Christmas on Cherry Lane is Hallmark’s newest film this holiday season. The movie follows a young couple preparing to welcome their first child; an empty-nester and her fiancé ready to start a new chapter; and a couple who unexpectedly have the chance to expand their family on Christmas Eve celebrate the holiday as they navigate these turning points in their lives.
The film stars GLAAD Media Award winning actor Jonathan Bennett, who is in a gay relationship in the film. Watch the trailer here:
Bennett, who also starred as Hallmark’s first gay lead in The Holiday Sitter in 2022, joined GLAAD’s Anthony Allen Ramos to talk about the film.
“We are making the yuletide slay at the Hallmark Channel!” Bennett exclaims. “It is so fun bringing these stories to life on this network, we are just having so much fun creating these characters and creating these stories that include everyone.”
“We all have this idea of what we want Christmas and the holidays to be and then it never works out. It’s never exactly how you plan, but it’s finding about the beauty in the imperfections.” Bennett explains that his character in the movie is a chef. He and his partner are having 14 guests over for the holidays, all while their kitchen is being remodeled. “It’s a perfectly imperfect Christmas for all these couples.”
Not only has the Hallmark cinematic universe become more inclusive to LGBTQ couples, but they are also creating space for more characters of color, like Vincent Rodriguez III’s Filipino character in Christmas on Cherry Lane. “I think Hallmark’s mission is making sure that everyone feels like they have a seat at our holiday table because they do,” Bennett says.
Bennett talks about his hopes to collaborate with his Mean Girls co-star and fellow Hallmark star Lacey Chabert as well as potentially his husband Jaymes Vaughan in the future. “I would love to do a Christmas movie with my husband. And even if he’s not my co-star, my husband’s such a talented amazing singer. Wouldn’t it be fun if he played a singer in a Hallmark Christmas movie where we go and watch his performance?”
After this very busy season, Bennett says this Christmas he and his husband are looking forward to “sitting on the couch and watching every movie there is. I want us to order pizza and eat ice cream and not leave the couch for six days.”
Not only is Bennett the King of Christmas, this year he is hosting the iconic New York City ball drop on New Years Eve! “I’m going to be bringing in the New Year’s as the official host for Times Square New Year’s Eve ball drop!” Fans can tune in to watch the livestream here: www.timessquarenyc.org
Bennett discusses his excitement for the new Mean Girls film hitting theaters in January 2024. :I hope for everyone involved that it brings as much joy and success as the original movie did to us because we are lucky to be a part of something that’s so beloved.”
Don’t miss Christmas on Cherry Lane all month long on The Hallmark Channel. Watch a sneak peak here: