Candace Cameron Bure has defended the Hallmark Channel diversifying its casts. Hallmark movies may have had loads of Christmas cheer but have lacked diversity. It’s been criticized for its lack of Black leads and excluding the LGBTQ+ community from its movies. Hallmark has been trying to make amends by improving the diversity in its movies a little at a time. Bure has been in numerous Hallmark holiday movies as a lead. Her 10th film with Hallmark The Christmas Contest premieres tomorrow. Candace Cameron Bure commented on the channel’s progress saying, “Hallmark has definitely made changes in that direction, which we are all very, very happy to see.” People who previously worked for Hallmark say it has an “unwritten rule” that they intentionally keep out people of color and people of the LGBTQ+ community. Bill Abbot, CEO of Hallmark parent company Crown Media Family Networks, has repeatedly denounced this notion.
The (Lack of) Diversity in Hallmark Movies
“I’ve been with this brand for a very long time and I understand what it’s all about and who the audience is and what they’re looking for, because as a producer, as well as an actress, it’s what I’m looking for in the films. So I have taken that very seriously,” Candace Cameron Bure said. Maybe the channel has made a lot of progress. They have a few movies for the holiday season featuring people of color: The Santa Stakeout, A Holiday in Harlem, Christmas in Harmony. The casting and storylines of Hallmark movies have been the basis of many memes. The jury is still out on how critics are taking the new casting and storylines. Bure said she is a part of the changes the channel is trying to make, so critics will have to wait and see if it rings true.