Why Did Danica McKellar Leave Hallmark? The Real Reason the Actress Joined GAC Family

Actress Danica McKellar’s longtime fans were shocked when it was announced that she was leaving Hallmark to join GAC Family. The Wonder Years alum later opened up about making the career decision and the reason behind the big network move.

When Did Danica McKellar Leave Hallmark?

Danica signed a four-picture deal to act and produce original films for GAC Family and GAC Living in October 2021. Prior to the announcement, she was a mainstay on Hallmark, appearing in feel-good films like Perfect Match, Crown for Christmas, Wedding Bells and many more.

“Danica is a world-class talent who is among TV’s most beloved and enduring stars,” Bill Abbott, President and CEO of GAC Media, said in a statement at the time. “Her combination of creativity and passion is second to none, and I am thrilled to have her join GAC’s close-knit family.”

Why Did Danica McKellar Leave Hallmark?

The Domino Masters judge later addressed questions about leaving Hallmark to begin a new phase of her career.

“Part of it was because I had the opportunity to do a multi-picture deal, which I hadn’t done at Hallmark, and also not just multi-picture, but also really being a producer, really helping to develop these stories from the beginning,” Danica told Us Weekly in June 2022. “And that’s really exciting for me as a storyteller. I love that. Plus, it was Bill Abbott who I adore, and a lot of the executives moved over there honestly. In some ways, [it] feels more like Hallmark than probably if I were still [at] Hallmark.”

She clarified the statement, adding, “So all producers are all the same. All the actors, of course, were the same too.”

In late 2022, her first film with the network, The Winter Palace, premiered. Danica’s second GAC Family film, Christmas at the Drive-In, premiered on TV that same year. In October 2023, the TV star announced that her third film, Swing into Romance, was heading to cable. The movie features performances by Dancing With the Stars pro Gleb Savchenko and actor David Haydn-Jones.

“The story for this movie was first conceived by my amazing husband, Scott Sveslosky — you’ll see his name in the credits!” she wrote on Instagram ahead of the movie’s premiere.

Who Else Left Hallmark to Join GAC Family?

Danica was not the only star to leave Hallmark behind. Jen Lilley, Jessica Lowndes, Trevor Donovan and Candace Cameron Bure also made the move to GAC Family.