Jonathan Bennett Talks About Broadway, Playing Gay, and Bringing the Gay to Hallmark Christmas Movies

Out actor Jonathan Bennett, star of the OG "Mean Girls," opened up in a recent interview about his iconic role in that film, becoming a "Hallmark Avenger," conquering Broadway, and having a chance to play characters that reflect the authentic truth about himself.

The 42-year-old actor told Today "that playing LGBTQ+ characters in romance movies [is] a 'relief.'"

"For so long, I lived in the closet and was a closeted teen heartthrob, which is what we were told to be in the early 2000s," when the original version of "Mean Girls" made him a star thanks to his role as Aaron Samuels, a teen hunk pursued by two of the film's female protagonists.

After that scarring experience in his early career, Bennett told Today that being a gay actor playing gay roles "repairs the parts of me that were torn and broken when I was having to not be my authentic self early in my career."

Added Bennett: "It's not that I felt weird playing straight roles. It's that I couldn't also be myself while doing that."

It's a different story now when he can play gay characters even on the Hallmark Channel, where he's been a regular actor in the annual crop of Christmas movies.

"Bennett starred in 'The Christmas House,' the first Hallmark Christmas movie to feature a gay couple as part of the ensemble cast, in 2020," Today recalled. "He then led 2022's 'The Holiday Sitter,' the first to feature a gay couple as its lead storyline."

"His most recent Hallmark holiday film, 'Christmas on Cherry Lane,' was nominated for a GLAAD award for outstanding film – streaming or TV," Today continued.

"For a lot of us, and for myself included, the holidays can be hard," Bennett noted in his remarks to Today. "Hallmark is a place that so many people can turn to and feel that they're part of something, because they are."

Talking about how he's starred in eight Hallmark movies so far, Bennett wisecracked, "What's it like to be a Hallmark Avenger?" Answering his own question, he said: "The Hallmark universe is the most special universe to be a part of."

Bennett went on to explain why. "The stories we tell matter to people because the holidays and Christmas are for everyone," he reflected. "We make sure that our stories and our characters reflect the people that watch our movies."

For many fans, though, Bennett will forever be primarily associated with Aaron Samuels, a character he originated on film and who is now portrayed by Christopher Briney in the new movie version of the stage musical that was based on the 2004 film (which was itself inspired by a book – "Queen Bees and Wannabees," a 2002 self-help book written by Rosalind Wiseman).

"And that's a good thing," Bennett said of his identification with the film and the character. "Because the movie was so powerful."

Still, Bennett isn't standing still with his career. He continues to forge new paths, like starring in his first Broadway show. Bennett is part of the new production of "Spamalot," which started just over a week ago.

"Since I was 5 years old, there's never been a bigger dream than being on Broadway," Bennett told Today.