How Hallmark Stars Spend Their Millions

Hallmark has the holidays on lock, especially when it comes to Christmas. In 2022 alone, the channel released 31 original films leading up to the end of December. This meant even more opportunity for Hallmark's biggest actors like Lacey Chabert and Jonathan Bennett to rake in big paychecks. For example, Eloise Mumford is worth an estimated $2 million for her 10 years of work with the network, including Hallmark Hall of Fame movies like "Christmas With Holly" and newer roles like "The Baker's Son" in 2021. "I'm a sucker for love stories and I'm a sucker for stories about community as well," Mumford said in a Hallmark Channel interview. Fans are also suckers for the variety of Hallmark's family friendly films, which helps its actors like Mumford fund their personal lives like going on hiking trips and having fun on boats. 

The channel shows no signs of slowing down, as it continues to produce films at a bargain cost for around $2 million per original movie. Even though the SAG then considers these low budget films with accordingly lower salaries, Hallmark's richest stars can still pull in thousands of dollars per week for their roles. Beyond a steady salary, many Hallmark actors like to be a part of films that, even if a bit formulaic, have positive messages. "It's just optimism. Good stories kind of get buried in the turmoil of everyday life," Kathryn Davis told The Guardian. These Hallmark stars can also be optimistic with millions to spend.

Candace Cameron Bure grew to fame in the TV sitcom "Full House" as the on-screen older sister of the Olsen twins. She then stopped acting in the '90s to focus on raising her family but later returned to the small screen, reprising her role as D.J. Tanner in the Netflix reboot "Fuller House" and also an impressive amount of Hallmark Channel original movies — 30 credits in more than a decade of work with the network. During this run of movies, Bure purchased an impressive home in California with her husband and former NHL star Valeri Bure. In 2015, the couple dropped over $2.3 million on a split-level ranch house in Malibu. This came from her estimated net worth of $14 million thanks of course to Hallmark but also due to her entrepreneurial spirit. Bure is a New York Times bestselling author, in addition to her work as a producer, director, and brand representative. 

Still, even with her big bank account, Bure is also a philanthropist and gives back to others. For example, she often takes part of the "SKIPtember" campaign for the Skip1 organization by taking money she normally would have spent on herself and instead donating. "I've decided to skip what would usually be a really nice dinner with friends and use that money to donate to @skip1org in the fight to solve world hunger," she wrote on Instagram. In another pledge, Bure donated instead of getting a manicure and pedicure.

After her Hallmark debut in the 2015 film "Angel of Christmas,"Holly Robinson Peete made history alongside Lyndie Greenwood in Hallmark's first ever holiday movie celebrating both Kwanzaa and Christmas. Peete explained she celebrated Kwanzaa when she was young and wanted her own children to know about the holiday, so she jumped at the chance when Hallmark asked her to appear in the 2022 movie "Holiday Heritage." It was a great year for Peete, who also received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and signed a multi-movie deal with the Hallmark Channel. All this success meant an impressive net worth of an estimated $4 million.

With some of this big money, Peete racks up airline miles, especially with Air Canada – the carrier she often used when going back and forth to Vancouver to film the original TV series "21 Jump Street." While filming the Hallmark Channel movie "A Christmas Journey," she purchased business class tickets for her visiting boys to fly home but unfortunately their famous last name didn't help as the teens were denied boarding after failing to furnish proof of payment. Peete went on Twitter to talk about her frustration and the airline ultimately reached out to the actor for the inconvenience.

Beyond spending money on flights, Peete also helps others. For example, prior to starting the HollyRod foundation with her husband, "We just started randomly paying people's drug bills, because insurance companies weren't covering them," she told Brain & Life.

Long before working with Hallmark and bringing joy to fans everywhere, Danica McKellar was best known for her role as Winnie Cooper in the coming-of-age sitcom "The Wonder Years." After the series ended in the early '90s, Cooper quit acting to focus on academics. She attended UCLA and graduated summa cum laude in mathematics. Even with the impressive degree, McKellar returned to acting with Hallmark. "I just wanted to put good energy into the world by doing movies like this," McKellar told E! News. "It's extraordinary how much these movies mean to people," she added. The actor also earned an extraordinary amount and is worth an estimated $8 million. She spends some of her money on her only son Draco, who gets his name from a constellation. 

McKellar also decided to spend money on a total transformation in living arrangements. As a child actor, she had lived in Los Angeles since the age of 7. Yet, after traveling for Hallmark Channel movies and seeing what life was like in bucolic areas of America, McKellar, her husband and mom, and Draco all moved to a rural part of Tennessee. "My husband and I have been wanting more nature for a long time. We were kind of ready to not be in a city anymore," McKellar explained to People. With the impressive property, McKellar got to work to add another full kitchen for her mom and now with enough space in a backyard, a giant trampoline.

After her hilarious role as Gretchen Wieners in the classic aughts film "Mean Girls," actor Lacey Chabert showed off her romantic comedic skills in her debut Hallmark Channel film "Elevator Girl" in 2010. While many actors go on to appear in multiple movies for the Hallmark Channel, Chabert took it to a whole new level, earning her the title of the "Queen of Hallmark Movies" for her performances all year long for over a decade. 

"Look, I don't take it lightly – I've done 35 movies now for Hallmark and I really consider it my mission to make each one better than the last," she told Forbes. "I feel really grateful that people choose to sit down in their living rooms for two hours and give us two hours of their time, so it's my job to make the best movie I possibly can and hopefully create a character they see themselves in," the actor added. 

Along with a long list of credits, Chabert also earned an impressive stream of income, bringing her net worth up to an estimated $4 million. Chabert spends part of her paychecks on self-care, like makeup, treatments, and even beauty machines to keep her face camera ready. The actor also admitted she likes to shop, including virtually through the Home Shopping Network. In fact, she was such a fan of HSN that it seemed like the perfect match when she later collaborated with the network to launch her own fashion line.

While filming the Hallmark Channel movie "Aloha Heart" in Hawaii, lead actor Taylor Cole admitted she loved spending her money to taste the local specialties. "I joke that I could give a professional food tour of Oahu because we were staying in a hotel, so that means staying in a hotel equals eating out a lot," she revealed to Just Jared. When lounging at the hotel, she may have been wearing one of her comfortable but stylish wardrobe pieces that she says double as pajamas.

As a frequent actor for the Hallmark Channel, one unexpected surprise from all her holiday film experience is that Cole became inspired to pick up old hobbies. The consistent paychecks also didn't hurt to help fund the fun. "It wasn't until I started acting regularly in Hallmark Channel movies that I even thought about playing more golf. I was meeting so many people that played," she told Elevated Magazines. Fortunately, her move to Lake Tahoe meant more opportunities to hit the fairways as Cole revealed she has played at least nine different courses in the area. 

"When I'm out on the links, surrounded by everything I love, there isn't an amount of bad shots that can ruin my round or my day," the actor said. In the winter, Cole likes to hit the slopes. "Since the first movie, I've picked up snowboarding," she explained to Monsters & Critics about how Hallmark kicked off her shredding down mountains.

Expertly playing the handsome male lead, Andrew Walker has appeared in an impressive number of holiday films on the Hallmark Channel since his debut in the 2012 movie "A Bride for Christmas." Luckily, all these movies meant he could keep his stockings stuffed with plenty of cash as he is worth an estimated $2 million. With these regular paychecks, Walker has spent some of the money on doing what he loves the most outside of acting. For example, his Instagram is full of photos showing off his travels and love for the outdoors, like when he hikes with his wife Cassandra Troy Walker. In fact, the two first hit it off over a mutual admiration for outdoor adventures. "It started with a hiking trip in Mont-Tremblant followed countless small wilderness adventures, and some big trips which are always centered around being in nature," Walker captioned in a selfie with his wife.

To help fuel these hikes, the Walkers may sip their craft juices. "In 2013, we eloped and used the money we'd been saving up for a wedding to start building our dream business: bringing amazing tasting, top-quality juices to our small community," the pair explained about launching their juice business called Little West. This was more than a little side project as the couple consistently invested their money into the business. "For years, we could barely afford rent because we constantly put everything we had into keeping Little West alive," she wrote on Instagram.

The major breakout for actor Jonathan Bennett came with his role as the heartthrob Aaron Samuels in the 2004 film "Mean Girls." Bennett expanded his fan base even more when he joined the Hallmark Channel family and even appeared alongside his "Mean Girls" co-star Lacey Chabert in the 2010 Hallmark Channel film "Elevator Girl." By 2022, he was starring in other holiday films including "The Holiday Sitter," which was the first Hallmark Channel film to follow a LGBTQ couple for the main story. Bennett is also credited with developing the story as he merged a personal experience with his love of the movie "Uncle Buck." The actor also knows a thing or two about earning bucks as he is worth an estimated $1 million. 

While his movies often take place in snowy winter wonderlands, Bennett's real life home was the complete opposite. Bennett and his partner Jaymes Vaughan bought a home they then nicknamed the Mai Tai Manor. The couple doubled down on the tropical kitsch and added tiki themed flourishes throughout the place. "It's like a Brady Bunch-goes-to-Hawaii theme," Bennett told Palm Springs Life about Mai Tai Manor. Bennett and Vaughan only lasted a few years in the decorative house but made an impressive profit from selling. Bennett reportedly paid $625,000 for the home in 2020 and sold it in 2023 for $1 million. The couple appear to be doing well financially as Bennett and Vaughan had a destination wedding in Mexico in 2022.

Jessica Lowndes completely changed gears going from an angsty teen in the aughts version of "90210" to a holiday delight in films for the Hallmark Channel like "Christmas at Pemberley Manor." More than just acting, Lowndes also showed she has a knack for crafting these types of stories. She wrote her first film script called "Over the Moon in Love" and sold it to the Hallmark Channel, while also starring and serving as executive producer on the movie. Outside of acting, she is also a multi-talented artist who can sing, choreograph, and direct her own music videos. Lowndes even performed a rendition of "Silent Night" in support of her role in the Hallmark Channel movie "A December Bride." For this wide array of skills, Lowndes has been appropriately compensated and is worth an estimated $6 million.

With a lot of money to access, Lowndes likes to purchase items for her beauty routine. "I've always loved make-up, and when I was younger it was my way of expressing myself," she explained to the Mirror. She also invests in her own career, especially as a musician. For her 2016 song "Deja Vu (Remix)," Lowndes revealed, "I funded the entire project myself. I came up with the idea four days before Christmas break and filmed the whole thing at my friend's house on Mulholland [in Los Angeles]. I produced the video, bought all the props," she told Entertainment Weekly.

Alicia Witt brings in fans to Hallmark both through her charming performances and her impressive story telling skills. According to Witt, she presented the channel with the idea for what would become the movie "Christmas Tree Lane" in 2020. In the meantime, she appeared in another holiday film, "Our Christmas Love Song." Both movies showcase Witt's impressive singing and piano playing abilities and for "Christmas Tree Lane," she even got to perform and release two original songs in the film. She was glad to bring joy to others and said she loved the experience. "My piano lessons were without question the thing I looked forward to most as a child and stayed with me my whole life," Witt told MediaVillage.

Music is such a big part of Witt's life that she relocated to Tennessee to focus more on that aspect of her career. "I thought, 'What if I sold this house and buy a new one in Nashville?' Then it all clicked. It's a beautiful thing to realize that after all these years, I can live where I feel happy and can continue to do the work that I love," she told Fox News. It also helped that she could help fund the move with an impressive estimated net worth of $4 million. While Nashville is known for some local delicacies like its eponymous hot chicken, Witt would rather spend her money on eating vegetables from her garden or eating at local vegan restaurants.

As a handsome leading man, Luke Macfarlane has made audiences swoon since he debuted with the Hallmark Channel in the 2014 movie "The Memory Book." According to Macfarlane, the scripts and his coworkers make it easy for him to appear magnetic on camera. "One thing that I really enjoyed about making Hallmark movies is it's really fun to flirt. It's fun to play that energy on camera, where relationships are at their best in those early times," he told the Los Angeles Times. "I guess Hallmark has given me a lot of flirting lessons," he added. 

Hallmark has also given him a lot of money, with many films adding to his estimated net worth of $2 million. With some of those millions, Macfarlane likes to go to hockey games. In fact, he once took his "Bros" co-star Billy Eichner to a game and treated him to prime seats right behind the goalie. As the actor remembered, "Billy goes, 'I bet we're the only people at Staples Center that are talking about 'Angels in America.' He was like, 'This is Bros. This is our movie.'" It was one of many movies with Macfarlane in a starring role, with more to come, as he signed a multi-movie deal in 2022 with Hallmark Channel's parent company. With this deal, Macfarlane could afford to purchase a more premium car than the first one he ever owned, a 1967 Buick LeSabre that cost $150.

Canadian actor Brooke D'Orsay has been in a wide range of roles, from TV sitcoms like "Two and a Half Men" to several of the delightful holiday films from the Hallmark Channel like "Beverly Hills Wedding." These credits have helped her amass an estimated net worth of $3 million. For D'Orsay, it's an easy call to spend part of her paychecks on her home life. "My holiday tradition is pretty simple: get on a plane and go home! As long as I'm with my family on Christmas I'm a happy girl," she revealed to The Harlton Empire. "One of my favorite things in the world is landing in Toronto and seeing my dad's joyous face when I come through the gate," she added. 

When she's not visiting family in Canada, D'Orsay calls the much warmer Los Angeles her home. In 2006, she and her partner Greg Coolidge bought a home in Hollywood Hills West for just over $2 million. By 2013, the expansive home was up for rent at $12,000 per month before selling for a profit the following year. The home featured a well-equipped home gym in a converted garage, which D'Orsay loved to regularly use. "If I have only 15 minutes, I knock out some toning moves or get in a burst of cardio. I have no excuse not to stay in shape," she revealed to Self about her fitness routine.

Prior to her charming roles in Hallmark Channel movies like "A Harvest Wedding," Jill Wagner was pranking celebrities like Usher and Katie Holmes in the MTV series "Punk'd." She was also great at hosting others who punked themselves as contestants on the reality show "Wipeout." Wagner didn't wipe out when it came to money as she went on to earn an estimated $4 million dollars. Similar to many Hallmark Channel characters, Wagner saw the charm in leaving the big city lights for a rustic home life. After living in Hollywood, Wagner and her husband David relocated to a 200 acre farm in Tellico Plains, Tennessee. While the property showed promise, especially as it was in the National Historic Registry, it still took two years for the couple to make the main home livable to their standards. Fortunately, the temporary living space sounded quite nice – a log cabin elsewhere on the property. Following the renovations, Wagner revealed she loved to head into Nashville to watch live performers. "I love the music scene there ... I feel like country music is in my bones," she told The Tennessean.

In addition to spending money on live music, Wagner also likes to build her wardrobe. Generously, she also auctions off some of her pieces for charity."I do this in my cousin's honor as she beat Leukemia due to the amazing research that LLS has been able to accomplish with our donations," she wrote on her eBay site.

'90s sitcom fans will all remember "Sister Sister," the ABC show starring twin sisters Tia and Tamera Mowry. Rolling into the new millennium, Tamera joined the Hallmark Channel family, starting with her first movie "A Christmas Miracle" in 2019. Tamera was unsurprisingly an instant hit with fans and the following year, Hallmark's parent company signed her to star in and executive produce more movies, plus join the cast of its lifestyle show "Home & Family." This huge deal helped contribute to Tamera's estimated net worth of $4 million.

Part of this net worth went into her impressive home in Suisun Valley, part of the wine region in northern California, where she lives with her husband Adam Housley, a correspondent for Fox News. Besides acting, Tamera is also a passionate home designer. While at home, Tamera spends to keep up her committed skincare routine and perfume collection. She also isn't coy about her wealth but is quick to say that she is still careful in spending her money. "My kids, if I'm honest, they are born with money," she confessed to Madame Noire. "My husband's side of the family, they're going to give money to my kids and I have money I'm going to give to my kids. However, they can't touch that money until they're 35. That's our rule because I want to teach them, don't depend on me, boo. You need to learn how to make money on your own," Tamera explained.