Tyler Hynes and Luke Macfarlane are two of Hallmark Channel’s biggest stars, but they’d never met in person until appearing together on a Hallmark Hallstars panel at San Diego Comic Con in July 2025.
As soon as the two stars got a chance to sit down and chat — captured on video by Tell-Tale TV and posted on September 3 — MacFarlane, 45, and Hynes, 39, had so much to talk about that they practically forgot journalists were there to interview them.
A reporter would occasionally squeeze in a question, and the actors’ answers would invariably send them off on a tangent, excitedly chatting about everything from home renovations to “Star Trek,” which sparked an impromptu brainstorming session about a Hallmark sci-movie they’d love to make.
Tyler Hynes & Luke Macfarlane Love Getting to Work on Passion Projects With Hallmark
Macfarlane, who currently stars in the second season of “Platonic” on AppleTV+, has starred in over 15 Hallmark movies over the last decade and in Hallmark’s 2025 unscripted series “Home Is Where the Heart Is.” Hynes, meanwhile, has been with Hallmark since 2018, starring in 23 rom-coms, per IMDb, with more on the way.
“You rarely get to work with anybody for more than two years, if your show is fortunate,” Macfarlane told Tell-Tale TV as Hynes sat down next to him. “So to work with a company for 10 years, it’s also a testament to what Hallmark does — they work with you: ‘What else are you interested in? What else do you want to do? And who else are you?'”
An accomplished woodworker, Macfarlane loved being able to show that side of himself during the renovations on his unscripted show, available to stream on Hallmark+, and told Hynes that the series “turned out exactly as I wanted it to.” He told Variety in August that he’s also been slowly developing a queer Christmas movie for the network.
Hynes, meanwhile, has been able to film two trilogies with dear friends, from Andrew Walker to Jonathan Bennett, and develop new concepts behind the scenes. But with so many passion projects under their belts, what’s next for the two Hallmark hunks?
Tyler Hynes & Luke Macfarlane Begin Brainstorming a Hallmark Sci-Fi Movie
Asked about their futures at Hallmark, Macfarlane told Tell-Tale TV he’d like to be part of a “franchise that gets boys together” like “The Groomsmen” and “Three Wise Men,” which both center around a trio of Hallmark hunks, featuring Hynes in both. Macfarlane noted that he’s a huge fan of Paul Campbell, admitting he’d “love to be” part of the “Wise Men” franchise, which just wrapped filming its third movie, set to premiere during the 2025 holiday season.
But beyond traditional rom-coms, the two stars both looked inspired after Macfarlane wondered aloud, “Maybe a sci-fi Christmas would be a fun place to go.”
“Oh, that’s a good idea,” Hynes nodded. “We kind of have some high-concept stuff, but pure sci-fi — not really.”
“For people that love sci-fi but also love Christmas,” Macfarlane said as his wheels started turning, “’cause I feel like there is kind of a (synergy).”
“Sci-fi Christmas is a great idea,” Hynes concurred. “You should 100% (do that) ’cause you love sci-fi that much. Even if it just takes place at a convention or something.”
Building on that idea, Macfarlane said, “And then it’s all about people that are looking for escape, you know? And what the, sort of, parallels are. Maybe we should — we could pitch it.”
As Hynes enthusiastically nodded his head, Macfarlane beamed, “I’m actually kind of serious,” and Hynes laughed, “Same here!”
Luke Macfarlane Paused to ‘Fan Out’ Over Tyler Hynes for His Past Role on ‘Star Trek’
The inspiration for creating a sci-fi movie together was sparked earlier in Tell-Tale TV’s conversation with the duo when Macfarlane, a self-proclaimed Trekkie, took a moment to gush over the fact that Hynes appeared in a 2019 episode of “Star Trek: Discovery.”
“I’m going to fan out on him for a second,” Macfarlane said, “because he’s actually been in my favorite franchise ever. You were in the ‘Star Trek’ world.”
“Oh, yeah, yeah, for a millisecond,” Hynes quipped, and Macfarlane gushed, “I’m a huge (fan) — but you’ve been there!”
When Hynes mentioned that beloved “Star Trek: Next Generation” star Jonathan Frakes directed the episode he was in, Macfarlane recalled the thrill of meeting Frakes — who was in 2023’s “A Biltmore Christmas” — at a Hallmark event and that he sheepishly admitted his character was his favorite.
The holiday lineup for 2025’s Countdown to Christmas has been in the works for many months, and it often takes years for an idea to become a full-fledged movie. But if anybody can convince Hallmark to “boldly go where no one has gone before,” our money’s on Hynes and Macfarlane.
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