Hallmark Hunks! 23 Leading Men Who Bring Our Favorite Love Stories to Life
Fun and surprising facts about the dashing male leads we can't get enough of!
Who can resist the allure of a Hallmark movie? The happy endings? The year-round holiday cheer? And most importantly, the dashing male leads that bring our favorite romances right into our living room. These Hallmark male actors have it all—acting chops, good looks and small-town charm you can only find on the fictional streets of your favorite Hallmark film.
Here, see if your favorite Hallmark actor made the list:
23 Hallmark Hunks, ranked!
23. Jack Wagner
Jack Wagner falls into the category of Hallmark male actors with an extensive resume. Not only is he known for his work on the screen, but he’s also an accomplished musician and golfer.
His most significant TV roles consist of Santa Barbara, Melrose Place, General Hospital, The Bold and the Beautiful, and on Hallmark, When Calls the Heart as investigator Bill Avery. Fun fact: Wagner appeared in over 1,300 episodes of The Bold and the Beautiful!
22. Benjamin Ayres
Prior to his work on Hallmark, Benjamin Ayres made his mark on shows like Battlestar Galactica, Supernatural, Reunion, Killer Instinct and Smallville and in 2008, he took on a notable role in JPod.
His debut on the network came in 2016’s Love by Chance, and since then, we’ve seen him star in some of our favorite Hallmark movies like Falling for Vermont (2017), You, Me & the Christmas Trees (2021), Long Lost Christmas (2022) and most recently, The Santa Class (2024).
21. Colin Lawrence
Who can resist a smile like Colin Lawrence’s? The English-Canadian actor has been making a name for himself over the last few years with recurring roles in television series like The Killing, iZombie, Impastor and Riverdale.
He currently plays the role of Preacher on Netflix’s hit series, Virgin River. Although a more recent addition to the Hallmark scene, fans may have caught his handsome face in Morning Show Mysteries: Murder Ever After (2021). You can also see him in films like Napa Ever After (2023).
20. Peter Mooney
Peter Mooney most recently starred in Hallmark’s Retreat to You (2023) alongside Emilie Ullerup (See how Emilie Ullerup Overcame a Health Scare Before Becoming a Hallmark Sweetheart), but you may also recognize him from his Hallmark debut in Fly Away With Me (2022)!
The 41-year-old Canadian actor is newer to Hallmark, but has made his mark outside of the network in Rookie Blue, Camelot, The Prodigy and We Were Wolves. Keep an eye out for what he does next—you won’t want to miss it!
19. Ronnie Rowe, Jr.
Another Canadian native, Ronnie Rowe, Jr. is a face newer to the Hallmark channel, who initially became interested in acting as a kid in school. Despite pursuing other interests while growing up, he found his way back to acting as he got older and you probably have seen him in series like Star Trek: Discovery or works like Dual Suspects, The Firm, Warehouse 13 and more.
As for his work on Hallmark, you can see him in movies like Jingle Bell Bride (2020), Inventing the Christmas Prince (2022) and Christmas With a Kiss (2023).
18. Kavan Smith
Fans of When Calls the Heart will recognize Kavan Smith in his role of beloved Leland Coulter, but the handsome actor has had a wide-ranging career outside of the Hallmark universe.
Roles in various shows including Smallville, Supernatural, Battlestar Galactica and The Outer Limits preceded his current work with the network. His other Hallmark works, however, include Big Sky River (2022), Big Sky River: The Bridal Path (2023) and Love on the Menu (2019).
17. Corey Sevier
Corey Sevier most recently starred in Hallmark’s The Christmas Charade (2024), but this isn’t his first Hallmark rodeo. You may recognize him for his roles in movies like Take Me Back for Christmas (2023), Pumpkin Everything (2022), Road Trip Romance (2022), The Dog Lover’s Guide to Dating (2023), Noel Next Door (2022) or Heart of the Holidays (2020), but the 40-year-old Canadian actor has a long, impressive resume.
Over the years, he’s guest starred in shows like Psych, CSI: Miami, Smallville, Supernatural and Murdoch Mysteries.
16. Brennan Elliott
Brennan Elliott made his television debut as Dr. Nick Biancavilla in the series Strong Medicine. Since then, he’s been a fixture as one of the Hallmark male actors we love, and his appearance in the Cedar Cove series cemented that. His other Hallmark works include A Christmas Melody (2015), Love You Like Christmas (2016), The Perfect Pairing (2022), His and Hers (2024) and many more.
15. Wes Brown
Texas native Wes Brown has been leaving his mark on the Hallmark Channel for years. Kicking off his acting career in 2004, you may remember him for his role in HBO’s True Blood, as well as his Hallmark debut in 2011’s Love’s Everlasting Courage.
In recent years, he’s starred in some fan-favorites like Every Time a Bell Rings (2021), Under the Autumn Moon (2018), Over the Moon in Love (2019) Christmas at Graceland (2018) and many more! Recently, he could be seen in Deck the Walls (2024) opposite Ashley Greene.
14. Niall Matter
It was a traumatic accident on the oil rig he was working on that led Niall Matter to seriously pursue acting. Nearly crushed in the cab of the rig, it took him six months to re-learn how to walk. When he finally recovered, returned to work and witnessed another traumatic accident, he decided his time at the rig was done and pursued acting.
Some of the roles that followed his accident were in The Best Years, Stargate Atlantis, and Eureka. He starred alongside Candace Cameron Bure in the Aroura Teagarden Mysteries series and can be seen in films like Holiday Hotline (2023), This Time Each Year (2024) and more.
13. Stephen Huszar
Stephen Huszar is another Hallmark hunk we can’t get enough of. His career on the network began almost a decade ago when he appeared in one of the Aurora Teagarden Mysteries films, and since then, he’s proven that he has leading man energy. His most recent film was 2024’s Everything Puppies and though it was a special one, those he loves most are the ones he gets to film alongside his sweetheart, Katie Cassidy, a fellow Hallmark star.
12. Marcus Rosner
Making his Hallmark debut in 2014’s Garage Sale Mystery: All That Glitters, Marcus Rosner has become a fixture on the Hallmark channel with his sharp jawline and good looks. His most recent Hallmark movie was Falling Like Snowflakes (2024), but we’ve loved him over the years in movies like Yes, I Do (2018), Love On Harbor Island (2020), Romance to the Rescue (2022), Notes of Autumn (2023) and shows such as Ride.
Growing up as an athlete, acting was never something on Rosner’s radar, until a trip to New York City after high school got him hooked once he saw a few Broadway plays. Appearances in shows like Arrow and Supernatural paved the way for his Hallmark career, and we can’t wait to see what his next Hallmark film will be!
11. Luke Macfarlane
Luke Macfarlane‘s first Hallmark role came in 2014’s The Memory Book, and we’ve loved watching him on the network ever since. Prior to Hallmark, some of his notable roles were in the FX series Over There and the ABC drama Brothers and Sisters. Since then, we’ve loved seeing him in Hallmark films such as Christmas Land (2015), The Mistletoe Promise (2016), The Birthday Wish (2017), A Shoe Addicts Christmas (2018) and more. His most recent Hallmark role was in CrimeTime: Freefall (2023), and coming soon, you can catch him in Home Is Where the Heart Is on Hallmark+!
10. Ian Harding
Another Pretty Little Liars star breaking out onto the Hallmark scene is none other than the hunky Ezra Fitz portrayer Ian Harding. Harding made his Hallmark debut back in 2022’s Ghosts of Christmas Always, and since then, he’s been shining in both films and series in association with the network. This past year, he starred in the Hallmark+ series Holidazed, and soon enough, he’ll hop back onto the Hallmark+ scene when he stars in an all new series, Ripple. Keep an eye out for it in 2025!
MUST-READ: Get to Know Ian Harding: Read All About the ‘Pretty Little Liars’-Turned-Hallmark Hunk
9. Chris McNally
Chris McNally is a hit among this group of Hallmark male actors. Another member of the When Calls the Heart crew, Chris plays Lucas Bouchard, but has also shown his stuff in other Hallmark works such as The Sweetest Heart (2018), Rocky Mountain Christmas (2017) and Hearts of Christmas (2016).
On his involvement with When Calls the Heart, McNally told HOLR Magazine, “When stepping into a series with an already established fanbase, you really want to do well by them. Making sure that I did a good enough job for them was incredibly important to me, as well as a bit intimidating.” He went on to say, “I feel like the Hearties are one of the most dedicated fan groups out there. They truly care about the show. It’s fantastic because without them, the show wouldn’t be going this far.”
8. Paul Campbell
The Canadian actor Paul Campbell got his start in the Battlestar Galactica series before continuing to act in series such as Days of Our Lives, How I Met Your Mother, Scrubs, the Knight Rider reboot and Spun Out.
As for his work on the Hallmark Channel, some of his most notable works have been Three Wise Men and a Baby (2022) and its sequel, Christmas by Starlight (2020), Wedding Every Weekend (2020) and most recently, The Santa Class (2024).
7. Will Kemp
The Hallmark Channel’s resident British hunk has become a fan-favorite over the years, beloved for his charm and allure—and not to mention his ability to bring some of our favorite characters to life!
Will Kemp got his start on the stage—but rather than as an actor, he was putting a different set of skills to use: dancing. Once he pivoted to acting, some of his earliest roles were in The Great Fire, Reign, Girlfriends’ Guide to Divorce and Spinning Out.
Today, you can find his in some of our favorite Hallmark films such as Royal Matchmaker (2018), Love, Romance & Chocolate (2019), Christmas Waltz (2020) and Jolly Good Christmas (2022).
6. Kristoffer Polaha
Kristoffer Polaha is easily one of the most famous faces on Hallmark, and ever since starring alongside none other than Meghan Markle in 2016’s Dater’s Handbook, he’s proven he belongs on the network. Perhaps you’ve caught some of his more recent titles, such as The Christmas Quest (2024) with Lacey Chabert or A Biltmore Christmas (2023) with Bethany Joy Lenz, but his earlier works are just as good as his latest.
“I’ve made 18 Hallmark movies since 2016, so that’s pretty cool,” Polaha shared with Woman’s World. “My work with Hallmark has been so wonderful because it’s given me an opportunity to help make scripts better, to jump in and help directors make shots better, to collaborate with my fellow actors.”
5. Tyler Hynes
Tyler Hynes got his start on the Hallmark Channel back in 2018, when he starred in Falling for You. Since then, some of his Hallmark titles include Flip That Romance (2019), My Boyfriend’s Back: Wedding March 5 (2019), The Mistletoe Secret (2019), Winter in Vail (2020) and A Picture of Her (2023). His most recent flick on the network was Holiday Touchdown: A Chiefs Love Story (2024).
In a conversation with UsWeekly, Hynes said, “Everybody is absolutely lovely. I think it’s as close as you can come to feeling like a family that is supportive,” in reference to the network. “And that just sort of bookends what is an absolutely enormous pleasure, which is the people who watch these movies. I can’t tell you enough about the human beings who watch these movies and how kind, lovely, wholesome and earnest and authentic they are.”
4. Kevin McGarry
Kevin McGarry plays the role of Nathan Grant on the wildly popular Hallmark series When Calls the Heart (Read about seasons 1-10 here!). However, there’s a chance you’ve seen him in some of his other works, including Heartland, where he played the role of Mitch Cuddy, and Hallmark films such as Winter Love Story (2019), Winter Castle (2019), and My Grown-Up Christmas List (2022). You may have even caught him in an episode of the extremely popular series Schitt’s Creek!
In an interview with MediaVillage, when jokingly asked about his Hallmark Channel takeover, he said: “Yeah, my plan is almost complete,” he laughed. “I have one more [movie] that has something to do with butterflies, and now all I need is an Easter movie. Once I do one with bunnies, then I think they’ll actually just give me the network!” Handsome, talented, and funny? What more could you need?
Fun fact: McGarry is actually in a relationship with his When Calls the Heart co-star Kayla Wallace, who plays the role of Fiona Miller.
3. Brant Daugherty
From teen drama star to Hallmark hunk, Brant Daugherty has been proving himself on the network we love for years now. Though many know him for his role as Noel Kahn on Pretty Little Liars, the 39-year-old actor has proven he’s got more to him. It was in 2018 when he first appeared on Hallmark when he starred in Mingle All the Way alongside Jen Lilley, and today, he’s continued to leave his mark. Most recently, he could be seen in Trivia at St. Nick’s apart of Hallmark’s 2024 Countdown to Christmas. He even acted alongside fellow PLL star Tammin Sursok!
MUST-READ: Brant Daugherty: Our 6 Favorite Hallmark Movies Featuring the Hunky ‘Pretty Little Liars’ Actor
2. Andrew Walker
Coming in second place on our list of Hallmark male actors, Andrew Walker may as well be Hallmark royalty, as the actor has appeared in more than 20 Hallmark films. Can you say dedicated? One of his most popular titles is Three Wise Men and a Baby, the 2022 holiday comedy that followed three brothers as they navigated caring for a baby that ends up in their care. And this past holiday season, he reprised his role in the sequel!
Walker brings something a bit different to the table, as he’s more than just an actor—he’s also an entrepreneur. That’s right—he and his wife Cassandra are the co-owners of a juice company called Little West.
1. Ryan Paevey
Coming in at number one on our list of favorite Hallmark male actors, Paevey got his acting start in various music videos, but his first major television role came in the soap opera sphere with a stint on General Hospital as Nathan West. It wasn’t until 2016 that Ryan Paevey made his Hallmark debut alongside Cindy Busby in Unleashing Mr. Darcy.
Since then, he’s made his mark as one of the most beloved Hallmark male actors, starring in fan-favorite films such as Harvest Love (2017), Hope at Christmas (2018), From Friend to Fiancé (2019), A Summer Romance (2019), Two Tickets to Paradise (2022) and many more.
His leading-man looks and overall charm have cemented his status as a certified Hallmark hottie and one of our favorite male actors on the network, but not long ago, fans were saddened to learn that he would be stepping away from acting for some time.
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