As 22 stars took the stage for Hallmark Channel’s 25th birthday event in New York City on August 4, 2026, the night was full of love, laughter, and even a few tears.
The trio of Hallmark hunks who starred in “The Groomsmen” trilogy — Tyler Hynes, Jonathan Bennett, and B.J. Britt — had some especially touching moments during the 90-minute program, as they each shared powerful stories about how being part of the Hallmark family has impacted them.
Jonathan Bennett Gets Choked Up Over Hallmark’s Commitment to Inclusivity
During a panel discussion moderated by People executive editor Breanne Heldman, Bennett opened up about how much Hallmark’s commitment to inclusivity has meant to him, recalling how blown away he was by programming executive Michelle Vicary’s response to his request for more LGBTQ+ storylines.
Fighting back tears, Bennett explained, “I’m going to try not to cry right now. It all started with a phone call. Blonde lady sitting over there, Michelle Vicary. I remember the phone call like it was yesterday.”
“She called me, and she goes, “What kind of stories do you want to tell?’ And I said, ‘Michelle, I want to tell stories about love that looks like mine. And she said one word. She goes, ‘Done,’ and she hung up the phone. Two months later, three months later, we were shooting ‘The Christmas House.'”
“It was such a special movie,” Bennett said of the 2020 film and its all-star cast, including Sharon Lawrence, Treat Williams, and Robert Buckley. “It was the first same-sex love story, leading love story in a Christmas movie. Not just in Hallmark Channel, but in history. It had never been done before.”
Bennett also recalled filming his history-making kissing scene with Brad Harder, and how he snuck the peacoat he wore in the scene off the set to take it home with him. Eventually, a bigwig at Hallmark asked for it to be returned so it could be added to the Smithsonian, an incredible honor for him and the film.
The “General Hospital” actor got emotional again as he explained how much Hallmark’s willingness to reflect all kinds of love has meant to him and so many viewers.
“It’s simple — love is for everybody, and Hallmark Channel is for everybody, and that’s it,” he said. “That’s all we’re doing. And when I tell you the amount of fans and people that come up to me and pull me aside and say, ‘Thank you for telling these stories, because my son, he gets to see himself on in those movies. He gets to see a love that looks like his.'”
Bennett continued, “We’re telling love stories that look just like everyone else’s love story, just happens to be two dudes, and it’s changing hearts and minds across the country in different states, and it’s helping people see
what Hallmark Channel is all about, and that is simple: it’s love.”
Tyler Hynes Says He Understands Better Than Ever Why Hallmark Movies Mean So Much to Fans
HallmarkHynes, who has become one of Hallmark’s biggest stars over the last eight years, has been navigating the grief of losing his dad on April 29. He shared during the birthday event how much more he understands the power of the movies he makes.
Hynes explained, “Look, my mother has had a pretty crazy year this year, and we were discussing yesterday how she’s having trouble finding things to watch to keep herself company.”
“I’ve had the privilege of meeting so many people over the last, I guess, eight years it’s been,” he continued. “And they’ve told me how these movies come to them in their most vulnerable moments. And having somebody so close to me who is experiencing that exact same thing at the moment, it is not lost on me, nor has it ever been, how valuable these movies are for this audience, because you’ve made it very clear.”
Hynes also noted “just how deeply I wish to spend my time with this audience because you are the kind of people that I wish to be around. So, you guys are everything.”
BJ Britt Says He Easily Gets Emotional Thinking About Being Part of the Hallmark Family
Britt also expressed how much becoming part of the Hallmark family has meant to him, even giving a bear hug to a woman in the audience who said she’d never received one of his famous bear hugs.
“I love love,” he beamed afterwards. “I love hugs, and my mom’s like, ‘I taught you well,’ you know?”
The actor admitted he’s prone to tearing up over the connections he’s built at Hallmark, and feeling like every set, event, and fan interaction is a safe space.
“I think something that’s just stuck out with me, just being (here) on the stage, I keep hearing the word safe, safe, safe,” he said. “And when I first met Tyler and Johnny on ‘Groomsmen’ in the first week, they said, ‘Once you jump into this thing called Hallmark, it’s a different world. It’s a different experience with the fans. It’s a safety net. It’s people like you that are going through things, and it’s so much love.'”
Britt recalled attending a fan convention after “The Groomsmen” was released, admitting, “I just broke down crying. It was just beautiful. I mean, it was just overwhelming … it’s such a beautiful experience, and I can’t thank the fans enough for the love and the family here at Hallmark for the love as well.”
I’m sorry, I don’t tune in to Hallmark for this. Nice that they feel good about it, but I don’t believe the majority of payers of the Hallmark channel do.