Hallmark Alum Trevor Donovan's Shady Side Is No Secret

Hallmark is often considered a wholesome family-friendly network, but sometimes their stars are not. The actors have their own lives apart from the network, and Trevor Donovan hasn't been afraid to be a little shady.

You may be familiar with Donovan from his days on "90210," when he starred as Teddy Montgomery until 2013 when the show was axed by the CW. After wrapping up "90210," Donovan kept up with the acting world through various gigs before becoming a Hallmark regular. You may remember him from Hallmark films like "Prescription in Love" and "Love, Lost & Found." There was no doubt that Donovan was a fan-favorite on the network and he seems just as appreciative of the fans as they are of him. He told Suzee Behind The Scenes, "Without my fans, I wouldn't have a career and I wouldn't be able to do what I love to do. I am thankful for every single one of them." Although he became a Hallmark staple, Donovan eventually left Hallmark, but that doesn't mean he has completely gone away. The actor continues to do what he loves most — just on a different network.

Donovan has had a pretty incredible career that, on the outside, may not seem like there have been any bumps in the road, but don't be fooled; the actor has had a couple of shady moments along the way to his success.

If there's one thing you need to know about Trevor Donovan, it's that he's a huge dog lover, although he doesn't go as far as to treat his pets like human children; still, Donovan is dog obsessed. When speaking with Soap Hub, the Hallmark alum spoke about what makes dogs special. "Dogs bring a level of companionship and responsibility to your life," he explained. "I've come home and had a little soul, this life waiting for you at home. There's nothing better." But Donovan took on more responsibility than other dog owners because one of his dogs was disabled.

In August 2018, TMZ spotted Donovan strolling around the neighborhood with his two dogs, and he took the opportunity to detail the difficult situation his German Shepherd, Dogbert, dealt with. He revealed the pup had received a degenerative myelopathy diagnosis. Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine describes degenerative myelopathy as "a disease that affects the spinal cord in dogs, causing progressive muscle weakness and loss of coordination." Donovan explained that his dog was paralyzed in his rear legs and threw some shade at breeders for his dog's disability. "Greedy breeders are just sort of breeding their dogs anyway with the gene in them," he explained. "Because of greedy breeders, you've got dogs like Dogbert whose lives are going to end before their time." Donovan is not messing around when it comes to his dogs and is willing to throw anybody under the bus for his furry friends.

Trevor Donovan was on the widely successful television show "90210." Although it's unclear how much the actor was getting paid for his part, it sure had a huge impact on his life. Donovan had once told TV Source Magazine, "It's so much fun to get paid to play, to get paid to do what I love to do." But even though the actor had a consistent paycheck, he still got sued for a sketchy reason.

Donovan found himself in some legal troubles after landing his "90210" gig. TMZ reported in 2010 that the actor was at the receiving end of a lawsuit brought by a credit card company after they said they failed to pay up. Over the years, the actor had racked up some hefty charges on his card that were reportedly from before he landed his role on the show. The Hallmark alum applied for and received a Wells Fargo credit card in 2006. By July 2009 he had allegedly racked up a jaw-dropping balance of $42,469.69. It all seemed a bit shady that Donovan had a large debt, considering he was making money on "90210," and a company called Investment Retrievers was trying to get him to pay it back. It's unclear how the rest of the lawsuit unfolded as there is little information available — but it's possbile the actor sebtled his debts.

For several years Trevor Donovan and Hallmark went hand in hand as he became a staple on the network, but in 2021, the actor switched to Hallmark's rival network — Great American Family. Many wanted to know the real reason why Donovan left the Hallmark network, and he wasn't afraid to share it. Ultimately, the reason he left came down to two things. He told Variety in 2022, "My move to Great American Family was largely due to [CEO Bill Abbott's] support for my Team Upstanders program while we were both at Hallmark. Additionally, I was given the opportunity to produce my own films." Donovan's comments seemed like a bit of a dig at Hallmark as he talked about the support and opportunity he got at Great American Family instead of what Hallmark gave him, and the shade didn't stop there.

In February 2024, Donovan spoke with Movie Guide about what he loves about his new network. He said, "I love being able to make these movies that are morally uplifting and inspiring. It just sets a good example for people watching. ... So yeah, couldn't be happier." Donovan may not have made the remarks to shade his former employer, but they certainly came across that way — especially since the network had been his home for so long.

Trevor Donovan isn't shy about calling out fellow actors, including Candace Cameron Bure. Bure has been at the center of controversy before, particularly for her comments about the LGBTQ+ community and the programming at the Great American Family network, which sparked significant backlash. When speaking with The Wall Street Journal in 2022, the "Full House" actor insinuated there wouldn't be a representation of LGBTQ+ couples on the network. She said, "I think that Great American Family will keep traditional marriage at the core." People were unhappy about Bure's comments, even those on the Great American Family channel.

While speaking with Variety, Donovan spoke about joining the network and Bure's comments. Going against what Bure said and throwing a jab at her ideology. "I feel people should be and believe what they want, as long as they are kind and accepting of others. For those of you who have followed me since '90210,' you know my heart and character," Donovan told the outlet. "No matter who you love, no matter what your race or religion is, you matter." Despite the shady jab at the "Fuller House" actor, he did reassure fans there's no ill will. "Through mutual respect and acceptance, coexistence is possible," he stated. "Based on the few months I have known Candace, I have found her to be kind, and passionate about her faith."

Trevor Donovan isn't a fan of internet trolls, especially when it comes to his former "Dancing with the Stars" partner. Donovan appeared on Season 31 of the dancing competition where he was partnered with dancing professional Emma Slater. The two faced constant relationship rumors, but the "90210" star denied all the gossip. Donovan told US Weekly, "We've had a few weeks of getting to know each other to become friends and break down that wall and be comfortable with it."

The season after Donovan left, Slater got a new celebrity partner but the same romance rumors. Gossip circulated that the "DWTS" professional and her Season 32 partner, Mauricio Umansky, were dating. Knowing a thing or two about this, Donovan took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to call out all the gossip about Slater and Umansky. "Many don't understand the intense pressures of #dwts, the exhaustive nature of the rehearsals, and the stress of the show night performance," he wrote. "Because of all this, Emma and I grew very close during our partnership, and we are still close today. I guess some will always see drama where there's none." Umansky had just announced his separation from Kyle Richards, which didn't surprise people, so rumors ran rampant about him and Slater. However, he consistently denied any romantic link between them, making it clear that Donovan was firmly in his and Slater's corner.