The Hallmark Couples With The Best On-Screen Chemistry

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One of the secret formulas to a feel-good Hallmark romantic-comedy is the chemistry between the lead actors. Though the network releases nearly a hundred romance movies every year, they don't often do a chemistry read during casting. Instead, the actors are often thrust together and have to get to know each other quickly. In some cases, they might already have a real-life relationship or have starred together before, making the process much easier.

Dan Jeannotte, who starred in Hallmark's "Sweeter Than Chocolate," told TV Fanatic that he's learned a valuable thing working on these films. He believes the connection between two romantic leads works best if a genuine bond is formed even before filming. "What I think you need to try to do is you've got to jumpstart an authentic connection, not a romantic one, but you need to connect with the other person," he said. 

Whether a real connection was made on set or not, many of Hallmark's on-screen couples hit the spot when it comes to unbeatable chemistry. From Josie Bissett and Jack Wagner's decade-long friendship to Alexa and Carlos PenaVega's married life on- and off-screen, these duos prove that viewers will always come back for a believable romance.

The friendship between Hallmark stars Josie Bisset and Jack Wagner began on the primetime soap opera "Melrose Place." The show, which ran from 1992 to 1999, was a testament to the undeniable chemistry between the actors. The cast of "Melrose Place" has changed a lot since 1992, but this friendship has remained. More than 15 years later, the two reunited on-screen with the 2016 Hallmark movie "The Wedding March." Wagner played a wedding singer who performs at the nuptials of his college sweetheart, portrayed by Bisset. 

Their reunion project became such a massive hit that it spawned several sequels, "Wedding March 2: Resorting To Love" in 2017; "Wedding March 3: Here Comes The Bride" and Wedding March 4: Something Old, Something New" in 2018; "Wedding March 5: My Boyfriend's Back" in 2019; and "Wedding March 6: Sealed With a Kiss" in 2021. 

During an interview with Hallmark, Wagner shared that Bisset was fun to work with. He talked about the funny moments they had on set, recalling, "She loses her phone about four times a day, her glasses, she doesn't know where her bag is." He even gave her the nickname "Toad" from "Mr. Toad's Wild Ride." Meanwhile, Bisset said their great chemistry resulted from their history together on- and off-screen.

In "A Dash of Love," Jen Lilley plays a chef named Nikki, who gets the opportunity to work at her idol's restaurant. There, she meets the executive chef — and love interest — Paul, portrayed by Brendan Penny. When both Nikki and Paul are fired, they work together to start a restaurant of their own.

Like any other Hallmark movie, this romantic comedy swears by the leads' chemistry. Being the strong actors that they are, Lilley and Penny were able to stand by this trademark. A review by Trevor Wells of Vocal Media noted the actors' compelling portrayal of the friends turned lovers and commended how the actors are at their best in their scenes together. This was supported by another review from The Movie Scene, which touted the pair's ability to deliver a formulaic Hallmark story with believable chemistry and celebrated their ability to give the fans exactly what they want.