© 2026 ABC News

\"If Hallmark Channel is putting out one of their biggest movies and it has a gay storyline as one of the main storylines, then every network can put out a movie like this and have inclusion in it,\" he added.

In July, Hallmark issued a statement promising more inclusion after receiving criticism that none of its upcoming holiday films announced at the time featured an LGBTQ lead.

\"Diversity and inclusion is a top priority for us,\" read the company's statement. \"We are committed to creating a Hallmark experience where everyone feels welcome.\"

Bennett said he is already in talks for more projects with the network for 2021.

\"We already have projects greenlit in development that will make the holiday table grow even next year,\" he said. \"This isn't the end, this is only the beginning for this on Hallmark Channel.\"

Check out an exclusive clip from the film below:

Video: Scene from 'The Christmas House'

","canonicalUrl":"https://abcnews.com/GMA/Culture/jonathan-bennett-talks-lgbtq-representation-hallmark-movie-christmas/story?id=74295273","legacySlug":"/culture/story/jonathan-bennett-talks-lgbtq-representation-hallmark-movie-christmas-74295273","noIndexNoFollow":false},"publishTime":"16:11","publishDate":"11-20-2020","updatedTime":"20:09","updatedDate":"11-20-2020","socialImage":{"alt":"Jonathan Bennett appears in a scene from Hallmark's \"The Christmas House.\"","credit":"Allister Foster/The Hallmark Channel","ratio":"16x9","url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/hallmark-lgbtq-film-01-ht-llr-201118_1605721447035_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg","width":992,"height":558},"datePublished":"11/20/2020 16:11:00 GMT","video":{"live":false,"id":74295273,"headline":"Jonathan Bennett talks 'The Christmas House' film","mediaAssetTitle":"JONATHAN BENNETT HALLMARK INTERVIEW","description":"The actor said this is the most important role he's ever played. ","duration":"9:41","posterImg":{"url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/default-img-undefined.png","width":608,"height":342},"video":{"feed":"https://service-pkgabcnews.akamaized.net/opp/hls/abcnews/2020/11/201120_gma_digital_bennett_,500,800,1200,1800,2500,3200,4500,.mp4.csmil/playlist.m3u8"},"playlist":["73181788","71830551","73038943"]},"relatedItems":[{"contentType":"story","date":"September 23, 2020","headline":"Hallmark Channel announces Christmas movie featuring gay couple looking to adopt","section":"culture","slug":"/culture/story/hallmark-channel-announces-christmas-movie-featuring-gay-couple-73181788","id":73181788,"image":{"alt":"Hallmark Channel announces Christmas movie featuring gay couple looking to adopt","url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/jonathan-bennett-gty-jt-200922_1600822200083_hpMain_4x3t_240.jpg","credit":"David Becker/Getty Images for Outfest, FILE","ratio":"1x1"}},{"contentType":"story","date":"July 16, 2020","headline":"Hallmark announces plans to debut 'LGBTQ storylines, characters and actors'","section":"culture","slug":"/culture/story/hallmark-announces-plans-debut-lgbtq-storylines-characters-actors-71830551","id":71830551,"image":{"alt":"Hallmark announces plans to debut 'LGBTQ storylines, characters and actors'","url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/christmas-01-as-ht-200716_1594936903851_hpMain_4x3t_240.jpg","credit":"Fred Hayes/Crown Media United States LLC","ratio":"1x1"}},{"contentType":"story","date":"September 30, 2020","headline":"Hallmark Channel star is on a mission to help kids in foster care","section":"family","slug":"/family/story/hallmark-star-mom-mission-fix-foster-care-system-73038943","id":73038943,"image":{"alt":"Hallmark Channel star is on a mission to help kids in foster care","url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/lilley-adoption-ht-rc-200922_hpMain_4x3t_240.jpg","credit":"Courtesy Jen Lilley","ratio":"1x1"}}],"relatedContentSection":"news","schemaContent":{"name":"Jonathan Bennett talks 'The Christmas House' film","description":"The actor said this is the most important role he's ever played. ","duration":"9:41","uploadDate":"11-20-2020","publication":"11-20-2020","images":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/default-img-undefined.png","url":"https://service-pkgabcnews.akamaized.net/opp/hls/abcnews/2020/11/201120_gma_digital_bennett_,500,800,1200,1800,2500,3200,4500,.mp4.csmil/playlist.m3u8","contentUrl":"https://service-pkgabcnews.akamaized.net/opp/hls/abcnews/2020/11/201120_gma_digital_bennett_,500,800,1200,1800,2500,3200,4500,.mp4.csmil/playlist.m3u8","link":"https://www.goodmorningamerica.com/culture/story/jonathan-bennett-talks-lgbtq-representation-hallmark-movie-christmas-74295273"}},"playlist":[{"id":"133749799","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"133777519","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"133748258","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"133730535","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"133712423","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"133694181","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"133688738","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"133616358","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"133616342","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"133522899","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"133584123","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"133579397","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"133482839","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"133390157","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"133415361","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"133414032","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"133380485","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"133358298","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"133350119","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"133307515","contentType":"story","section":"news"}],"kvps":{"pgtyp":"article","lang":"en","sp":"goodmorningamerica","programmatic":"true","bundleId":"com.abcnews"}},"analytics":{"accountID":"wdgnewwdgnewgmaweb","ns":"gma","pageName":"gma:culture:video","pageType":"video","globalSpecVersion":"v1.08","siteDifferentiator":"gma:site","tagID":"g_page01","userABCookie":"0","section":"culture","title":"Jonathan Bennett talks 'The Christmas House' film","pubTime":"11:11","pubDate":"11-20-2020","modTime":"15:09","modDate":"11-20-2020","taxonomyTags":"none","id":74295273,"editorialOtherSubjects":"","wordCount":"none","columns":"none","authors":"","authorsUnit":"none","authorsBureau":"none","subBrand":"Good Morning America","provider":"Good Morning America","videoName":"Jonathan Bennett talks 'The Christmas House' film","mediaAssetTitle":"JONATHAN BENNETT HALLMARK INTERVIEW","videoId":74295273,"mediaOnPage":"video","legacySlug":"/culture/story/jonathan-bennett-talks-lgbtq-representation-hallmark-movie-christmas-74295273"},"taboola":{}},"request":{"headers":{},"httpVersion":"1.1","method":"GET","url":"/video/74295273","vary":{"host":"www.goodmorningamerica.com","cached":true,"path":"/video/74295273","forwarded-proto":"https","device":"desktop","userab":"0"}},"viewport":{"width":1260,"height":0},"user":{}};