20 Years After ‘Imply Women,’ Jonathan Bennett Is Discovering New Methods To Make Followers Swoon

To a technology of viewers, Jonathan Bennett will perpetually be referred to as Aaron Samuels, the dreamy jock who gained the guts of Lindsay Lohan’s character within the 2004 teen comedy traditional “Imply Women.”

The actor, who’s homosexual, has extra not too long ago been discovering artistic methods to replicate his lived expertise by way of his work. This fall, he’s one of many principal stars of Hallmark’s “The Groomsmen” trilogy, by which he portrays Danny, a homosexual athlete who helps his two straight mates (Tyler Hynes and B.J. Britt) as they put together for his or her respective weddings ― whereas holding out hope for a fairy-tale ending of his personal.

Within the collection’ second installment, “The Groomsmen: Second Probabilities,” Danny grapples with a “My Finest Good friend’s Marriage ceremony”-like conundrum when he’s requested to be the very best man for a longtime pal, Zack (Alexander Lincoln), who’s getting ready to tie the knot in Greece. What Zack doesn’t know, nevertheless, is that Danny has been suppressing his personal emotions for him.

“I received married two years in the past [to television personality Jaymes Vaughan] and I had a bunch of my greatest mates as my groomsmen, and I’ve been in a bunch of my mates’ weddings as their groomsmen,” mentioned Bennett, who can be a co-creator and co-producer on the trilogy. “Half my mates are straight, half my mates are homosexual, and we’ve all the time been a wolf pack.”

“These mates are there for you if you want one another,” he continued. “However additionally they have an innate capacity to name you out in your crap if you’re not being your greatest self. So I believed there was an fascinating story that hasn’t been advised of that male squad within the romantic comedy house.”

Bennett made his Hallmark debut in 2020 when he appeared in “The Christmas Home,” the community’s first holiday-themed providing to incorporate an LGBTQ+ storyline. Equally, “Second Probabilities” is billed as Hallmark’s first to function a homosexual wedding ceremony in a principal storyline.

After all, Bennett knew he’d have to remain true to rom-com custom by having the movie finish on a contented word for each Danny and Zack. However he and the remainder of the artistic group nonetheless regarded for sudden methods to subvert LGBTQ+ tropes.

Given the shortage of brazenly LGBTQ+ athletes in skilled sports activities, Bennett felt he would “supply aspiration and hope” to followers by making Danny a Main League Baseball participant.

“We wish to be sure once we’re telling tales ― whether or not it’s a vacation story or a marriage story ― that there’s all the time a seat on the desk for everybody,” he mentioned.

With 4 years of Hallmark expertise below his belt, Bennett can be thrilled to be mentoring would-be heartthrobs because the host of “Discovering Mr. Christmas.” Airing Thursdays, the competitors collection finds 10 actors vying to be the main man in an upcoming Hallmark Christmas film, “Joyful Howlidays,” starring Jessica Lowndes and due out Dec. 21.

“My dream for the present is for it to be just like the early days of ‘American Idol,’ the place everybody gathers across the TV collectively on the holidays, and all people has their favorites that they’re rooting for,” Bennett mentioned. As to what makes the perfect Hallmark vacation heartthrob, he famous: “They’ve a wit and a kindness to them. They’ve a complete lot of coronary heart and charisma popping out of their ears. And, in fact, they appear good in a Christmas sweater.”

Watch a teaser for “Discovering Mr. Christmas” beneath.

Along with his tv profession as soon as once more in excessive gear, Bennett additionally received to satisfy a lifelong dream this yr when he made his Broadway debut within the musical “Spamalot” as Sir Robin. Waiting for 2025, he’s longing for a chance to return to the stage or flip his consideration behind the digicam by directing his first function movie.

In the meantime, he and Vaughan have emerged as queer position fashions in their very own proper, providing quirky and colourful glimpses of their journey as a married couple to over 1 million followers on social media.

Bennett has been pleasantly stunned by simply how warmly his marriage has been embraced by legions of kids ― and their mother and father ― who could also be coming to phrases with their very own sexuality or gender id.

“Sharing my love for my husband unapologetically with the world has been one of many greatest honors of my life,” he mentioned. “We don’t submit photos of us kissing as a result of we would like photos of us kissing ― I’m not even a superb kisser. We do it as a result of we didn’t have a love that regarded like ours to look as much as. This fashion, our love could be seen by the individuals who have to see it.”