As fans know, former Hallmark star Candace Cameron Bure caused a scene after talking about Great American Family’s Christmas movies. She had noted in the interview that the new network would focus on “traditional Christmas.” Meanwhile, Hallmark has made every effort to make their movies inclusive and suitable for all types of viewers.
Hallmark Channel and the Candace Cameron Bure controversy
As fans of holiday movies know well, Hallmark Channel and Great American Family have been competing in the Christmas movie race. In fact, Abbott launched Great American Family, many popular Hallmark stars jumped ship to the new network, including Full House star, Candace Cameron Bure. However, controversy reared its head when Bure said in an interview that Great American Family will focus on “traditional Christmas.” She also said that Hallmark now seems like a “completely different network.”
Many of her former co-stars slammed Bure for her statement, while her co-stars on Great American Family took her side. Now, it is the turn of popular actress Chabert to open up about the controversy over the two “feel good” networks.
About Lacey Chabert
Lacey has been with Hallmark Channel for a long time and started her career there in Elevator Girl: 49 in 2010. Since then, Lacey and Candice have both starred in the feel-good networks holiday fare. Meanwhile, the two women are still friends on social media even after the news broke of Bure’s exit from Hallmark.
Now, Vulture has interviewed Chabert and asked her opinion of the Bure controversy. Fans are likely not surprised that Lacey focused on her own feelings about the network. She said:
Any shift I’ve felt has been embracing our creative ideas. And it’s my responsibility to the audience who continue to tune into my movies that I give the best I have to offer. That’s always my mission. I’ll never abandon what Hallmark means for me, which is that everything is centered around the heart. I don’t think there are any plans for that to change anytime soon.
Hallmark Channel and inclusivity
Recently, Hallmark has made it clear that they are committing to diversity and inclusivity in their programming. In fact, this season the network aired its first LGBTQ rom-com, The Holiday Sitter with Jonathan Bennett in the lead. At that time, head of programming Lisa Hamilton Daly noted that inclusivity was important, as they really do want to show that “everyone gets their love story.” Daly adds: “It’s not just white couples, it’s everyone gets their love story.”
However, on Great American Family’s side and the controversy, fellow co-star Danica McKeller supported Bure’s intention to keep “traditional marriage at its core.”
Along the way, Chabert has signed an overall deal with GAF which allows her to produce her own movies on Hallmark. In the interview, she was asked her opinion on other stars jumping ship from the feel-good network. Moreover, she was asked if she has been approached about a possible move. Lacey responded kindly, saying:
You know what, I wish everybody the best. I really can’t comment on it further other than I care about everybody involved.
Meanwhile, in response to whether she had been approached, she added, “I’m with Hallmark, and I work for them”
No doubt, fans of Lacey Chabert are thrilled to find out another trilogy of Wedding Veil movies is in the works. In fact, she will be returning with her fellow co-stars and friends Alison Sweeney and Autumn Reeser. Moreover, the first movie in the trilogy airs on January 7, 2023. This is sure to be followed by more feel-good films starring the fan-favorite actress.