Hallmark movie star Lacey Chabert defends channel from Candace Cameron Bure’s marriage remarks

‘I’ll never abandon what Hallmark means for me,’ ‘Mean Girls’ actor said

Hallmark Channel star Lacey Chabert has addressed Candance Cameron Bure’s controversial criticism of network’s Christmas movies.

Full House star Bure drew criticism in November after saying that her new employers, the channel Great American Family, would keep “traditional marriage at the core” shortly after the announcement of Hallmark’s first film centred on an LGBTQ+ marriage.

She added in an interview with The Wall Street Journal that a “change of leadership” had made Hallmark “a completely different network than when I started”.

Now, Mean Girls actor Chabert, who rose to fame in 1990s series Party of Five, has defended Hallmark, saying that she has “found a real home” with the channel.

“Any shift I’ve felt has been embracing our creative ideas, and it’s my responsibility to the audience who continue to tune into my movies that I give the best I have to offer,” Chabert said. “That’s always my mission.”

She added: “I’ll never abandon what Hallmark means for me, which is that everything is centered around the heart. I don’t think there are any plans for that to change anytime soon.”

Directly referencing Bure’s departure, Chabert said: “You know what, I wish everybody the best. I really can’t comment on it further other than I care about everybody involved.”

When pushed further on whether Great American Family had attempted to lure her away from the network, she replied: “I’m with Hallmark, and I work for them. I’m so sorry, but I’ll just have to leave it at that.”

Chabert, who played Gretchen Wieners in 2004 comedy Mean Girls, has starred in more than 30 Hallmark Channel movies.

Bure’s controversial comments drew criticism from many notable figures, including dancer JoJo Siwa, with whom the actor had a public feud just months before. Sawa branded Bure’s remarks “hurtful”.

Lacey Chabert (Getty Images)

In a lengthy statement provided to The Independent, Bure addressed her comments, saying: “I had also expressed in my interview, which was not included, that people of all ethnicities and identities have and will continue to contribute to the network in great ways both in front of and behind the camera, which I encourage and fully support.”

Read her statement in full here.