Hallmark Execs Talk Great American Family, Talent & Hallmark’s ‘Secret Sauce’

While some of the stars you’re used to seeing on Hallmark have signed deals with Great American Family, the execs are instead focusing on the talent pool they do have, noting they’ve also kept a lot of their talent under option.

Among the stars viewers have become used to seeing in Hallmark rom-coms and Christmas movies that have signed deals with Great American Family are Trevor Donovan, Danica McKellar, Jen Lilley, and Candace Cameron Bure.

Meanwhile, stars including Lacey Chabert, Brennan Elliott, Holly Robinson Peete, and Jonathan Bennett have signed deals with Hallmark Media (formerly Crown Media).

“We’re looking for new talent all the time,” Lisa Hamilton Daly, EVP, Programming said during the Television Critics Association Summer Press Tour. “I think there’s a lot of talent out there we’ve worked with in the past that GAC is now working with but I think we also are constantly trying to evolve the talent pool that we’re working with. I think we retained almost everybody that we’re really excited to have.”

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Added Wonya Lucas, President & CEO, “I would also say beyond GAC, talent works with Netflix, talent works with Lifetime, and that’s kind of the way that the industry works.” However, she noted that what makes Hallmark stand out is the family aspect of the company. “That’s the secret sauce we have that’s Hallmark and that continues today. We have existing talent that’s been with us a long time and we have new talent that we’re bringing in as well,” she said. “That will be consistent. That is consistent of the past. That is consistent today.”