."
While it continues to rake in success, the Hallmark Channel has also faced criticism for its lack of diversity, specifically regarding LGBTQ+ representation. Due to the backlash, the company has taken steps to include more LGBTQ+ storylines and talent within their content. "We really want people to be able to see themselves in our movies, and we know that people seeing themselves means that there's a wider range of people who are excited when we tell their stories," Vice President of Programming Lisa Hamilton explained to The Wrap. In light of Hallmark's pledge to have more queer visibility within its content, we've highlighted some of Hallmark's most popular LGBTQ+ actors that have opened up about their sexuality.
Jonathan Bennett says he was told hide his sexuality before coming out
One of the biggest stars on the Hallmark Channel is Jonathan Bennett. Getting his start in the industry in the early 2000s with films like "Mean Girls" and "Lovewrecked," the beloved talent eventually made his Hallmark debut in 2014. Since that fateful day, Bennett has crafted his spot as one of the network's hunkiest leading men. In addition to his status as Hallmark royalty, Bennett has captivated viewers for being an open book about his sexuality. According to Pride, the "Do Over" star came out in 2017, three years after he was reportedly outed by another celebrity.
When reflecting on his journey, Bennett told Too Fab in 2019 that he was openly gay to friends at the time of "Mean Girls" release but was instructed to stay in the closet. "We lived in a weird world where us actors who were working in the public eye at the time that were gay, we all didn't know what to do," he explained to the news outlet. "There was no like, 'How does this work?'" Fortunately, Bennett has remained unapologetic about his identity since coming out and has even made history with Hallmark by starring in the channel's first LGBTQ+ led film, "The Holiday Sitter," in 2022. "Hallmark Channel has created a safe space for queer artists to tell their stories," he told ET in December 2022.
Luke Macfarlane came out in a powerful 2008 interview
Another dreamy Hallmark star who identifies as part of the LGBTQ+ community is Luke Macfarlane. Before cementing himself as a network regular, the handsome talent garnered attention with his roles in critically acclaimed shows like "Over There" and "Brothers and Sisters." However, in 2008, Macfarlane made waves after he came out as gay during an interview with The Toronto Globe and Mail (via The Advocate). "I don't know what will happen professionally, but I guess I can't really be concerned about what will happen, because it's my truth," he revealed.
Fortunately, the Canadian actor's career has shown no signs of slowing down due to his continued appearances in Hallmark projects and feature films like Billy Eichner's LGBTQ+ rom-com "Bros" in 2022. "It's funny the way careers have a trajectory of their own. I came out almost 17 years ago and I never thought it would actually get me a job but it turned out that it did," Macfarlane told Page Six in September 2022. Like fellow Hallmark star Jonathan Bennett, the beloved talent has also started to take on LGBTQ+ roles on the network. In November 2023, he starred in "Notes of Autumn" as a gay author named Leo, who falls for small-town hunk Matt.
Ali Liebert was inspired to come out after starring in Bomb Girls
The third Hallmark star to make waves for their sexuality is Ali Liebert, who identifies as queer. While she was no stranger to taking on LGBTQ+ roles before opening up about her sexuality, it wasn't until landing "Bomb Girls" that she realized she might be part of the queer community. "I had been gay-for-pay for many years playing many, many queer roles, and I just never really got it," she explained in an interview on the Still Processing podcast (via LezWatch.TV). "I was like, 'Wow, I really connect to these characters in such a deep way. And then Bomb Girls really was the final thing."
Since coming out, Liebert has continued cultivating a successful career in film and TV, with her roles on the Hallmark Channel earning her rave reviews from fans. While she has mainly taken on straight characters, she made history in 2023 when she starred in the network's first lesbian-led Christmas film, "Friends and Family Christmas." When discussing the groundbreaking TV movie with News is Out, Liebert said she felt honored to be cast. "It's meaningful to me because I've just wanted this to happen for a really long time," she said.
Donia Kash is the first non-binary actor to star in a Hallmark film
In 2022, the Hallmark Channel expanded its LGBTQ+ representation when Donia Kash joined the film, "The Secrets of Bella Vista" in a supporting role. Even though the network was no stranger to featuring LGBTQ+ actors and actresses, Kash's debut made them the first non-binary talent ever to be featured on Hallmark. In an interview with Diva Magazine at the time, the talented actor, who identifies as agender and uses they/them pronouns, opened up about their journey to the channel and how being cast in "The Secrets of Bella Visa" helped them open up. "The opportunity to play Suzzette in 'The Secrets of Bella Vista' taught my hard shell of a heart that I am moving through this particular world that easily expresses love and the importance of family on the screen," she explained. "To allow the queer community to see themselves thriving out there in this world."
Since making their debut, Kash has gone on to star in more Hallmark films, including 2023's "Hearts in the Game," which they described as their most prominent network role to date. "This is the biggest role I've ever had in a Hallmark film, so I will say this has been a beautiful challenge and a great opportunity," they told Hollywood North Magazine.
George Krissa is making LGBTQ+ history on Hallmark
Rounding out our list is the dreamy George Krissa, who made his Hallmark Channel debut in 2022's "Road Trip Romance." While the Canadian actor, who identifies as gay, is relatively new to the channel, he has already been a part of some significant network history by starring in "The Holiday Sitter" alongside fellow Hallmark hunk Jonathan Bennett. At the time of the film's release, Krissa praised the network for introducing more queer inclusion during an interview on CBC. "If you watch the Countdown to Christmas this year, there's LGBTQ folks all over the place," he exclaimed. "And what's really wonderful in what they're doing is that they're not making a big deal out of it." He even said that his childhood would have been very different if films like "The Holiday Sitter" were on TV when he was a kid. "I would have loved to see this as a kid, to see everyone accepted and that their families love them. And it's really special to be part of it."
While Krissa has yet to share further details about his coming out journey, the talented actor has remained an open book about his long-term relationship with partner Bri Waters on social media. In June 2023, the "Coroner" actor celebrated his sixth anniversary with Bri in a heartwarming Instagram post. "Six years. Happy Anniversary [Bri Waters]! You are the funniest, smartest, kindest, coolest, most interesting person in the world," he wrote. "I love you more than you'll ever know!"