The movie centers on three pairs of characters coming together for the holidays, including Bennett and Brad Harder as a married couple long since accepted by their parents and siblings.
Notably, the LGBTQ representation in “The Christmas House” isn’t simply focused on coming out, which has frequently - and rather dully - been the central tension of films and TV series built around queer characters. We aim to produce programming that resonates in a powerful, emotional way and reflects the experiences of viewers from all cultural backgrounds, ethnicities, belief systems, and lifestyles.” Michelle Vicary, executive vice president of programming and network publicity, told The Times via email that the movie was written “to reflect the reality of countless families all over the world” and “signals our commitment to expanding our programming through modern storytelling in a way that allows everyone to share in the Hallmark experience. (This August, Hallmark included its first portrayal of a same-sex union in one of its original movies.) It debuts nearly a year after Hallmark Channel pulled ads for a wedding-planning website that featured a same-sex couple kissing, then swiftly reversed the ban following public outcry. 12) and Paramount Network’s “Dashing in December” (Dec. 25), Lifetime’s “The Christmas Setup” (Dec. “The Christmas House,” airing Sunday, is part of a bumper crop of queer-inclusive holiday fare this season, alongside Netflix’s “A New York Christmas Wedding” (now streaming), Hulu’s “Happiest Season” (Nov. I thought, is this really happening? This is groundbreaking.” “And then I read the script, and I was in tears. “My jaw practically hit the ground,” he recalled. (Prior years’ holiday slates, both on Hallmark Channel and its sister network, Hallmark Movies and Mysteries, were similarly straightforward.)Īs it turned out, Bennett‘s love interest wasn’t a woman at all: Instead, he’ll play half of the first gay couple highlighted in the network’s heavily watched holiday programming. After all, the project hails from Hallmark Channel, whose annual “Countdown to Christmas” lineup of original movies - a seasonal mainstay both lucrative and beloved - included 23 titles in 2019, none featuring a gay couple. When Jonathan Bennett was first sent the script for “The Christmas House,” his initial thought was, “Who’s my love interest? Who’s my girl?”