Jonathan Bennett is here to make the yuletide gay.
With the help of Hallmark, the 43-year-old out actor and certified holiday heartthrob is crafting feel-good Christmas-themed fare that keeps viewers entertained while also bringing LGBTQ+ representation to the popular cable network.
This year, that comes in the form of Finding Mr. Christmas, a new reality competition series where 10 aspiring actors from all walks of life are vying for the title of Hallmark's next leading man in a holiday film (a.k.a. "Mr. Christmas"). Hosted by the Out100 honoree, who also co-created and executive produced the series, Finding Mr. Christmas is exactly the kind of joyful, heartfelt, and downright fun reality television contest that many will find comforting for years to come. (And it doesn't hurt that it's filled to the brim with men many will consider the perfect holiday eye candy.)
Onesie: Hanes Wes and Alex
"It's Christmas. It's joyful. It's funny. It's guys that look great in Christmas sweaters," Bennett says, excited for the fun and joy a show like Finding Mr. Christmas can bring folks during turbulent times. "It's just everything you want during the holidays to turn on with your friends and family and just watch it together and root for your favorite hunk."
And trust, there are plenty of hunks to choose from.
Suit: OrttuWes and Alex
One hunk in particular, Daxton Bloomquist, left quite an impression on LGBTQ+ Hallmark fans, especially in the very first episode of the show, when he and Bennett share a heartfelt moment about being your most out-and-proud, authentic self in this world. It’s a moment Bennett says he cherishes and thinks was super cute.
"When we were casting and finding all these people, whether they were gay or straight, that didn't even become a thing for us,” Bennett says. “Who's got the sparkle to 'em? And Dax had the sparkle, so he deserves a seat at the table just like everyone else."
And what exactly is that "sparkle" Bennett mentions? According to the Mean Girls alum, a Hallmark hottie — and the first Mr. Christmas — should possess a few qualities to make him a standout worthy of leading his own holiday film (which at the time of writing, the still unrevealed winner of the series already did!).
Silk Pajama Set: Fleur du Mal Wes and Alex
"First of all, they've got to be funny. They've got to be charming, they've got to be kind. They have to have a great sense of humor and a whole lot of heart," Bennett lists. "Those are the five things that make a Hallmark leading man shine. And I think what makes the winner of Finding Mr. Christmas, Mr. Christmas. He's put through so many different tests and each time all of those five qualities show through."
"And looking good in a Christmas sweater doesn't hurt," he adds humorously. "Of course they're going to be hot. They're Hallmark hunks. Of course, they're going to be good-looking. But on top of being good-looking, we need those five qualities."
Turtleneck: Todd Snyder; Suit: BurberryWes and Alex
Though the most recent entry, Finding Mr. Christmas is far from the only part of Bennett's queer Christmas legacy at Hallmark.
In 2020 Bennett starred in the Hallmark Channel's holiday film The Christmas House, where he played the role of Brandon, a gay baker returning to his parents' house for the holidays alongside his husband Jake (Brad Harder). Though at the time it faced some calls for boycotts from overzealous homophobes on social media, the Hallmark Channel stood firm in its release of the film, making history on the network for being the first movie to prominently feature a same-sex couple. The success of The Christmas House even led to the release of a sequel the following year, The Christmas House 2: Deck Those Halls, where Bennett was able to reprise his role.
"It's important that we have amazing LGBTQ+ representation on America's most-watched cable network," Bennett says of his ongoing relationship with Hallmark. "At the end of the day, Hallmark wins the ratings for movies. They just do. They're the top of their game when it comes to movie ratings. No one watches more cable television movies than people that watch Hallmark. They're the highest-rated. So when you have an audience like that, that's that broad and it's all walks of life, it's all ages, it's from all the different states. It is very diverse, their fan base. So it's important to keep doing what I'm doing, which is telling LGBTQ+ storylines in movies on that network, so that way we have representation in that way and so our LGBTQ+ fans that watch [Hallmark] feel seen and they feel like they're having their stories told."
Silk Pajama Set: Fleur du Mal Wes and Alex
And the legacy doesn't end there. Bennett, who says that he has played at least six queer roles in the past five years where the characters actually get to kiss another man onscreen, led 2023's The Holiday Sitter, the very first LGBTQ-centered film ever broadcast by the Hallmark Channel.
"I'm very proud of what I've done at Hallmark by being the first same-sex kiss on the network, being the first gay-led Christmas rom-com, and having the first same-sex wedding on the network, all leading roles with lead storylines," Bennett says. "That's a huge deal, and I am very proud to have done that. It's something I'll always cherish."
Bow tie: Gucci; Jacket: Ralph Lauren; Dress Shirt: Zegna; Pants: OrttuWes and Alex
And in true holiday spirit, Bennett's energies aren't all just focused on his own life and career. By crafting shows and projects like Finding Mr. Christmas, where folks who have little experience in the industry vie for a spot in a Hallmark production that will be seen by many, Bennett makes it a point to help uplift the next generation of stars at Hallmark and beyond.
"The big thing that I believe in life, and especially in show business, is I don't shine if you don't shine," Bennett says. "No matter how good I'm doing, unless I'm turning around and pulling people up with me, what's the point? You don't want to be the lonely person on the top of a mountain. You want to be on the top of a mountain with a ton of people who are awesome. And so I always have believed that there is plenty of pie for everybody. You don't have to fail so that I can succeed. I can succeed, and you can succeed. I think that's something that in queer culture is very rare. You see it sometimes, but you don't see it a ton. And I think having the ability to know that the more I help other people fulfill their dreams, the more my dream gets fulfilled."
Finding Mr. Christmas airs new episodes on The Hallmark Channel each Thursday.
Santa Suit: Pro Santa Shop; Leather gloves: Orttu Wes and Alex
Photographers: Wes and Alex @wesandalex
Stylist: Gabriel Langenbrunner @langy
Makeup artist: Sabrina Ozuna @sabrinaozuna
