Luke Macfarlane fans rejoice! The Bros actor is set to star in a new LGBTQ+ inclusive romantic comedy for Hallmark.
On 18 August, the popular network announced the return of its fan-favourite programming event, “Fall into Love.”
One of the new films included in the lineup is Macfarlane’s romantic comedy Notes of Autumn, which also stars Ashley Williams, Peter Porte and Marcus Rosner.
Executive-produced by singer Debbie Gibson, the film follows Ellie (Williams) and Leo (Macfarlane), two long-distance best friends whose respective lives have reached a standstill.
Ellie, a classically trained pianist, struggles with her mundane hotel job. At the same time, openly gay author Leo has hit an unfortunate case of writer’s block while working on the latest addition to his famous book series.
To recharge their creative muscles and get a change of scenery, the two friends agree to switch homes, with Emily heading to rural Canada and Leo migrating to the city.
However, things take a romantic turn for Leo and Emily when they meet two hunky men – played by Rosner and Porte – who help them with their respective goals.
Fortunately, fans won’t have to wait too long for Notes of Autumn, with its release date set for 16 September.
Bart Fisher, Vice President of Programming at Hallmark Media, gave further insight into the film’s story in a statement.
“The journeys of these characters and the paths their relationships take are handled with tenderness, compassion and explored in meaningful ways,” he said.
“This movie celebrates the fall season in a fun, contemporary way and has something for everyone.”
Hallmark Channel
Gibson echoed similar sentiments in her own statement, describing Notes of Autumn as a “special story.”
“I’m so thrilled to have a creative voice during such an exciting time in Hallmark Channel’s programming. This is a special story that celebrates how love can blossom in the most unexpected ways,” she said.
Shortly after the film was announced, Hallmark enthusiasts flocked to social media to express their excitement over the new LGBTQ+ inclusive release.
One fan wrote: “I’ve probably never been more excited for a #Hallmark movie.”
Another fan tweeted: “Kudos to Hallmark for becoming inclusive!”
Notes of Autumn comes a few years after Hallmark’s parent company, Crown Media, announced that the channel would be taking steps to release more LGBTQ+ inclusive films.
In a 2020 statement to NBC News, George Zaralidis – Crown Media’s former Vice President of network programming publicity – wrote: “Diversity and inclusion is a top priority for us, and we look forward to making some exciting programming announcements in the coming months, including announcements about projects featuring LGBTQ storylines, characters and actors.”
Since Zaralidis’ statement, the network has slowly introduced more LGBTQ+ characters in its films, including The Christmas House series and The Holiday Sitter.
We can’t wait to fall in love with Luke Macfarlane all over again while watching Notes of Autumn.
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