Jonathan Bennett to Star in Rom-Com Trilogy ‘The Groomsmen’ & Host ‘Finding Mr. Christmas’

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Mean Girls‘ Aaron Samuels sure has done good since leaving North Shore High!

Jonathan Bennett, the actor behind the iconic character who made October 3rd the best day ever in the 2004 feature, has emerged as one of the top talents at Hallmark, having starred in a slew of their holiday films over the past few years. Now, the Christmas on Cherry Lane star, along with Hallmark fan favorites Tyler Hynes (Three Wise Men and a Baby) and B.J. Britt (A Christmas Serenade), is headlining The Groomsmen, an original movie trilogy that will launch on the new Hallmark+ service this fall.

PASADENA, CALIFORNIA – AUGUST 06: Jonathan Bennett attends California Christmas Con at Pasadena Convention Center on August 06, 2022 in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Corey Nickols/Getty Images)

Framed as “a quest for love told from the male perspective,” the films follow Pete (Britt), a kind-hearted pediatrician with a penchant for planning; Danny (Bennett), a baseball coach with a heart of gold; and Jackson (Hynes), a stylish and charming social media agent “who stand up for each other on the biggest days of their lives.” The movies will be titled The Groomsmen: First Look, The Groomsmen: Second Chances, and The Groomsmen: Last Dance.

And these are not just your usual Hallmark-cozy nups. The best buds’ weddings take them across the world to the spectacular vistas of Greece, Italy, and Bulgaria and the production values are through the roof as they deal with complex relationships, love interests, and family members with all the heart, humor, and charm fans have come to expect from the brand.

The announcement was made today during Hallmark Media’s session at the Summer 2024 Television Critics Association press tour in Pasadena, California. “We can’t wait for viewers to come along on these romantic journeys in new and fresh ways as we tell this story from the groom’s side for the first time ever,” began Philicia Kennedy-Flamer, Manager, Programming, Hallmark Media. “Jonathan, Tyler, and B.J. are a dream team. Their performances are infused with a humor and warmth that brings these stories to life beyond our expectations and created something truly special.”

And this is not the only thing on Bennett’s plate. In addition to the films, which he is exec-producing with Hynes and production partner Ryan M. Murphy (not that one), the Cake Wars alum is also the creator, executive producer, and host of the network’s first-ever reality competition, Finding Mr. Christmas.

That project, which filmed earlier this year, plays like a cross between Big Brother, RuPaul’s Drag Race, and a casting call as 10 diverse and insultingly attractive male contestants vie to be crowned Hallmark’s next male superstar. Each episode will run the men through a series of Christmas-themed challenges, as well as scene work with familiar faces from the Hallmark cinematic universe, with Bennett overseeing the action with lead judge Melissa Peterman (Haul Out the Holly). The winner gets a starring role in one of the 2024 season’s Christmas movies.