Heavy/Getty Actress Jodie Sweetin
Longtime Hallmark star Jodie Sweetin is not happy that she’s starring in a movie premiering on Great American Family, but she says the decision was out of her control.
Heavy previously reported that Great American Family — a cable network started by former Hallmark Media CEO Bill Abbott — announced on August 9, 2023, that a new movie starring Sweetin, “Craft Me a Romance,” would premiere in September as part of its fall lineup of seven “original” movies.
The announcement was unexpected given that Sweetin, 41, had criticized Great American Family and its biggest star, her longtime friend and “Full House” co-star Candace Cameron Bure, over the network’s lack of LGBTQ+ representation. Last November, Sweetin got into a public spat with Bure (who left Hallmark in early 2022 to exclusively appear on and advise Great American Family) over comments Bure made to the Wall Street Journal about the new network’s intention to “keep traditional marriage at the core” rather than feature same-sex couples in its movies.
Many celebrities slammed that phrasing and philosophy, including Sweetin, who told Entertainment Tonight at the time that she had long been an “outspoken ally for LGBTQ communities.”
“I’ve always tried to fight for equality and love for everyone,” Sweetin said. “I feel like if you have a voice and you have a platform, it is incumbent on you to be loud and use it.”
Sweetin, who’s listed as an executive producer on “Craft Me a Romance,” now says she was as blindsided by the news of her upcoming premiere as her fans were. Here’s what you need to know:
Jodie Sweetin Says She’ll Donate Profits From Movie to LGBTQ+ Organizations
After buzz began building about Sweetin, 41, appearing in a movie on Great American Family, she issued a statement to People, published on August 12, to express her dismay over the situation.
“Sometimes, we, as actors, don’t have control over which network buys the projects we are in, nor are we a part of the process in which they get sold,” she said. “So I was very surprised to learn by reading about it in the press yesterday that the independent film I worked on over a year ago was sold to Great American Family.”
“Craft Me a Romance” was a project that Sweetin filmed in April 2022 for Fade to Black Films, an independent production company that develops and produces original TV movies for a variety of networks and streaming services. Other recent Fade to Black projects have included Trevor Donovan’s “Aloha to Love,” which aired on UPtv, and the murder mystery “Deadly Yoga Retreat,” which aired on Lifetime and featured longtime Hallmark star Jonathan Bennett. Fade to Black did not reply to Heavy’s requests for comment.
In her statement, Sweetin said, “I am disappointed, but in keeping with my mission of supporting the LGBTQ+ family, any potential or future money made from this sale will be donated to LGBTQ+ organizations.”
Although Sweetin technically already appears on Great American Family in reruns of “Full House” and “Fuller House,” which began airing on the network in early 2022, per Deadline, “Craft Me a Romance” will be her first movie on the network when it premieres on September 16. Great American Family and Fade to Black Films have not responded to Heavy’s requests for comment.
Meanwhile, Sweetin’s most recent Hallmark movie was May’s “The Jane Mysteries: Inheritance Lost,” co-starring Stephen Huszar, who told Digital Journal that they’re hoping for a second installment of “The Jane Mysteries” soon.
Fans React to Jodie Sweetin Movie Being Bought by Great American Family
HallmarkJodie Sweetin in Hallmark’s “The Jane Mysteries”
On social media, fans were quick to react to Sweetin’s statement, with many praising her for continuing to advocate for the LGBTQ+ community.
“Love her so much,” one fan tweeted. “She’s always been such a true ally to the LGBTQ+ community. Love @jodiesweetin!”
Another wrote, “Thank you Jodie Sweetin for supporting the LGBT+ family. You’re a highlight of so many of our childhoods.”
Someone else quipped, “Can we agree that Candace Bure bought that movie intentionally to piss off Jodie Sweetin? Cuz that’s the vibes I’m getting.”
But others have celebrated Sweetin appearing on Great American Family, either because they prefer that network and its ties to conservative funders and values or because they haven’t been a fan of Sweetin’s work on Hallmark.
On the Heavy on Hallmark Facebook page, someone reacted to the news by writing, “Great … I hope GAC becomes bigger and better than woke Hallmark.”
Another commented, “Good. I don’t like her acting no matter what channel she’s on. Her or Kimmie.
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Though Sweetin has not commented on her own social media platforms about the movie’s purchase by Great American Family, people have addressed it in the comment sections of her unrelated Instagram posts.
One person wrote, “You are causing hate by complaining who bought your film. Candace gave you more opportunities than you would ever had. You always knew her beliefs, but now you just talk crap. Not a true friend!!! You are a user.”
But another countered, “Thank you so much for your support … sucks your film went to Great American but we see and love you.”