Hallmark Heartthrobs! Our Top 15 Favorite Actors, Ranked
When it comes to the handsome famed faces that bring our favorite Hallmark love stories to life, picking out a favorite is like choosing a star in the sky. Indeed, how can you compare Ryan Paevey's brooding eyes to Colin Lawrence's charming smile? Or Chris McNally's darling dimples to Kavan Smith's comforting voice? Although it was no easy feat to make this list — even though we enjoyed every minute of it — herour top 15 hunkiest Hallmark actors ranked.
And whether or not you agree with our picks, one thing is for sure…they are all so swoon-worthy and charming that you're going to love reading this list!
15. Cameron Mathison
Kicking off our list of Hallmark actors ranked is Cameron Mathison — who can truly do it all. The Canadian-American actor is known by many for his role as Ryan Lavery on All My Children, but Hallmark fans know him from the Murder, She Baked film series, At Home in Mitford, Very, Very, Valentine and Love, of Course, to name a few.
When he isn't playing a part, he's showing off that beloved personality of his as TV host and correspondent. You can find him across various programs and outlets, including Entertainment Tonight and Hallmark's Home & Family.
14. Niall Matter
It was a traumatic accident on the oil rig he was working on that led Niall Matter to seriously pursue acting. Nearly crushed in the cab of the rig, it took him six months to re-learn how to walk. When he finally recovered, returned to work and witnessed another traumatic accident, he decided his time at the rig was done and pursued his dream: acting.
Some of the roles that followed his accident were in The Best Years, Stargate Atlanis, and Eureka. He also starred alongside Candace Cameron Bure in the beloved Aroura Teagarden Mysteries series.
13. Kavan Smith
Fans of When Calls the Heart will recognize Kavan Smith in his role of beloved Leland Coulter, but the handsome actor has had a wide-ranging career outside of the Hallmark universe. Roles in various shows including Smallville, Supernatural, Battlestar Galactica and The Outer Limits preceded his current work with the network. His other Hallmark works, however, include Big Sky River, Big Sky River: The Bridal Path, and Love on the Menu.
12. Jack Wagner
Jack Wagner also falls into the category of veteran Hallmark actors ranked with an extensive resume. Not only is he known for his work on the screen, but he's also an accomplished musician and golfer. His most significant TV roles consist of Santa Barbara, Melrose Place, General Hospital, The Bold and the Beautiful, and on Hallmark, When Calls the Heart as investigator Bill Avery. Fun fact: Wagner appeared in over 1,300 episodes of The Bold and the Beautiful!
11. Tyler Hynes
Tyler Hynes got his start on the Hallmark Channel back in 2018, when he starred in Falling for You. Since then, some of his Hallmark titles include Flip That Romance, My Boyfriend's Back: Wedding on March 5, The Mistletoe Secret, Winter in Vail and, most recently, A Picture of Her.
In a conversation with UsWeekly, Hynes said, "Everybody is absolutely lovely. I think it’s as close as you can come to feeling like a family that is supportive,” in reference to the network. “And that just sort of bookends what is an absolutely enormous pleasure, which is the people who watch these movies. I can’t tell you enough about the human beings who watch these movies and how kind, lovely, wholesome and earnest and authentic they are.”
10. Will Kemp
Kemp is about as multifaceted as they come. Prior to his career on Hallmark, he was an accomplished dancer. Training at the Royal Ballet School, some of his most impressive credits include the lead in Swan Lake (both on Broadway and the West End), as well as the Gypsy Lover in Fredrick Ashton’s The Two Pigeons at the Royal Opera House. Kemp has also done commercial work and films such as Werewolf with Hugh Jackman and Step Up 2: The Streets. Some of his most notable Hallmark works include Christmas Waltz, Royal Matchmaker and Jolly Good Christmas.
9. Paul Campbell
Paul Campbell is another one of the beloved Hallmark actors ranked who got his start acting in Battlestar Galactica as Billy Keikeya. His first entrance into the romance world was in the 2008 film, Play the Game, where he acted alongside Andy Griffith, Doris Roberts, Liz Sheridan and Marla Sokoloff. However, it wasn't until 2013 that he got his Hallmark start in Window Wonderland, which kickstarted his residency on the network. Films followed such as Surprised by Love, Once Upon a Holiday, Sun, Sand & Romance, Holiday Hearts and many more. His most recent work was The Cases of Mystery Lane.
8. Brennan Elliott
Brennan Elliott made his television debut as Dr. Nick Biancavilla in the series Strong Medicine. Since then, he's been a fixture as one of the Hallmark actors, and his appearance in the Cedar Cove series cemented that. His other Hallmark works include A Christmas Melody, Love You Like Christmas, The Perfect Pairing and many more.
7. Andrew Walker
Andrew Walker may as well be Hallmark royalty, as the actor has appeared in more than 20 Hallmark films. Can you say dedicated? One of his most popular titles is Three Wise Men and a Baby, the 2022 holiday comedy that followed three brothers as they navigated caring for a baby that ends up in their care.
Walker brings something a bit different to the table, as he's more than just an actor — he's also an entrepreneur. That's right — he and his wife Cassandra are the co-owners of a juice company called Little West. With 20 Hallmark films already under his belt, here's to hoping that number continues to grow as one of our favorite actors to watch!
6. Colin Lawrence
Who can resist a smile like Colin Lawrence's? The English-Canadian actor has been making a name for himself over the last few years with recurring roles in television series like The Killing, iZombie, Impastor and Riverdale. He currently plays the role of Preacher on Netflix's hit series, Virgin River. Although a more recent addition to the Hallmark scene, fans may have caught his handsome face in Morning Show Mysteries: Murder Ever After and Napa Ever After.
5. Wes Brown
Starring in over 10 Hallmark films so far, Wes Brown is a fan favorite. He's acted in shows such as True Blood, Hart of Dixie, Private Practice, Deception and Once Upon a Time. Some of his Hallmark titles include Love Begins, Love’s Resounding Courage, Shadow on The Mesa, Christmas Cookies, Over the Moon in Love, Christmas at Graceland and Sweet Pecan Summer. He has even written an original song for one of his Hallmark films and served as executive producer on another.
4. Brooks Darnell
Darnell got his acting start at the age of 16, when he was actually scouted by a talent agent at a local fair. However, his acting career was put on the back burner while he pursued a pre-med education on a football scholarship. It wasn't until a sports injury cut his career short that he gave acting another shot.
Some of his work on the Hallmark Channel includes films such as A Winter Getaway, Holiday Heritage, A Christmas Miracle, Advice to Love By, and Game of Love.
3. Chris McNally
Chris McNally is a hit among this group of Hallmark actors, which is why he's ranked 3rd on our list. Another member of the When Calls the Heart crew, Chris plays Lucas Bouchard, but has also shown his stuff in other Hallmark works such as A Winter Princess, The Sweetest Heart, Rocky Mountain Christmas and Hearts of Christmas.
On his involvement with When Calls the Heart, McNally told HOLR Magazine, "When stepping into a series with an already established fanbase, you really want to do well by them. Making sure that I did a good enough job for them was incredibly important to me, as well as a bit intimidating." He went on to say, "I feel like the Hearties are one of the most dedicated fan groups out there. They truly care about the show. It’s fantastic because without them, the show wouldn’t be going this far."
2. Kevin McGarry
Kevin McGarry plays the role of Nathan Grant on the wildly popular Hallmark series When Calls the Heart. However, there's a chance you've seen him in some of his other works, including Heartland, where he played the role of Mitch Cuddy, and Hallmark films such as Winter Love Story, Winter Castle, and My Grown-Up Christmas List. You may have even caught him in an episode of the extremely popular series Schitt's Creek!
In an interview with MediaVillage, when jokingly asked about his Hallmark Channel takeover, he said: "Yeah, my plan is almost complete," he laughed. "I have one more [movie] that has something to do with butterflies, and now all I need is an Easter movie. Once I do one with bunnies, then I think they'll actually just give me the network!" Handsome, talented, and funny? What more could you need?
Fun fact: McGarry is actually in a relationship with his When Calls the Heart co-star Kayla Wallace, who plays the role of Fiona Miller. (Click through to read more about Celebrity Couples Who Starred in Hallmark Channel Movies Together!)
1. Ryan Paevey
Of all of our Hallmark actors ranked, it's no surprise that the dreamy Ryan Paevey tops our list. Paevey got his acting start in various music videos, but his first major television role came in the soap opera sphere with a stint on General Hospital as Nathan West. It wasn't until 2016 that Ryan Paevey made his Hallmark debut alongside Cindy Busby in Unleashing Mr. Darcy.
Since then, he's made his mark as one of the most beloved Hallmark male actors, starring in fan-favorite films such as Harvest Love, Marrying Mr. Darcy (the follow-up to Unleashing Mr. Darcy), Hope at Christmas, Friend to Fiancé, A Summer Romance (alongside When Calls the Heart star Erin Krakow), Christmas as the Plaza, A Fabled Holiday, Two Tickets to Paradise and many more.
His leading-man looks and overall charm have cemented his status as a certified Hallmark hottie, and he will always reign supreme as one of our favorite Hallmark actors!
(Click through to our sister site to read about The Top 14 Ryan Paevey Hallmark Movies You *Must* See)
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