Hallmark Actors Who Are Worth Less Than You Think
Oh my god, Karen, you can't just ask someone how much they're worth. Or can you?
Whether it's saving the family Christmas tree farm to a first kiss in the snow, Hallmark has earned its crown as the king of seasonal flicks. It's become a tradition among a new generation of viewers to have Hallmark movies play all Christmas season (and then some), and Crown Media (which consists of the Hallmark Channel, Hallmark Movies & Mysteries, and Hallmark Now) is all too happy to deliver. According to The Wrap, Hallmark Channel premiered 41 new feature-length Christmas movies alone in 2021. No wonder these stars have become familiar faces.
According to Business Insider, Hallmark has a budget of $2 million per movie, and each movie is shot over a three-week time period, usually in Canada (from which many of our list makers hail). As this budget qualifies as a "low-budget" movie, according to SAG guidelines, actors are paid a minimum of at least $686 a day, or $2,381 per week. You would think its stars should be raking in all the dough from so much work, right? Maybe, maybe not. Here's a roundup of the 10 Hallmark actors you would think were worth more.
Lacey Chabert is the Princess of Christmas
If The Hallmark Channel is the king of Christmastime, then Lacey Chabert is its princess. Since her debut in her first Hallmark film, "Elevator Girl," in 2010, Chabert has starred in 30 films, including "Pride, Prejudice and Mistletoe," "Christmas Waltz," and the network's "Crossword Mysteries" series.
Before Hallmark, Chabert began acting as a child in the early 1990's, with her breakout role as Bianca Montgomery on "All My Children." While she's popularly known as former "Mean Girl" Gretchen Wieners, Chabert can also be heard as a voice talent on "The Wild Thornberrys," "Family Guy," and "Robot Chicken." Though Chabert constantly stays busy with quick Hallmark turnarounds, Celebrity Net Worth estimates she is worth around $4 million.
In February 2022, according to Variety, Chabert agreed to an exclusive multi-picture deal with Crown Media, the company responsible for producing Hallmark flicks, where she is lined up to both headline and executive produce for Hallmark Platforms for the next two years. "My experience at Hallmark, a home to me for over ten years now, has been wonderful and it's beyond rewarding to create characters and develop stories that resonate so strongly with viewers," Chabert said. "I'm also incredibly grateful to Crown's programming team for supporting me as a producer and empowering me to develop and star in projects that bring my passion and creative vision to life. I am so excited for what's next and to continue connecting with Hallmark's audience." It's unclear how much Chabert made on the deal.
Luke Macfarlane is a multi-talented force
A Juilliard grad, a cellist, and a hunk. Luke Macfarlane is a well-rounded Hallmark leading man. Macfarlane embarked on his Hallmark career in 2014, and has been in Hallmark Christmas movies annually since 2015's "Christmas Land." In total, he's been featured in 12 Hallmark feature films.
Outside of Crown Media platforms, Macfarlane has also starred in TV series for other networks, including ABC's "Brothers & Sisters" and SyFy's "Killjoys." He's also been featured on Broadway in "The Normal Heart" and various off-Broadway theater productions. With multiple network shows and movies, the actor is reported to be worth $2 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth.
In an interview with Yahoo! Finance, Macfarlane says he keeps coming back to Hallmark due to the network's positive work environment and its loyal viewership. "To be able to do a movie that you know people are going to get to watch really makes a big difference for you as an actor. And Hallmark is crushing it because people are continuing to watch our movies in record numbers," Macfarlane said.
Andrew Walker has been on TV since the '90s
Andrew Walker, a native of Montreal, has starred in more than 20 Hallmark movies to date, his first feature film being 2012's "A Bride for Christmas." Since his premier, he has been a leading man in Hallmark titles such as "Dashing Through the Snow" and "My Christmas Family Tree." Before becoming a Christmas-time staple, though, Walker began his TV career in 1994, appearing in shows such as "Sabrina the Teenage Witch" and "Are You Afraid of the Dark?"
With so many movies and TV credits under his belt, Walker is reportedly worth $2 million. And he isn't stopping any time soon. According to Deadline, Walker has signed an exclusive, multi-picture deal with Crown Media Family Networks.
"I'm humbled and grateful to have been a part of the Hallmark family for a decade now. I love diving into each character, to create quality films with positive content that make people feel good," Walker told Deadline. "The impact this network is making on its viewers is infectious and I'm thrilled to be continuing our collaboration."
David Lynch discovered Alicia Witt
Before this Hallmark star strolled down "Christmas Tree Lane," she was shot into show business at an early age.
According to an interview with Fox News, she was discovered by David Lynch, who cast her in her very first role as Alia in 1984's sci-fi epic "Dune" when she was only seven years old. Witt continued to have a steady acting career in both television and film. According to IMDb, she has been featured in Lynch's "Twin Peaks" (both the original and the 2017 reboot), "Mr. Holland's Opus," and "Vanilla Sky" with Tom Cruise. Witt has also been featured in series including "Friday Night Lights," "Justified," "Nashville," and "Orange is the New Black."
In 2010, she joined the Hallmark fam, starring in "Backyard Wedding," and began her string of Christmas movies starting with 2013's "A Very Merry Mix-up." She has been featured in a total of nine Hallmark movies. Despite a lifetime of big-budget movies and television series under her belt, Witt is reportedly worth $4 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth.
Autumn Reeser's new entourage is Hallmark
This Hallmark leading lady has starred in 15 Hallmark movies since her first role in 2012's "Love at the Thanksgiving Parade." But before spending "Christmas Under the Stars," Reeser was a regular on popular TV shows across multiple networks. According to Reeser's IMDb page, the actress began her career in 1999 and soon landed major roles, most notably in "The O.C." as Taylor Townsend and "Entourage" as Lizzie Grant. She has also made featured appearances on shows such as "George Lopez," "Hawaii Five-O," and "Ghost Whisperer."
Reeser, thanks to Hallmark, has also expanded her role behind the camera. According to an interview with MediaVillage, she served as both the star and executive producer for the Hallmark film "The 27-Hour Day."
"I loved being a girl on the go, having ideas to share with other women about how to do life more efficiently," Reeser said in the interview. "I had a blog with two friends called Move Lifestyle and it was so much fun. Then I had kids, discovered spirituality, so many things in my life happened. Much of my journey has been about learning how to be present and learning how to be a human being instead of a human doing. That's what's happening in this story. It's really personal to me." According to Celebrity Net Worth, all of her TV and film work collected over the years has her sitting on a net worth of only $3 million.
Vivica A. Fox should be making blockbuster bucks
Vivica A. Fox has one of the more diverse backgrounds on our list, accruing more than 200 acting credits from starring in both major blockbuster movies and television shows.
After her first major role in 1988 on "Days of Our Lives," Fox went on to star in blockbuster films such as "Independence Day," "Kill Bill Vol. 1," and "Batman & Robin." Fox has also been featured in multiple guest appearances for TV, including "Empire," "Black-ish," and "Curb Your Enthusiasm." You can also see her fighting off hungry shark baddies in the "Sharknado" film series, too.
Lately in her career, Fox has done much in the realm of TV film work, including for Hallmark. She starred in the network's Christmas films "Farewell Mrs. Kringle," and "Annie Claus is Coming to Town," as well as the Summer Nights-era "Summer in the City." Even though she has a lengthy acting folio, Fox's total net worth is only $2 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth.
Emily Osment went from Disney kid to leading lady
One of the newer additions to the Hallmark crew, Emily Osment is another child star on our list.
Following the footsteps of her ghost-watching actor older brother, Haley Joel, Emily Osment made her acting debut at seven years old in the 1999 film, "The Secret Life of Girls," according to her IMDb. Osment went on to play the ferocious Gerti Giggles in the "Spy Kids" film franchise. Osment is most notably remembered as a Disney kid, playing opposite Miley Cyrus as Hannah Montana's hyperactive best friend Lily Truscott. After graduating from the series, Osment nabbed leading roles in multiple TV series, such as "Young & Hungry," "The Kominsky Method," and "Young Sheldon."
So far, Osment has starred in two movies for Hallmark, including 2018's "Christmas Wonderland," and 2021's "A Very Merry Bridesmaid," and we hope to see her in even more heartwarming flicks soon. Even though she's been a working actor her whole life, Osment is worth just $3 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth.
Alexa PenaVega solves crimes with her husband
Before she was solving "Picture Perfect Mysteries" for Hallmark, Alexa PenaVega (formerly Alexa Vega) was butt-kicking agent Carmen Cortez in Robert Rodriguez's "Spy Kids" film franchise. Before putting on her 3-D spy goggles (that totally didn't give us a headache in theaters), PenaVega, according to her IMDb, starred in McDonald's Happy Meal commercials and appeared in films like "Little Giants," and "Nine Months," which starred Hugh Grant.
Currently, PenaVega has starred in nine Hallmark movies and series since 2016, five of which featured her alongside her real-life husband, Carlos PenaVega (formerly Carlos Pena, of Big Time Rush fame). They can be seen under the mistletoe together in Hallmark's "Enchanted Christmas." "Carlos and I want to be able to do films that our families are proud of and everybody can watch," she said in an interview with Glamour. "They just feel good, and Hallmark has been that place for us. They're all about family, and they want to keep [me and Carlos] working together. They really do walk the walk. That's what separates them from other networks."
Despite her numerous acting credits and the fact that she's been gracing the screen since she was a kid, PenaVega is worth $8 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth.
Bailee Madison grew up before our eyes
Bailee Madison casted a spell on us in the Hallmark hit series, "The Good Witch." Starting her film career on a grand scale, Madison was just eight years old in the 2007 film "Bridge to Terabithia." She has been featured in a mix of movies and television, including "Wizards of Waverly Place," "Once Upon a Time," and "The Fosters."
According to Deadline, Madison left the "The Good Witch" on good terms in 2021, after five seasons. The actress says she's looking forward to new opportunities. "Grace has been a character whose journey throughout the years has often mirrored my own and this season she is tackling what it's like to step out of her comfort zone, valuing and standing up for her worth and challenging herself in new ways, looking boldly into the future and all the possibilities before her," Madison wrote on her Instagram. "I couldn't be more grateful for the new adventures ahead, and to have you all along with me on the ride as my story continues to be written, it's a thrilling one."
According to Celebrity Net Worth, Madison is currently worth $6 million.
Jill Wagner is the hostess with the mostest
Jill Wagner has starred in 15 Hallmark movies to date, her first being 2015's "Autumn Dreams." Wagner wins the award for most unorthodox path to Hallmark. According to IMDb, Wagner got her TV break as a field agent on "Punk'd" starring Ashton Kutcher. From there, she pivoted to hosting, notably TBS' "Wipeout," and then to acting. Her most recognizable role is Kate Argent on MTV's "Teen Wolf," and she also hosted its after-show, "Wolf Watch."
In an exclusive interview with The List, Wagner explained why she loved making Christmas movies for Hallmark. "I think what makes Christmas movies special for me and me personally is I know that if I think back in time about my grandmother, she'd have the Hallmark Channel on. She always had something on in the background that was Christmas-related, whether it be a Christmas movie or whether it be the Christmas parade, something like that. So to be part of people's traditions, I think it's really kind of special to know that you're just in someone's house when they're experiencing Christmas, and you're a part of the ritual, and your face is there, and you make people happy."
According to Celebrity Net Worth, Wagner is worth $4 million.