Danica McKellar Ditches Hallmark to Make Movies for New TV Channel

Hallmark star Danica McKellar is walking away from the network to partner with a new TV channel. Deadline reports the actress has inked a four-picture deal to star in and executive produce original projects for GAC media’s GAC Family and GAC Living. Her first movie with the network, The Winter Palace, has already received a January 2022 premiere date. 

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

Abbot is the former CEO of Hallmark’s parent company, Crown Media Family Networks. As part of the effort to launch the new channel, the GAC President has been busy recruiting some of Hallmark’s top talent to help create and produce new original works. Trevor Donovan was the last Hallmark alum to sign a multi-picture deal with GAC. 

McKellar’s been a major attraction for Hallmark. Within the last five years, she’s been a staple during cable TV’s holiday season. She’s starred in at least one holiday film every year since 2015. You, Me and the Christmas Trees, her most recent Hallmark holiday movie premiered last week on the network. The actress’s GAC Media deal, which extends through 2023, will exclusively see her in rom-coms and holiday movies. 

McKellar earned her big break in Hollywood with her role as Winnie Cooper on The Wonder Years. She recently appeared in a guest spot on ABC’s Home Economics and is scheduled to serve as a judge on Fox TV’s upcoming unscripted competition series Domino Masters, which is slated for a 2022 premiere. Outside of her acting work, McKellar is also a New York Times Bestseller for her multiple math-themed children’s books: Math Doesn’t Suck, Kiss My Math, and The Times Machine –– all of which are available at McKellarMath.com. The actress graduated summa cum laude from UCLA with a degree in Mathematics. She also contributed original research, which resulted in the development of “The Chayes-McKellar-Winn Theorem.”