Get to Know Jake Foy, the Gay Cowboy on Hallmark's New TV Show 'Ri'

Contents:

• HALLMARK PREMIER S FIRST LGBTQ HOLIDAY MOVIE WH A GAY LEAD UPLE
• JONATHAN BENT WANTED TO CREATE A GAY UNCLE BUCK FOR THE HOLIDAY STER
• SHOP 'GMA3' POWER HOUR ALS FOR LABOR DAY!OPEN MENUVIOSHOPCULTUREFAYWELLNSFOODLIVGSTYLETRAVELNEWSBOOK CLUBGMA3: WYNTKNEWSLETTERPRIVACY POLICYYOUR US STATE PRIVACY RIGHTSCHILDREN'S ONLE PRIVACY POLICYINTERT-BASED ADSTERMS OF USEDO NOT SELL MY INFOCONTACT USCOPYRIGHT © 2023 ABC NEWS INTER VENTUR. ALL RIGHTS RERVED.SEARCHCULTUREJONATHAN BENT TALKS LGBTQ REPRENTATN NEW HALLMARK MOVIE, 'THE CHRISTMAS HOE'9:41JONATHAN BENT GETS EMOTNAL ABOUT NEW HALLMARK HOLIDAY MOVIE ABOUT LGBTQ BYHAYLEY FZPATRICKNOVEMBER 20, 2020, 11:11 AMTHE HALLMARK CHANNEL'S NEW FILM, "THE CHRISTMAS HOE," IS BOTH A FEEL-GOOD HOLIDAY STORY AND AN IMPORTANT STEP TOWARD MORE CLIVE STORYTELLG ON THE WORK.PREMIERG SUNDAY, NOV. 22 AT 8 P.M. ET ON THE HALLMARK CHANNEL, "THE CHRISTMAS HOE" IS THE WORK'S FIRST FILM FEATURG A SAME-SEX UPLE AS THE LEAD CHARACTERS.ACTOR JONATHAN BENT PLAYS BRANDON, A MAN WHO TRAVELS HOME WH HIS HBAND, JAKE (PLAYED BY BRAD HARR), TO RATE HIS CHILDHOOD HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS. THE UPLE IS HOPG TO START A FAY AND IS WAG TO HEAR IF THEIR ADOPTN WILL GO THROUGH.BENT SCRIBED AS "AN HONOR" TO STAR THE FILM AND SHOWSE THE LGBTQ LOVE STORY. "THIS IS THE FIRST GAY STORYLE A HALLMARK CHANNEL MOVIE," HE SAID. "IT'S THE FIRST TIME YOU SEE TWO MEN LOVE STARTG THEIR OWN FAY, AND THAT'S SUCH A GROUNDBREAKG THG BEE REPRENTATN IS IMPORTANT.""OF ALL THE MOVI I'VE DONE 20 YEARS HOLLYWOOD, THIS MOVIE IS THE MOST IMPORTANT TO ME BEE THIS CHARACTER MATTERS," HE ADD. "AND THIS CHARACTER IS MAKG A DIFFERENCE."MORE: HALLMARK ANNOUNC PLANS TO BUT 'LGBTQ STORYL, CHARACTERS AND ACTORS'THE ACTOR, WHO IS OPENLY GAY AND WAS JT REGNIZED ON OUT MAGAZE'S OUT100 LIST, SAID HE FEELS A FILM LIKE THIS ULD'VE HELPED HIM WHEN HE WAS YOUNGER."I JT THK ABOUT WHAT YOUNGER ME WOULD HAVE THOUGHT WATCHG A MOVIE LIKE THIS AT THE HOLIDAYS," HE SAID. "BEE GROWG UP, I DIDN'T HAVE REPRENTATN LIKE THIS -- WE DIDN'T HAVE CHRISTMAS MOVI THAT HAD STORY L OF TWO MEN LOVE, STARTG A FAY."A SCENE OM HALLMARK'S "THE CHRISTMAS HOE."HALLMARK CHANNEL HE SAID IF HE HAD BEEN ABLE TO SEE A FILM LIKE THIS ONE AS A CHILD, HE IMAG HE WOULD'VE FELT "LS SRED" AND "MORE SEEN."EDOR’S PICKSHALLMARK CHANNEL ANNOUNC CHRISTMAS MOVIE FEATURG GAY UPLE LOOKG TO ADOPTSEP 23, 2020HALLMARK ANNOUNC PLANS TO BUT 'LGBTQ STORYL, CHARACTERS AND ACTORS'JUL 16, 2020HOW THIS HALLMARK CHANNEL STAR IS WORKG TO HELP FIX THE FOSTER RE SYSTEM USSEP 30, 2020THE IMPORTANCE OF THE CLIVE STORYLE WAS NOT LOST ON THE ST AND CREW. BENT SAID ONE SCENE PARTICULAR WAS VERY SPECIAL.DURG THE SCENE, BENT AND HARR'S CHARACTERS ARE VOLVED AN ARGUMENT OUTSI OF THE HOE DUE TO THE STRS OF THE ADOPTN. "WE HAVE A LTLE B OF A TIFF BEE WE'RE GOG THROUGH THE HIGHS AND THE LOWS THAT A UPLE GO THROUGH WHEN THEY'RE ADOPTG A BABY," BENT EXPLAED. "AND YOU SEE MY HBAND FORT ME AND E TOGETHER AND WE KISS.""BEE THAT'S WHAT TWO MEN WHO ARE ADOPTG A BABY AND ARE A LOVG RELATNSHIP DO -- THEY KISS, THAT'S WHAT UPL DO," HE ADD.MORE: ON WEDNDAYS WE DRK WE: 'MEAN GIRLS' STAR JONATHAN BENT CREAT 2 W SPIRED BY THE H MOVIEMOST OF THE ST AND CREW WERE TEARS WHEN THE SCENE WAS FISHED, BENT SAID. HE EXPLAED THAT THERE WAS "SO MUCH ANXIETY AND EXCEMENT" ON SET BEE EVERYONE KNEW THEY WERE "MAKG HISTORY."JONATHAN BENT AND BRAD HARR PLAY A MARRIED UPLE LOOKG TO ADOPT HALLMARK'S "THE CHRISTMAS HOE."ALLISTER FOSTER/THE HALLMARK CHANNELLGBTQ CREW MEMBERS EVEN APPROACHED BENT AND HARR WHEN THE SCENE WAS FISHED, TO MENT ON ."WE HAD A FEW FEW GAY MEN E UP TO AND SAY, 'HEY, WE WORK ON A LOT OF THE MOVI, WE WORK ON A LOT OF HALLMARK FILMS, AND WE DO THE SET RATN AND WE PUT OUR BLOOD SWEAT AND TEARS TO , AND FOR THE FIRST TIME, WE FEEL LIKE WE'RE PART OF THE FAY TOO.'"HE SAID AT THAT POT, THEY KNEW THEY HAD MA SOMETHG "REALLY SPECIAL."MORE: JONATHAN BENT MAK 'AARON SAMUEL'S ACTUAL MOM'S STUFFED CHICKEN SHELLS'THE ACTOR HOP THAT THE FILM WILL SHOW YOUNG CHILDREN, "THAT YOU ARE NEVER TOO MUCH AND YOU ARE ALWAYS ENOUGH."HE ALSO HOP "THE CHRISTMAS HOE" WILL FLUENCE OTHER WORKS TO STRIVE TOWARD FEATURG MORE CLIVE LOVE STORI. "I THK WHAT THIS MOVIE IS GOG TO DO THAT'S SO IMPORTANT IS 'S GOG TO SHOW EVERY WORK THE WORLD THAT CLN IS NOT ONLY OK, BUT 'S NECSARY AND 'S IMPORTANT," BENT SAID."IF HALLMARK CHANNEL IS PUTTG OUT ONE OF THEIR BIGGT MOVI AND HAS A GAY STORYLE AS ONE OF THE MA STORYL, THEN EVERY WORK N PUT OUT A MOVIE LIKE THIS AND HAVE CLN ," HE ADD.IN JULY, HALLMARK ISSUED A STATEMENT PROMISG MORE CLN AFTER RECEIVG CRICISM THAT NONE OF S UPG HOLIDAY FILMS ANNOUNCED AT THE TIME FEATURED AN LGBTQ LEAD."DIVERSY AND CLN IS A TOP PRRY FOR ," READ THE PANY'S STATEMENT. "WE ARE MTED TO CREATG A HALLMARK EXPERIENCE WHERE EVERYONE FEELS WELE."BENT SAID HE IS ALREADY TALKS FOR MORE PROJECTS WH THE WORK FOR 2021."WE ALREADY HAVE PROJECTS GREENL VELOPMENT THAT WILL MAKE THE HOLIDAY TABLE GROW EVEN NEXT YEAR," HE SAID. "THIS ISN'T THE END, THIS IS ONLY THE BEGNG FOR THIS ON HALLMARK CHANNEL."CHECK OUT AN EXCLIVE CLIP OM THE FILM BELOW:1:54'THE CHRISTMAS HOE.' IS THE FIRST MOVIE ON THE HALLMARK CHANNEL TO FEATURE LGBTQ MA CHARACTERS.EDOR’S PICKSHALLMARK CHANNEL ANNOUNC CHRISTMAS MOVIE FEATURG GAY UPLE LOOKG TO ADOPTSEP 23, 2020HALLMARK ANNOUNC PLANS TO BUT 'LGBTQ STORYL, CHARACTERS AND ACTORS'JUL 16, 2020HOW THIS HALLMARK CHANNEL STAR IS WORKG TO HELP FIX THE FOSTER RE SYSTEM USSEP 30, 2020UP NEXT CULTURE—STEVE HARWELL, FORMER LEAD SGER OF SMASH MOUTH, DI AT 56SEPTEMBER 4, 2023'BACHELOR PARADISE' ALUMS SERENA PT AND JOE AMABILE HAVE 2ND WEDDG CHARLTON: SEE THE SWEET PHOTOSSEPTEMBER 4, 2023KRIST CHENOWETH MARRI JOSH BRYANT TEXAS WEDDGSEPTEMBER 4, 2023CO GFF MAK HISTORY AT US OPEN AS SHE HEADS TO THE QUARTERFALSSEPTEMBER 4, 2023UP NEXT CULTURE—STEVE HARWELL, FORMER LEAD SGER OF SMASH MOUTH, DI AT 56SEPTEMBER 4, 2023'BACHELOR PARADISE' ALUMS SERENA PT AND JOE AMABILE HAVE 2ND WEDDG CHARLTON: SEE THE SWEET PHOTOSSEPTEMBER 4, 2023KRIST CHENOWETH MARRI JOSH BRYANT TEXAS WEDDGSEPTEMBER 4, 2023CO GFF MAK HISTORY AT US OPEN AS SHE HEADS TO THE QUARTERFALSSEPTEMBER 4, 2023

HALLMARK PREMIER S FIRST LGBTQ HOLIDAY MOVIE WH A GAY LEAD UPLE

The Hallmark Channel is set to make history — and make good on s promise for more LGBTQ-cln — wh s first holiday movie featurg a gay lead character. Canadian actor Jake Foy is makg wav for playg the openly gay wboy Tuff McMurray on Hallmark's newt wtern seri, Ri.

Dubbed by The Advote's sister publitn Out as the "gay kg of Christmas, " Jonathan Bent has starred some of the Hallmark Channel's most beloved holiday films.

JONATHAN BENT WANTED TO CREATE A GAY UNCLE BUCK FOR THE HOLIDAY STER

Alberta native Brad Harr is an out actor known pecially for The Christmas Hoe seri, which he and Jonathan Bent played the first married gay uple Hallmark history.

The multalented (and proudly out) Ali Liebert has both acted and directed projects for Hallmark, and she helmed the groundbreakg gay Christmas movie The Holiday Ster. The Hallmark Channel is gettg to the gay Christmas a part of s Countdown to Christmas event, Hallmark Channel has announced s first Christmas movie that foc on a gay Holiday Ster will be released on December 11 on The Hallmark Channel and will star Mean Girls alum Jonathan Bent, Gee Krissa, and Chelsea — Becky VanValkenburg (@Becky VanValkenburg).

He mak the trip wh his hband Jake, played by Brad Harr, and the pair wa to hear about the possible adoptn of their first 's only September, but wh Hallmark announcg s slate of holiday movi, and other platforms like Netflix, Disney+ and Lifetime havg also announced holiday movi and specials, so far, The Holiday Ster is the only one to foc on gay characters. Startg 2020, Christmas was for the gays. RELATED | 23 Christmas Songs by LGBTQ+ Artists to Make the Yuleti Gay.

SHOP 'GMA3' POWER HOUR ALS FOR LABOR DAY!OPEN MENUVIOSHOPCULTUREFAYWELLNSFOODLIVGSTYLETRAVELNEWSBOOK CLUBGMA3: WYNTKNEWSLETTERPRIVACY POLICYYOUR US STATE PRIVACY RIGHTSCHILDREN'S ONLE PRIVACY POLICYINTERT-BASED ADSTERMS OF USEDO NOT SELL MY INFOCONTACT USCOPYRIGHT © 2023 ABC NEWS INTER VENTUR. ALL RIGHTS RERVED.SEARCHCULTUREJONATHAN BENT TALKS LGBTQ REPRENTATN NEW HALLMARK MOVIE, 'THE CHRISTMAS HOE'9:41JONATHAN BENT GETS EMOTNAL ABOUT NEW HALLMARK HOLIDAY MOVIE ABOUT LGBTQ BYHAYLEY FZPATRICKNOVEMBER 20, 2020, 11:11 AMTHE HALLMARK CHANNEL'S NEW FILM, "THE CHRISTMAS HOE," IS BOTH A FEEL-GOOD HOLIDAY STORY AND AN IMPORTANT STEP TOWARD MORE CLIVE STORYTELLG ON THE WORK.PREMIERG SUNDAY, NOV. 22 AT 8 P.M. ET ON THE HALLMARK CHANNEL, "THE CHRISTMAS HOE" IS THE WORK'S FIRST FILM FEATURG A SAME-SEX UPLE AS THE LEAD CHARACTERS.ACTOR JONATHAN BENT PLAYS BRANDON, A MAN WHO TRAVELS HOME WH HIS HBAND, JAKE (PLAYED BY BRAD HARR), TO RATE HIS CHILDHOOD HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS. THE UPLE IS HOPG TO START A FAY AND IS WAG TO HEAR IF THEIR ADOPTN WILL GO THROUGH.BENT SCRIBED AS "AN HONOR" TO STAR THE FILM AND SHOWSE THE LGBTQ LOVE STORY. "THIS IS THE FIRST GAY STORYLE A HALLMARK CHANNEL MOVIE," HE SAID. "IT'S THE FIRST TIME YOU SEE TWO MEN LOVE STARTG THEIR OWN FAY, AND THAT'S SUCH A GROUNDBREAKG THG BEE REPRENTATN IS IMPORTANT.""OF ALL THE MOVI I'VE DONE 20 YEARS HOLLYWOOD, THIS MOVIE IS THE MOST IMPORTANT TO ME BEE THIS CHARACTER MATTERS," HE ADD. "AND THIS CHARACTER IS MAKG A DIFFERENCE."MORE: HALLMARK ANNOUNC PLANS TO BUT 'LGBTQ STORYL, CHARACTERS AND ACTORS'THE ACTOR, WHO IS OPENLY GAY AND WAS JT REGNIZED ON OUT MAGAZE'S OUT100 LIST, SAID HE FEELS A FILM LIKE THIS ULD'VE HELPED HIM WHEN HE WAS YOUNGER."I JT THK ABOUT WHAT YOUNGER ME WOULD HAVE THOUGHT WATCHG A MOVIE LIKE THIS AT THE HOLIDAYS," HE SAID. "BEE GROWG UP, I DIDN'T HAVE REPRENTATN LIKE THIS -- WE DIDN'T HAVE CHRISTMAS MOVI THAT HAD STORY L OF TWO MEN LOVE, STARTG A FAY."A SCENE OM HALLMARK'S "THE CHRISTMAS HOE."HALLMARK CHANNEL HE SAID IF HE HAD BEEN ABLE TO SEE A FILM LIKE THIS ONE AS A CHILD, HE IMAG HE WOULD'VE FELT "LS SRED" AND "MORE SEEN."EDOR’S PICKSHALLMARK CHANNEL ANNOUNC CHRISTMAS MOVIE FEATURG GAY UPLE LOOKG TO ADOPTSEP 23, 2020HALLMARK ANNOUNC PLANS TO BUT 'LGBTQ STORYL, CHARACTERS AND ACTORS'JUL 16, 2020HOW THIS HALLMARK CHANNEL STAR IS WORKG TO HELP FIX THE FOSTER RE SYSTEM USSEP 30, 2020THE IMPORTANCE OF THE CLIVE STORYLE WAS NOT LOST ON THE ST AND CREW. BENT SAID ONE SCENE PARTICULAR WAS VERY SPECIAL.DURG THE SCENE, BENT AND HARR'S CHARACTERS ARE VOLVED AN ARGUMENT OUTSI OF THE HOE DUE TO THE STRS OF THE ADOPTN. "WE HAVE A LTLE B OF A TIFF BEE WE'RE GOG THROUGH THE HIGHS AND THE LOWS THAT A UPLE GO THROUGH WHEN THEY'RE ADOPTG A BABY," BENT EXPLAED. "AND YOU SEE MY HBAND FORT ME AND E TOGETHER AND WE KISS.""BEE THAT'S WHAT TWO MEN WHO ARE ADOPTG A BABY AND ARE A LOVG RELATNSHIP DO -- THEY KISS, THAT'S WHAT UPL DO," HE ADD.MORE: ON WEDNDAYS WE DRK WE: 'MEAN GIRLS' STAR JONATHAN BENT CREAT 2 W SPIRED BY THE H MOVIEMOST OF THE ST AND CREW WERE TEARS WHEN THE SCENE WAS FISHED, BENT SAID. HE EXPLAED THAT THERE WAS "SO MUCH ANXIETY AND EXCEMENT" ON SET BEE EVERYONE KNEW THEY WERE "MAKG HISTORY."JONATHAN BENT AND BRAD HARR PLAY A MARRIED UPLE LOOKG TO ADOPT HALLMARK'S "THE CHRISTMAS HOE."ALLISTER FOSTER/THE HALLMARK CHANNELLGBTQ CREW MEMBERS EVEN APPROACHED BENT AND HARR WHEN THE SCENE WAS FISHED, TO MENT ON ."WE HAD A FEW FEW GAY MEN E UP TO AND SAY, 'HEY, WE WORK ON A LOT OF THE MOVI, WE WORK ON A LOT OF HALLMARK FILMS, AND WE DO THE SET RATN AND WE PUT OUR BLOOD SWEAT AND TEARS TO , AND FOR THE FIRST TIME, WE FEEL LIKE WE'RE PART OF THE FAY TOO.'"HE SAID AT THAT POT, THEY KNEW THEY HAD MA SOMETHG "REALLY SPECIAL."MORE: JONATHAN BENT MAK 'AARON SAMUEL'S ACTUAL MOM'S STUFFED CHICKEN SHELLS'THE ACTOR HOP THAT THE FILM WILL SHOW YOUNG CHILDREN, "THAT YOU ARE NEVER TOO MUCH AND YOU ARE ALWAYS ENOUGH."HE ALSO HOP "THE CHRISTMAS HOE" WILL FLUENCE OTHER WORKS TO STRIVE TOWARD FEATURG MORE CLIVE LOVE STORI. "I THK WHAT THIS MOVIE IS GOG TO DO THAT'S SO IMPORTANT IS 'S GOG TO SHOW EVERY WORK THE WORLD THAT CLN IS NOT ONLY OK, BUT 'S NECSARY AND 'S IMPORTANT," BENT SAID."IF HALLMARK CHANNEL IS PUTTG OUT ONE OF THEIR BIGGT MOVI AND HAS A GAY STORYLE AS ONE OF THE MA STORYL, THEN EVERY WORK N PUT OUT A MOVIE LIKE THIS AND HAVE CLN ," HE ADD.IN JULY, HALLMARK ISSUED A STATEMENT PROMISG MORE CLN AFTER RECEIVG CRICISM THAT NONE OF S UPG HOLIDAY FILMS ANNOUNCED AT THE TIME FEATURED AN LGBTQ LEAD."DIVERSY AND CLN IS A TOP PRRY FOR ," READ THE PANY'S STATEMENT. "WE ARE MTED TO CREATG A HALLMARK EXPERIENCE WHERE EVERYONE FEELS WELE."BENT SAID HE IS ALREADY TALKS FOR MORE PROJECTS WH THE WORK FOR 2021."WE ALREADY HAVE PROJECTS GREENL VELOPMENT THAT WILL MAKE THE HOLIDAY TABLE GROW EVEN NEXT YEAR," HE SAID. "THIS ISN'T THE END, THIS IS ONLY THE BEGNG FOR THIS ON HALLMARK CHANNEL."CHECK OUT AN EXCLIVE CLIP OM THE FILM BELOW:1:54'THE CHRISTMAS HOE.' IS THE FIRST MOVIE ON THE HALLMARK CHANNEL TO FEATURE LGBTQ MA CHARACTERS.EDOR’S PICKSHALLMARK CHANNEL ANNOUNC CHRISTMAS MOVIE FEATURG GAY UPLE LOOKG TO ADOPTSEP 23, 2020HALLMARK ANNOUNC PLANS TO BUT 'LGBTQ STORYL, CHARACTERS AND ACTORS'JUL 16, 2020HOW THIS HALLMARK CHANNEL STAR IS WORKG TO HELP FIX THE FOSTER RE SYSTEM USSEP 30, 2020UP NEXT CULTURE—STEVE HARWELL, FORMER LEAD SGER OF SMASH MOUTH, DI AT 56SEPTEMBER 4, 2023'BACHELOR PARADISE' ALUMS SERENA PT AND JOE AMABILE HAVE 2ND WEDDG CHARLTON: SEE THE SWEET PHOTOSSEPTEMBER 4, 2023KRIST CHENOWETH MARRI JOSH BRYANT TEXAS WEDDGSEPTEMBER 4, 2023CO GFF MAK HISTORY AT US OPEN AS SHE HEADS TO THE QUARTERFALSSEPTEMBER 4, 2023UP NEXT CULTURE—STEVE HARWELL, FORMER LEAD SGER OF SMASH MOUTH, DI AT 56SEPTEMBER 4, 2023'BACHELOR PARADISE' ALUMS SERENA PT AND JOE AMABILE HAVE 2ND WEDDG CHARLTON: SEE THE SWEET PHOTOSSEPTEMBER 4, 2023KRIST CHENOWETH MARRI JOSH BRYANT TEXAS WEDDGSEPTEMBER 4, 2023CO GFF MAK HISTORY AT US OPEN AS SHE HEADS TO THE QUARTERFALSSEPTEMBER 4, 2023

The Hallmark Channel is reaffirmg s mment to queer cln by not only havg holiday movi starrg gay actors like Jonathan Bent as the gay lead, but also TV shows wh LGBTQ+ is the latt queer-clive TV show on Hallmark, featurg a gay wboy character named Tuff McMurray, played by Jake Foy. An out-and-proud gay man, Tuff is jt accepted by his fay – wh his queerns not beg a ma pot of qutng wh the to Ri, Foy was known for starrg TV movi like When Christmas Was Young, A Ltle Daytime Drama, and Love Store.

However, ’s a good first step that there are even enough movi for me to create this list of Hallmark movi wh gay characters. Most gay characters and upl the movi are whe and male.

Let’s be clear, as of the start of 2021, no Hallmark movie has featured gay characters as leads. No matter what official Hallmark reps say, The Christmas Hoe and Mix Up the Mederranean do not feature gay leads. While I tly enjoyed The Christmas Hoe and loved seeg the happily married gay uple, they played send-fiddle to the ma straight uple’s romantic storyle.