Jonathan Bennett Trades West Hollywood for Palm Springs While Leading Hallmark’s Holiday Evolution
Jonathan Bennett, the actor who first rose to fame as the high school heartthrob Aaron Samuels in the 2004 cult classic “Mean Girls,” has undergone a significant professional and personal evolution. At 45, Bennett has established himself as the premier leading man for the Hallmark Channel, a role that keeps him perpetually immersed in tinsel and holiday cheer—often to the point of seasonal exhaustion.
Now operating from his home office in Palm Springs, Bennett’s current life is a far cry from the bustle of Los Angeles. He and his husband, Jaymes Vaughan, made the move to the desert after years in West Hollywood, seeking a quieter pace following their marriage. Bennett noted that after two decades in that environment, he felt it was the right time to transition to a new chapter outside the immediate gravity of the Hollywood scene.
Professionally, Bennett’s work with Hallmark has been more than just prolific; it has been historic. He starred in “The Christmas House,” which marked a milestone for the network as its first film to prominently feature a same-sex storyline. More recently, he has taken the lead on projects like the reality competition “Finding Mr. Christmas” and continues to balance his schedule with appearances on “General Hospital.”
However, the actor admits that being the face of the holiday season comes with a unique trade-off. Because he spends months filming and promoting festive content, he is frequently “Christmas-ed out” by the time December 25 actually arrives. Bennett explained that after talking about the holidays for two months straight, his preferred way to spend the actual day is decidedly low-key: he and Vaughan typically sit on the couch, order takeout, and simply relax without any festive fanfare.
When he is working, Bennett describes himself as a “creature of habit,” a trait that helps him manage the inconsistency of frequent travel. This is most evident during his filming trips to Vancouver, a common production hub for holiday films. Despite the city’s vast culinary scene, Bennett sticks to a rotation of the same four or five specific restaurants every time he visits. This need for consistency extends to his fitness routine; a former Flywheel instructor, he uses his time at the gym for professional preparation, often memorizing his scripts while working out on the equipment.
His preferences in entertainment are equally specific. As an actor, he finds it difficult to enjoy comedies because he tends to analyze the mechanics of the writing and the setup of the jokes. Instead, he turns to “RuPaul’s Drag Race” and true crime documentaries. Bennett finds a peculiar sense of peace in the latter, citing the psychological comfort found in the genre’s typical structure. He noted that there is something relaxing about the predictable resolution of a mystery, where the culprit is eventually caught and the case is closed.
Whether he is filming in Canada or returning from assignments with Carnival Cruises, Bennett’s lifestyle in Palm Springs serves as his anchor. His career remains deeply tied to the holiday season, but his daily life is now defined by the quiet routines and familiar comforts he has established far from the lights of West Hollywood.
