Hallmark Channel Movie Wigs That Were A Complete Disaster

The Hallmark Channel is the gold standard of wholesome, family-friendly programming. Launched in 2001, the network is home to hundreds of original movies featuring romance, mysteries, and relentless holiday cheer. And if your household is one of the millions that tune into the Hallmark Channel each year, then you might have noticed that the network has a penchant for outfitting its actors with wigs. It may seem like a strange aesthetic choice, but it's actually more common than you may think.

According to wig designer Joe Paonessa, wigs are incredibly common on movie sets. "Not only are they used on the main cast, but they're also used on stuntpeople," Paonessa told Superhairpieces. Wigs are also helpful for achieving a desired color, texture, or density without altering an actor's natural hair. What's more, wigs can protect an actor's real hair from damage when heavy styling is necessary. 

In Hollywood, the practice of wearing wigs is nothing new. As a matter of fact, there's a laundry list of celebs who wear wigs, many of whom might surprise you. Wigs can be extremely practical and glamorous; however, the Hallmark Channel has a tendency to miss the mark when it comes to these hairpieces. From the poorly styled to the egregiously fake, the Hallmark Channel is a splendid gallery of hilariously bad wigs. That said, let's take a peek at the most disastrous wigs in Hallmark history.

Candace Cameron Bure had her breakout moment on "Full House," which aired from 1987 to 1995. Although "Full House" was rocked by several tragic scandals, its wholesome legacy still holds up today. Likewise, Bure has maintained a squeaky-clean image throughout the years; an image she bolstered when she started working for the Hallmark Channel. During her time on the network, Bure starred in more than 30 films, placing her among the female actors with the most Hallmark movies on their resume. However, in 2022, Candace Cameron Bure sparked controversy when she left the Hallmark Channel seemingly due to the network's inclusion of LGBTQ+ storylines in its programming. 

Prior to leaving Hallmark, Bure starred in "Aurora Teagarden Mysteries," a series of detective films that aired on the network. For this role, Bure wore a wig to transform her blonde tresses into Aurora's signature red lob. The hairpiece was quite the eyesore: In addition to its bulky size, it was completely stiff. Plus, the wig's hairline was devoid of any new growth, giving it a clownishly fake appearance. Viewers despised Bure's hairpiece, and they didn't shy away from voicing their disapproval online. In 2021, Bure responded to the criticism and vowed to stop wearing the wig altogether. "We do some temporary color," the actor wrote in a now-deleted Instagram story (via EntertainmentNow). "So I know I wore a wig for a few of the movies and you all hated that, so we don't do that anymore."

Jodie Sweetin also rose to fame in 1987 when she starred in the legendary sitcom "Full House." Sweetin played Stephanie Tanner, the plucky middle child of the family. After the show wrapped in 1995, she went on to become an author, activist, and advocate for substance misuse disorder. Sweetin made her Hallmark movie debut in the late 2010s and quickly became a staple on the network. In 2024, she starred in "The Heiress and the Handyman," but unfortunately, she was upstaged by her own wig.

In the film, Sweetin plays June Waltshire, a washed-up heiress who starts a new life in a rural town. When the movie premiered, viewers couldn't stop talking about the outlandishly bad wig she wore throughout the film. Sweetin's hairpiece was awkwardly large with thick curls that looked like they'd been styled with glue. It also featured sporadic, unblended highlights, giving it the appearance of a cheap costume wig. Needless to say, viewers couldn't stand Sweetin's wig in "The Heiress and the Handyman," and they didn't hold back their criticism. Some viewers called the hairpiece "distracting," while others said that Sweetin shouldn't have worn a wig in the first place. As one Facebook user noted: "The fact that so many (including me) are distracted by a really bad wig and are talking about that instead of the movie should give Hallmark pause."

In 2023, Hallmark released "Time for Her to Come Home for Christmas," starring Shenae Grimes-Beech. Prior to becoming a regular on the Hallmark network, Grimes-Beech was best known for her leading roles in "Degrassi: The Next Generation" and "90210." In "Time for Her to Come Home for Christmas," Grimes-Beech plays Carly, a music teacher who relocates to a small town for the holidays. Along the way, Carly finds love and discovers a heartwarming secret about her family tree. This is a quintessential Hallmark movie, complete with a handsome love interest and a sentimental story arc. And as we've come to expect of Hallmark films, it also contains some exceptionally lousy hair.

For this movie, Grimes-Beech sported a cascade of brown tresses complete with fringe bangs. Notably, the hair looked cartoonishly thick and lacked any natural luster. When the film premiered, fans had a lot to say about this heinous hairpiece. In fact, this wig was so bad that it made a lasting impression on some viewers. As one fan noted on Reddit: "I kinda want to travel back in time to last year, so I can gawk at that haircut for the first time."

In another Reddit thread, viewers agreed that Grimes-Beech's hairpiece was a paragon of bad styling. "Is anyone else bothered by her hairstyle?" a user asked, to which another responded, "Yes. As soon as she came on screen I was wondering why she was wearing a wig."

When Josie Bissett joined the Hallmark Channel in the mid-2010s, she was already a seasoned television star. Bissett got her big break in the '90s when she was tapped to play Jane Mancini on the hit series "Melrose Place." In 2016, Bissett starred in Hallmark's "The Wedding March," a film about two exes who serendipitously cross paths after 20 years apart. To the delight of '90s fans, Bissett was cast in the film alongside fellow "Melrose Place" actor Jack Wagner. The film clearly struck a chord with viewers, and it wasn't long before Hallmark ordered a sequel.

While the movie was well received, the same couldn't be said for the wig Bissett wore while filming it. For starters, the bulky, helmet-shaped hairpiece did not look the slightest bit natural. In contrast to real hair, these tresses had no sheen whatsoever. The strands were packed together with no space in between, leaving no semblance of a natural part. As one user noted on Reddit: "Josie's wig was THE WORST!! It distracted from the movie."

In this case, Hallmark seemed to take heed of the criticism from viewers. As of November 2025, the "Wedding March" franchise is on its sixth installment — and Bissett's hair has gotten more realistic-looking with each subsequent film.

When Hallmark released "It Was Always You" in 2021, fans were pleased to learn that Erin Krakow would be playing the main character. After all, Krakow has appeared in numerous Hallmark films, and she's widely considered to be one of Hallmark's leading ladies. In "It Was Always You," Krakow plays Elizabeth, an uptight woman who thinks she has life figured out. Elizabeth's world gets turned upside down when her fiancé's brother returns to town and she starts getting to know him. Like any proper Hallmark film, this movie contains humor, passion, and of course, bad wigs. Namely, we're talking about the floppy, lifeless hairpiece that sits atop Krakow's head during the feature.

For starters, the hair department made sure that Krakow's wig looked nothing like human hair. The tresses look flat and the strands barely move throughout the film. Unlike real hair, the wig has absolutely no signs of breakage, flyaways, or differences in length. Instead of a natural part, Krakow's character is cursed with a tiny sliver that shows no scalp whatsoever. Viewers could not look away from Krakow's horrible hairpiece, and one fan even took to Reddit to ask, "What is up with Erin Krakow's wig?" Another user chimed in, writing, "Erin & [co-star] Tyler [Hynes] are both wearing wigs? They really should change the hairstylist they used ... Their looks actually ruined the movie for me."

If you thought that cartoonishly bad Hallmark wigs were only for the girls, then you'd be wrong. Just ask Hallmark star Tyler Hynes, who experienced a wig fail in "It Was Always You." Hynes starred in the film opposite Erin Krakow, who was also victimized by the wig department during this film. He played the role of David, a nomadic hunk who returns to his hometown only to find himself growing closer to his brother's fiancée. 

For this role, Hynes sported a tidy beard and slicked-back hair that grazed the nape of his neck. Notably, Hynes' hairline is a straight, overpowering line with no widow's peak and absolutely no signs of new growth, commonly known as baby hairs. In other words, the hairline looks entirely fake — and when you notice it, it's difficult to unsee. Hynes' side profile also showed signs of a bad wig. Along his temples, the hairline is unnaturally symmetrical and there's no sign of breakage or new hairs coming in.

When the movie debuted, some fans were flabbergasted at just how awful Hynes' mane looked. "I just finished watching 'It was always you' on Hallmark and his hair in this movie looks particularly strange," one Reddit user shared. They added, "He's so attractive that none of this really matters but it would be nice if they worked on the hair piece a bit more to make it look more natural."

In 2025, Hallmark released "Royal-ish," a romantic comedy that centers around Lacey, an actor who works as a princess at an amusement park. While on the job, Lacey meets a real-life royal family who invites her to stay at their palace. She soon learns how to integrate with royal life — and finds love along the way. Lacey is portrayed by actor Nichole Sakura, who previously lent her talents to shows like "Teen Wolf" and "Shameless." During the film, Sakura underwent a total princess transformation, featuring gorgeous ball gowns, twinkling tiaras, and a cascade of thick, wavy tresses. Unfortunately, Sakura's hair ended up looking less like nobility and more like a royally hot mess.

At the start of the film, Sakura's character wears her hair in a half-updo featuring a smooth bouffant. Her auburn curls do little to obscure the tangly, dark brown extensions that lie underneath. Things only get worse as the film progresses and Sakura's hair suddenly becomes several inches shorter. Toward the end of the film, her locks have miraculously grown back and the poorly blended extensions are right back in the mix. Understandably, some viewers felt a sense of whiplash over Sakura's discordant 'do. Some even noted that they had trouble focusing on the plot thanks to the character's ever-changing hair. "Whoever did the hair and makeup in this movie was struggling," a fan shared on Reddit. "The hair was distractingly bad. The wigs, the combover, it was just awful."

@singleglutenfreezebra

I love Christmas Movies but Let's leave these bad wigs behind in 2024 @Hallmark Channel #nsync #holidays #hallmarkchristmasmovies #badwigs #christmasmovies #wigwatch2023 #merrychristmas

♬ Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays – *NSYNC

In 2020, Hallmark released "Winter in Vail" starring network veterans Lacey Chabert and Tyler Hynes. This romantic comedy features all of our favorite Hallmark themes: a quaint, gorgeous town, an uptight city gal, and a small-town guy who teaches her the value of living in the moment. Chabert plays the protagonist, Chelsea, who moves to Vail for the winter after she inherits a house from a distant family member. In addition to her love interest, Owen (played by Hynes), Chelsea also leans on her friend Vienna North, played by actor Marla Renae. Vienna frequently pops in to support Chelsea and offer words of advice.

While Renae may have played a side character in the film, her hair inadvertently stole the show when fans noticed just how bad Renae's wig looked. The offending hairpiece contained long, wavy locks with a heavy side part. However, its absurdly large size and excessive shininess made it look like someone placed an ink blot on her head. To make matters worse, Renae's stylist didn't bother to add any baby hairs; and as a result, the hairline looked ridiculously fake.

Ultimately, fans seemed to agree that Renae deserved better than this atrocious wig. In 2023, one viewer called Hallmark out on TikTok for refusing to outfit their actors with high-quality wigs despite having the means to do so. The critic wrote: "I love Christmas Movies but Let's leave these bad wigs behind in 2024."

When it comes to Hallmark films, there's never any shortage of magic and whimsy. In 2025, fans were treated to "A Newport Christmas," starring Hallmark veteran Ginna Claire Mason. In the film, Mason portrays Ella, a woman who accidentally teleports herself to 2025 from the year 1905. Despite the mystical themes of the movie, fans were hardly enchanted by the wig Mason wore on-screen. The hairpiece in question was a poufy blond number with ringlet curls that spilled past her shoulders. Fans spotted several problems with this hairpiece: For starters, the wig showed no signs of breakage or new growth, which made it look egregiously fake. It also lacked the buoyancy and movement that you'd expect to see from natural hair. Plus, due to the size and shape of the wig, Mason looked more like a Revolutionary War hero than an antiquated socialite.

In this instance, we would argue that the wig was a reasonable choice. After all, this hairstyle would be extremely labor-intensive to achieve, and all of the styling would likely have caused some amount of damage to Mason's real hair. Nonetheless, the hair department failed to make the wig look realistic; a fact that did not go unnoticed by viewers. On Reddit, one fan described Mason's wig as "bad" and "distracting." Another user noted that "in 2025 her hair was at least 3 inches shorter than it was when she was in 1905."

If you consume enough Hallmark Channel content, you'll probably start to notice that bad wigs are not exclusive to the main cast. For example, in the film "Nature of Love," the worst wig award unequivocally belongs to a stunt double. Released in 2020, "Nature of Love" stars Emilie Ullerup as Katie, a hotshot reporter who travels to a glamping resort on assignment. She soon meets a love interest, Will (played by actor Christopher Russell), who helps her discover the beauty of nature.

In one scene, Will takes Katie on a zip line course, but she is initially afraid to try it. After a quick pep talk from her crush, Katie shoots off across the zip line and winds up having the time of her life. If you look closely at this scene, you'll notice that Ullerup has a stunt double standing in her place. Zoom in even further and you'll see that the stunt double is wearing the gaudiest wig imaginable. This hairpiece is bursting with flaws: For starters, it's about 10 shades lighter than Ullerup's sandy blond tresses. Ultimately, it looks like someone took a cheap Halloween wig and plopped it on the head of this poor stunt double. Take a look at the photo above and you'll see the stunt double's brunette hair peeking out from under the blond wig. While the stunt double didn't get much screen time in this film, her wig was definitely a scene stealer.