Exclusive: Meet the Finding Mr. Christmas Cast and the 10 Men Competing to Be the Next Hallmark Hunk [Photos]
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Being a Hallmark hunk isn’t easy, and no one knows that better than the cast of Finding Mr. Christmas, Hallmark’s new — and first — reality TV competition series about 10 aspiring actors vying to be the network’s next leading man.
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The show — which premiered on Hallmark’s new streaming service, Hallmark Plus, on October 31 — is co-created and hosted by actor Jonathan Bennett, a Hallmark hunk himself who has starred in more than a dozen Hallmark movies, including the network’s first LGBTQ-led Christmas movie, The Holiday Sitter, in 2022. (All My Children fans may also remember him as JR Chandler from 2001 to 2022.) Bennett also serves as a judge on the series, along with Reba alum Melissa Peterman and a rotating guest judge who has experience in the Hallmark universe. (Tyler Hynes, Nikki DeLoach, and Erin Cahill are just a few Hallmark veterans who served as guest judges this season.)
Each week, Finding Mr. Christmas puts the cast through a series of Christmas and Hallmark movie-related challenges — from designing their own Christmas sweater to perfecting the meet cute — until only one contestant remains. That leading man earns the title of Mr. Christmas and the lead male role in Hallmark’s upcoming Christmas movie, Happy Howlidays, opposite network favorite Jessica Lowndes.
“It’s going to surprise you as the episodes go on which of the guys rise to the top. Some of them have a little bit of an acting background, and some of them have no acting background, but that’s the thing about the Hallmark star,” Bennett told Soaps.com. “We’re not just looking for the best actor, we’re looking for the best Hallmark leading man.”
Finding Mr. Christmas also marks Hallmark’s first reality TV show in the network’s 20-plus-year history. While the competition is fierce and there’s some brotherly shade thrown between the contestants from time to time, Bennett assures that the series still has that heartwarming feel that makes it a Hallmark program and sets it apart from other reality TV shows out there.
“The camaraderie between the guys in the house was something we weren’t expecting,” he said. “We weren’t expecting them to form such a brotherhood and a friendship and for that to show through in the show. We knew they’d do funny challenges. We knew they’d look great in Christmas sweaters. But we weren’t expecting them to come in as competitors and leave a family.”
Meet the Finding Mr. Christmas cast
Without further ado, learn about the Finding Mr. Christmas cast below.
Blake Kelley, 36, Sales Manager
Favorite Hallmark movie: Three Wise Men and a Baby
Favorite holiday tradition: Building a fire in the backyard with my family and making s’mores.
Hidden talent: I love to barbeque and cook Cajun food. I’m from east Texas and west Louisiana, so I’m really good at cooking gumbo and jambalaya.
Best tip for a kissing scene: Be confident and get to know the person you’re going to kiss. Ultimately, at the end of the day, you just got to go for it.
One word to describe your Finding Mr. Christmas experience: Hectic
David Habashy, 29, Aerospace Engineer
Favorite Hallmark movie: Three Wise Men and a Baby
Favorite holiday tradition: I grew up in Egypt and on New Year’s Eve, right at midnight, we ride horses around the pyramids and we watch the sunrise over the pyramids on New Year’s Day. It’s a wicked experience. It’s one of a kind.
Hidden talent: I know everyone looks at me and sees a big dumb guy, but I love playing the piano. It’s a meaningful outlet of self-expression for me.
Best tip for a kissing scene: Breath mint, good dental hygiene, lip balm, and the rest is about connecting with your cast mate and being a professional.
One word to describe your Finding Mr. Christmas experience: Wonderful
Daxton Bloomquist, 36, Actor
Favorite Hallmark movie: A Christmas Home
Favorite holiday tradition: My mom has always had a baby Christmas tree. She pulls it out every year, and when we didn’t have a lot of money growing up, it was our one Christmas year. Every year, she puts it up in front of the window and it’s our main Christmas tree still, and it brings back all the memories that Christmas is love, Christmas is family, Christmas is joy.
Hidden talent: I can survive being in the same house as nine straight guys. That is a hidden talent.
Best tip for a kissing scene: Practice. The more you practice, the better the kissing scene.
One word to describe your Finding Mr. Christmas experience: Glittery
Elijah Malcomb, 31, Actor
Favorite Hallmark movie: The Holiday Stocking
Favorite holiday tradition: When my whole family gets together and we have a talent show or play games or go to the movies.
Hidden talent: Ear-wiggling — it’s actually on my resume.
Best tip for a kissing scene: First is to always respect your scene partner. Second is to mouthwash it up or have a mint because nobody wants to be kissing somebody with funky breath.
One word to describe your Finding Mr. Christmas experience: Fun
Ezra Moreland, 31, Former Navy Rescue Diver
Favorite Hallmark movie: The Christmas House
Favorite holiday tradition: Hot coffee with the fam in the morning and we get cinnamon rolls going. Nothing beats that.
Hidden talent: I make the world’s best espresso martini.
Best tip for a kissing scene: Chapstick and fresh breath. It takes two to tango, so help the other person out too.
One word to describe your Finding Mr. Christmas experience: Love
Gage Robinson, 29, Marketing Consultant
Favorite Hallmark movie: Nostalgia Christmas
Favorite holiday tradition: Our family game tournament. We play 12 to 16 games throughout the week of Christmas and whoever has the most points at the end takes home the trophy and the bragging rights.
Hidden talent: Being able to mimic the sound of a morning bird.
Best tip for a kissing scene: Have Listerine strips on deck. You never want to have bad breath going into a kissing scene.
One word to describe your Finding Mr. Christmas experience: Magical
Hayden Maher, 30, Children’s Entertainer
Favorite Hallmark movie: A Holiday Stocking
Favorite holiday tradition: Going camping with the family on the beach.
Hidden talent: Unashamedly being able to go up to dog owners and asking to pet their dog.
Best tip for a kissing scene: Meet your co-star first and say hi.
One word to describe your Finding Mr. Christmas experience: Healing
Isaac Ramirez, 28, Firefighter
Favorite Hallmark movie: Winter in Vail
Favorite holiday tradition: Sitting around the fireplace with my family to watch Jack Frost, the Christmas movie, all together.
Hidden talent: I’m very musically inclined, so I love playing the guitar, piano, and a little bit of cello. I try to serenade people with that.
Best tip for a kissing scene: I’m a chocolate guy, so imagine a very moist chocolate cake, go for the bite, and just savor it.
One word to describe your Finding Mr. Christmas experience: Unique
Jonathan Wells, 27, Entrepreneur
Favorite Hallmark movie: The Holiday Stocking
Favorite holiday tradition: Having that special time to have dinner with the family on Christmas is a tradition for us. My mother’s cornbread dressing is amazing.
Hidden talent: A hidden talent a lot of people don’t know I can do is ice skate. I can just go on there and move on the ice.
Best tip for a kissing scene: Think about your audience.
One word to describe your Finding Mr. Christmas experience: Amazing
Parker Gregory, 39, Model
Favorite Hallmark movie: Haul Out the Holly
Favorite holiday tradition: It’s a new tradition because I have an 8-year-old son. On Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, he’s ready to go to start the decorations, so I look forward to that.
Hidden talent: I have the strange ability to watch a movie once or twice and almost quote it. I wish I could learn a script that easy.
Best tip for a kissing scene: Having chemistry with your scene partner and believing that, if you are with this person as a love interest, the kiss should be natural.
One word to describe your Finding Mr. Christmas experience: Masterclass
Finding Mr. Christmas is available to stream on Hallmark Plus.
Check out Hallmark’s 2024 movie schedule in the gallery below
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