Hallmark movies with gay characters
Home / gay topics / Hallmark movies with gay characters
Same genre, but overall higher quality thanks to the cast and Clea Duvall’s writing & direction.
“I think what’s interesting with Hallmark,” Macfarlane continued, “is their brand is so intact and part of their brand has never been to be overtly political, at least all the time that I’ve worked there. Omnipresent Jonathan Bennett plays opposite Vincent Rodriguez III in two of them.
They’re fine.
This was the first Hallmark movie to feature a gay couple, even if they are supporting players. Ricki Lake is also on hand.
Sapphic Chemistry? Honey, please.
The 2024 holiday season garnered even less results: A sequel to an ensemble film from 2023 with Hallmark’s resident gay Jonathan Bennett in the cast.
Join us for Hallmark movie reviews every Tuesday and Thursday! This time the brothers are competing on a reality show to create the best Christmas House. Whether you’re looking for heartfelt dramas, queer representation, or simply want to know which LGBTQ+ Hallmark movies are streaming now, this list has you covered.
The Evolution of LGBTQ+ Hallmark Movies
When Girls Gone Hallmark began reviewing movies in 2020, we noticed how little diversity existed on screen.
It’s harmless fun.
6) Clusterfünke Christmas (2021) – Paramount+, Roku, Amazon Prime
“A no-nonsense hotel exec buys a family inn in northern Maine, but the town’s Christmas spirit clashes with her cosmopolitan values.” This one’s actually a spoof of the genre written by and co-starring Rachel Dratch & Ana Gasteyer as the innkeepers.
Hallmark Movies is a Media Family Networks Subscription video-on-demand service. This one beat out Under The Christmas Tree to win the GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding TV Movie. Hosted by Jonathan Bennett, the show spotlighted queer contestants and candid conversations about representation – an important step for LGBTQ+ visibility beyond scripted movies.
2023 LGBTQ+ Hallmark Movies
2023 was a stronger year for representation, with multiple films highlighting LGBTQ+ couples:
- Christmas on Cherry Lane – Jonathan Bennett and Vincent Rodriguez III star as a couple unexpectedly expanding their family on Christmas Eve.
- Friends and Family Christmas – a lesbian Hallmark movie starring Humberly Gonzalez and Ali Liebert as Daniella and Amelia.
- Notes of Autumn – Luke Macfarlane and Peter Porte played a central gay couple.
- Ride (series) – featured ongoing LGBTQ+ storylines woven into its drama.
2022 LGBTQ+ Hallmark Movies
This was a milestone year:
- The Holiday Sitter – the first leading gay Hallmark movie, starring Jonathan Bennett and George Krissa in a same-sex romance at the heart of the story.
- Love, Classified – starred Arienne Mandi and Katherine McNamara as a same-sex couple, weaving a lesbian romance into the film’s family-centered narrative.
2020–2021 LGBTQ+ Hallmark Movies
The foundation for inclusion started here:
- The Christmas House – introduced the first same-sex couple in a Hallmark holiday movie.
- The Christmas House 2: Deck Those Halls – continued the story, expanding LGBTQ+ visibility.
Hallmark’s First Leading Gay Couple
The Holiday Sitter (2022) — Hallmark’s first gay Hallmark movie with a same-sex romance at the center, starring Jonathan Bennett and George Krissa.
Yes
Peter (Michael Urie) finds out his boyfriend is married.
Macfarlane told Variety that in 2025, it only makes sense to incorporate gay characters into the network’s content, explaining, “We all have a queer friend, we all have a queer neighbor, we all have a queer brother or sister….It’s actually just part of life.”
Related
Her return suggests that Hallmark may once again place a stronger focus on inclusion as part of its programming strategy.
Hallmark’s Diversity Commitment: 2020-2025
Since 2020, Hallmark has made noticeable strides in LGBTQ+ representation, adding more visibility to gay, lesbian, and queer storylines:
- 2020: The Christmas House introduced Hallmark’s first same-sex couple, a milestone for LGBTQ+ Hallmark movies.
- 2021: Several films expanded roles for LGBTQ+ characters, moving beyond side plots and into meaningful storylines.
- 2022: The Holiday Sitter premiered as the first leading gay Hallmark movie, featuring Jonathan Bennett and George Krissa in a same-sex romance at the center of the story.
- 2023: Holiday standouts like Friends & Family Christmas (a lesbian Hallmark movie) and Christmas on Cherry Lane brought multiple LGBTQ+ lead couples to the screen.
- 2024–2025: Inclusive storytelling continued with original Hallmark+ series such as The Groomsmen and Holidazed, both featuring LGBTQ+ couples as core characters.
This progression shows how Hallmark has experimented with — and at times led — more inclusive programming, though the pace of new gay and lesbian Hallmark movies has slowed in recent years.
Latest LGBTQ+ Hallmark Movies (Updated 2025)
Hallmark has slowly expanded its inclusive storytelling over the past few years, with gay, lesbian, and LGBTQ+ romances appearing across holiday movies, original series, and even reality projects.
Happy Holigays!
See also:
Truman Capote’s Christmas Memory
Dusting Off The Holiday Favorites (2025)
The 60 Degrees Girl Group Christmas Show
The Christmas In Connecticut Delivery Woman
March Of The Wooden Soldiers: 10 Things You May Not Know About This Holiday Classic
Sunshine & Tinsel: A Canine Christmas Tail
Len & Cub: A Relationship In Photos
We Got Hitched
Yes Virginia, There Is A Spotify Playlist
A Christmas Without Miracles: The 1987 Motown Xmas Special
LGBTQ+ Hallmark Movies have become an essential part of the network’s evolution, reflecting love stories beyond the traditional formula.
Users can avail of these services with monthly or annual subscriptions.
Hallmark and the LGBT CommunityList of Hallmark Movies with LGBTQA Themes1. The Christmas House2. The CEO of Hallmark assured the audiences that more Hallmark movies with the central theme of LGBTQ would be shown on their platforms.
For them, it’s just continuing to tell stories that really resonate with people that can still be an escape from the difficulties of our current situation.”
In March, Macfarlane told “I’ve Never Said This Before” podcast host Tommy DiDario, “I mean, if you had told me that Hallmark would become this amazing home for me — and it has, I’ve done 15 movies with them.”
He continued, “You know, they let me be a romantic lead to many lovely ladies and then they let me be a romantic lead to a man (in 2024’s “Notes of Autumn”) and then they let me produce a show where I get to talk about woodworking!