5 Hallmark All-Stars of the Holiday Season
There are five seasoned pros when it comes to festive films across Hallmark and Hallmark Movies & Mysteries.
Whether you’re tuning in for the stories or characters, it’s hard to miss these faces. Scroll down for a deeper dive into Hallmark’s all-stars.
Lacey Chabert
She can do it all! The Mean Girls vet has gone from playing a queen bee to being the undisputed queen of Hallmark Christmas. Even her non-holiday titles are hits. Her 2014 film The Color of Rain is the most-watched and highest-rated original film in Hallmark history.
In 2015’s A Christmas Melody, see Chabert star alongside Grammy winner Mariah Carey (and Brennan Elliott, below). Or, grab your passport (ahem, remote) and travel the globe with her films Christmas in Rome (2019), Love on Safari (2018), or Winter in Vail (2020).
Chabert’s housesitter Emily hilariously battles a holiday-frenzied HOA (led by a fantastic Melissa Peterman) in the 2022 comedy Haul Out the Holly. It gets a sequel in 2023’s Lit Up, a cable exclusive premiering Saturday, November 25, at 8/7c on Hallmark Channel.
Brennan Elliott
Elliott defines “leading man material” — and Hallmark knows it. The longtime Cedar Cove and Flower Shop Mysteries star’s strong voice — and jawline! — have captured many viewers’ hearts throughout his 20-plus original films for the network.
Hum along with Broadway-focused Christmas Encore (2017), where Elliott stars opposite Maggie Lawson, and 2016’s Love You Like Christmas with singer Bonnie Somerville, where the pair pay a visit to the fittingly titled town of Christmas Valley.
This Hallmark-ified take on The Sound of Music: 2020’s idyllic Christmas in Vienna sees Elliott playing an American diplomat and doting dad opposite Sarah Drew’s (Grey’s Anatomy) struggling concert violinist in the magical and lush romance shot overseas.
Holly Robinson Peete
Fans might associate this 21 Jump Street starlet more with her intense Morning Show Mysteries films (she’s done six of them for Hallmark Movies & Mysteries), but Peete’s cozy Christmas entries are where the acclaimed actress’ heart really soars.
All four of the Christmas in Evergreen films are available to watch: the 2017 original and later entries subtitled Letters to Santa (2018), Tidings of Joy (2019) and Bells Are Ringing (2020), in which Peete plays the town’s admired mayor, Michelle.
Our favorite of Peete’s is A Family Christmas Gift (2019). She stars as curious niece Amber to Patti LaBelle’s loving Aunt Dora. The two plan a fundraising Christmas concert, and the highlight, of course, is LaBelle’s angelic “O Holy Night” pageant solo.
Andrew Walker
This charming favorite of Hallmark movie junkies has been starring in the network’s romances for more than a decade. You could even say he’s The Perfect Catch. But it’s his newest franchise, Curious Caterer, in which he stars as Det. Tom Schultz, that has us salivating.
The sweet 2019 flick Merry & Bright, which joins Walker with Fuller House’s Jodie Sweetin as candy cane company colleagues, A Dream of Christmas (2016), Debbie Macomber’s Dashing Through the Snow (2015) and his first, A Bride for Christmas (2012).
In last year’s Three Wise Men and a Baby, Walker impressed as firefighter Luke, who brings an abandoned baby left at his fire station (with a note attached asking him to care for the infant until Christmas) back home for help.
Erin Krakow
She’s one of the hardest-working actresses in Hallmark-biz. Between seasons of playing When Calls the Heart’s beloved teacher Elizabeth Thornton, romance royalty Krakow has led an impressive amount of holiday films — and they’re some of the network’s crown jewels.
Krakow’s 2014 A Cookie Cutter Christmas is available to stream, as is the delightfully jolly Father Christmas film trilogy she stars in with Niall Matter: Finding Father Christmas (2016), Engaging Father Christmas (2017) and Marrying Father Christmas (2018).
An instant Hallmark movie classic, 2019’s Sense, Sensibility & Snowmen sees Krakow and fellow leading lady Kimberley Sustad as party planning sisters Ella and Marianne, who clash with Luke Macfarlane’s grinchy toy company CEO, Edward.
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O
I think Hallmark isn't as good as it was. Why have a lot of their actors moved to GFAM? I've had enough Lacey Chabert movies. Seems to me they're using a lot of Canadian actors.
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O
The actors who jumped to GAC are Bible thumpers who object to gay characters and so forth. The main reasons for Canadian casts are A. Most of their movies are shot in Vancouver and B. The actor's strike didn't hold sway in Canada.
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O
Hallmark's current roster leaves a lot to be desired. Many of their female leads are unlikable and their male leads are more sidekick, second bananas than heroes. Lacey Chabert and Tyler Hynes are way overused and Victor Webster is bordering on Dad roles eligibility, he's looks puffy.
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P
ITA. I like Aimee Teagarden, Nikki de Loach, and Cindy Busby; I refuse to watch Lacey Chabert. As for the guys: yes to Paul Greene, Paul Campbell, Andrew Walker, Kris Polaha, Jonathon Bennett, Brennan Elliott and Niall Matter; don't much care for the rest.
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T
What about Ashley Williams??
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O
I like Michael Rady, Benjamin Hollingsworth, Lacey Chabert and Erin Krakow
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O
Brennan, Holly and Andrew, yes; can'y tolerate the other two.
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