All The Signs Lacey Chabert Would Never Leave Hallmark For GAC
Several celebs have left the Hallmark channel for Great American Family in the short time since Bill Abbott founded it — but we're not banking on Lacey Chabert being one of them, ever. Quite the opposite, Chabert has doubled down on her loyalty to Hallmark, especially in the past few years.
Chabert joined the Hallmark channel in 2010 when she starred in family-friendly rom-com "Elevator Girl." She's subsequently starred in nearly 40 more productions with the channel — and we're fairly certain she'll continue on that trajectory for quite some time. For starters, there's the fact that until very recently, she was contractually obliged to. As was reported in early 2022, she signed a two-year deal with Hallmark. Under the terms of the deal, Chabert was to work as both an actor and producer for the company's many offerings.
Of course, 2022 was two years ago, so Chabert could walk away pretty soon — if she wanted to. However, something tells us that's the last thing on her mind. From her praise of the company and the changes many other stars have spoken out against to her new role in an unscripted series for the channel, all signs seem to point to Chabert being in it for the long haul.
Lacey Chabert loves the sentimentality behind Hallmark
Speaking to Vulture back in 2022, Lacey Chabert shared that one of the things she loved about Hallmark was the sentimentality behind the brand. After all, she explained, she'd always loved giving Hallmark cards to her loved ones — so being able to be in films and TV shows that created the same feeling as those cards was pretty special to her.
In the same interview, Chabert also pointed out that she believed that the background as a card company was what set Hallmark apart from other family-friendly channels like Lifetime (and now, its more controversial competitor, Great American Family). "From my perspective and from what I hear from fans, it all goes back to the values and the feeling of the card company itself. It's something that, quite literally, has brought people together for so many years," she told Vulture.
Chabert echoed similar sentiments in an interview on "The Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon." Speaking to the Hallmark superfan host, Chabert mused that Hallmark was beloved by so many because it played a role in their families' traditions. Though Chabert didn't say it (and we doubt she ever would), it's pretty clear other channels didn't have that same sense of nostalgia for her. Hey, you can't beat tradition!
Lacey is all for changes at the channel
Lacey Chabert may love how Hallmark helps viewers create traditions, but she's also been incredibly supportive of changes at the channel — so much so that she's contradicted the claims of past colleagues who have complained about them. In fact, Chabert even threw a little shade at Candace Cameron Bure after her controversial exit, which saw the "Aurora Teagarden Mysteries" star complain about new policies at Hallmark.
Well, that might be a bit of an exaggeration. After all, this is Chabert we're talking about, and she's known to be just as warm and fuzzy as her Hallmark characters, so her take on the matter was decidedly diplomatic. In her interview with Vulture, she said, "Any shift I've felt has been embracing our creative ideas." She also pointed out, "I wish everybody the best. I really can't comment on it further other than I care about everybody involved."
Even so, she made it clear that while she wouldn't speak ill of her former colleagues, she wasn't about to follow them, either. Asked if Great American Family had approached her as they had other Hallmark stars, she responded with a polite yet decisive, "I'm with Hallmark, and I work for them. I'm so sorry, but I'll just have to leave it at that." Definitely a classy way to do it.
The actor appreciates Hallmark's commitment to diversity
Sticking with Lacey Chabert's comments on the changes at Hallmark, another sign that she'll probably be sticking with Hallmark for the foreseeable future is that she appreciates the company's attempts at bringing more diversity to its offerings. Speaking to Business Insider back in 2021, she shared that she was impressed by their commitment to creating content that anyone could resonate with.
"I think that Hallmark has done a wonderful job of telling stories that everyone can relate to ... And I think they continue to try harder and strive to do that even more," she told the outlet. Chabert didn't go into more detail, but it is worth noting that in 2021 and beyond, Hallmark certainly has included more diverse offerings, from stories with Black leads to Hanukkah programming and even an LGBTQ+ Christmas film.
FWIW, Great American Family hasn't ruled out more inclusive programming. However, there also hasn't been a whole lot of it at the time of writing — and Candace Cameron Bure has previously run into trouble for making comments about traditional marriage remaining the core focus of the new channel. Because Chabert hasn't spoken at length about her thoughts on diversity at Hallmark versus its competitors, we won't put any words in her mouth — but we are glad to see she's committed to staying with Hallmark as it branches out more.
Lacey Chabert has a new TV show in the works
Need more proof that Lacey Chabert is sticking with Hallmark through thick and thin? She snagged a brand new role in a totally fresh format. As was revealed in late 2023, she is set to host the unscripted show, "Celebrations with Lacey Chabert," towards the end of 2024. The show will focus on Chabert throwing parties in day-to-day do-gooders' honor.
In the announcement for the show, shared on Hallmark's website, the channel's executive vice president of programming shared that the show was the ideal fit for their veteran star and highlighted one fact we all already knew about Chabert: that she really embodied the channel's vision. "Lacey Chabert shares the same passion for celebrating everyday heroes as we do at Hallmark," Lisa Hamilton Daly was quoted as saying. Hamilton Daly also hinted that it may just mark a new contract with the actor. "This show provides the perfect opportunity to expand our work with Lacey in meaningful and innovative new ways," she said.
It's pretty clear that Hallmark is all for her staying — and the feeling seems mutual. In the same statement, Chabert gushed over the new opportunity and shared that she was thrilled to be able to share her love of event planning and crafting with the world. More specifically, she shared that she loved being able to celebrate people who went the extra mile for their communities.
Lacey has said she's happy to stay on Hallmark forever
New jobs and shared values aside, arguably the biggest sign that Lacey Chabert is planning on staying with the Hallmark channel long-term is, well, the fact that she's said so. That revelation came in her Vulture interview.
"I see myself being a lifer as long as I'm inspired by the stories and as long as they'll have me. I have ideas for 50 more. I hope this is just the beginning," she told the outlet. No mincing words, there! We're not exactly surprised, though. After all, in the same interview, she'd also pointed out, "I'm able to be more of who I am here than possibly anywhere else I've worked."
Chabert wasn't kidding when she said that. In fact, she's often compared the experience of working on Hallmark films to feeling like she's in them, IRL. On "The Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon," she shared that her excitement while filming "Love on Safari" on location in South Africa shouldn't even count as acting. On "Good Morning America," she gushed over filming "Christmas at Castle Hart" because it gave her the real experience of living in a castle. TBH, we wouldn't want to leave a job with those kinds of perks, either! We think it's safe to say Chabert is Hallmark, and she's here to stay.