Hallmark Stars endorse Neal Bledsoe’s statement of inclusivity

Courtesy of Neal Bledsoe

Neal Bledsoe

After Neal Bledsoe announced he was leaving Great American Family due to inclusion concerns, a number of Hallmark stars stepped out to show their support. Here’s a look at what Bledsoe and his colleagues said.

Bledsoe shared his statement on Instagram

Bledsoe shared his statement in an Instagram post after making the statement only for diversity First. He said he is distancing himself from GAF after appearing in two films because he cares deeply about the LGBTQIA+ community.

“My life would not be where it is today without the love, support and guidance of the LGBTQIA+ community,” he told Variety. As such, he could no longer support the network after recent statements went viral.

In an interview with the Wall Street Journal, Candace Cameron Bure was asked if GAF vacation films could feature same-sex relationships in the future. She said, “I think the Great American Family will keep traditional marriage at its core.” In an Instagram post In response to the controversy, Bure said in part that not everything she shared was included in the Wall Street Journal story.

Bill Abbott, CEO of Great American Media, told The Wall Street Journal in response to the same question: “It’s certainly 2022, so we’re aware of the trends. There’s no whiteboard that says ‘Yes, that’ or ‘No, we’re never going to get here’.”

In his own testimony, Bledsoe did not name Bure or Abbott. He said that while everyone is entitled to their beliefs, he believes “the recent comments from the leadership of Great American Family are hurtful, false and reflect an ideology that favors judgment over love.”

The problem isn’t freedom to express beliefs he doesn’t agree with, he told Variety, but “someone in a leadership position who is speaking out about intentional exclusion.”

Hallmark Stars shared their support for Bledsoe

In response to Bledsoe’s Instagram post, which included part of his statement, a number of stars expressed their support.

Nikki DeLoach replied: “❤️🙏🏼❤️.”

Andrew Walker wrote: “❤️.”

Ashley Williams replied, “Yes, yes.”

Julie Gonzalo wrote: “Well said friend 👏👏.”

Torrey DeVitto also responded with a simple “❤️”.

Erin Cahill replied, “💗🙏💗.”

Kimberly Williams Paisley wrote, “👏🏻👏🏻❤️❤️❤️YES.”

Antonio Cayonne replied: “I very much appreciate your point of view, your language, your beliefs and your intentional use of your ‘platform’. It takes people like you to do things like this. Keep it loud, friend.”

Bledsoe just starred in a new Christmas movie on GAF opposite Danica McKellar called Christmas at the Drive-In. McKellar released her own statement on inclusivity just before Thanksgiving, writing that she was a new Christian and believed in “all forms of wholesome love between adults.”

“My husband and I had the privilege of attending my good friend’s beautiful wedding with his husband in Mexico earlier this year,” she wrote.

She added that she supports representation and “as far as I can tell, Jesus loves and includes everyone. It’s kind of His business…”

Earlier this year, Bledsoe starred alongside McKellar in GAC Family’s The Winter Palace. He has also acted in Hallmark films, including “Coming Home for Christmas” opposite McKellar and “A Christmas Carousel” opposite Rachel Boston. His other credits include “The Blacklist”, “Killer Whales”, “Younger”, “Agents of SHIELD”, “Shameless” and more.

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