Anyone who watched the 2004 teen comedy "Mean Girls" will remember Jonathan Bennett as Aaron Samuels, the object of main character Cady Heron's affections (Lindsay Lohan). The role made Bennett a household name, and he went on to become a Hallmark Christmas movie staple. Since tying the knot in 2022, Jonathan Bennett and his husband Jaymes Vaughan have become a force for good in Hollywood and beyond.
Videos by Wide Open Country
"Mean Girls" was Bennett's catapult to fame. "I owe my entire life, my entire career [to 'Mean Girls']" Bennett told Salon in 2022. "Everything about who I am today I owe to Tina Fey, Lorne Michaels and Lindsay Lohan."
But the 42-year-old star has found purpose blazing trails at the Hallmark Channel and beyond. The Ohio-born actor came out in 2014 and has starred in Hallmark's first LGBTQ+ romances: 2020's "The Christmas House" and its 2021 sequel, as well as 2022's "The Holiday Sitter" and the 2023 Countdown to Christmas flick "Christmas on Cherry Lane."
His push for inclusivity doesn't end with what's onscreen. Along with his husband, Jaymes Vaughan, 40, Bennett has used his platform to champion worthy causes, from brand safety for LGBTQ+ consumers to safe drinking water in underserved communities. Here's everything you need to know about Jonathan Bennett and Jaymes Vaughan, a Hollywood power couple we can get behind.
Jonathan Bennett's Hallmark Movies
Craig Minielly/Hallmark
Bennett was born in Rossford, Ohio and attended Otterbein University, eventually moving to New York City to pursue a career in acting. Early on, he appeared in TV series like "All My Children," "Smallville," and "Veronica Mars." After his "Mean Girls" breakout, he scored roles in films like "Cheaper by the Dozen 2," "Love Wrecked" and "Bachelor Party Vegas." He also served as a TV host on "Cake Wars," "Cupcake Wars" and more.
Bennett made his Hallmark debut with 2010's "Elevator Girl," starring alongside fellow "Mean Girls" alum Lacey Chabert. Since then, he's become a Hallmark Christmas regular in films like "Love at First Glance" and "Christmas Made to Order." In 2020, Bennett became the face of Hallmark's push for more inclusive storytelling with "The Christmas House," the first film at the romance-minded network to feature a gay couple among its characters.
A sequel to "The Christmas House" was released in 2021, followed by 2022's landmark "The Holiday Sitter," the first Hallmark Christmas movie to center on an LGBTQ+ romance. Bennett continued his streak of inclusive holiday movies with 2023's "Christmas on Cherry Lane," which follows three very different couples navigating festive season in their own ways.
Jonathan Bennett's Views on Inclusivity at Hallmark
Emily Assiran/Getty Images for That's 4 Entertainment
His role as a Hallmark trailblazer is a point of pride for Bennett. He told EW in 2022 that producing and starring in "The Holiday Sitter" felt like "opening new doors":
"I'm so proud to be on Hallmark Channel and to be telling this story on Hallmark because of how inclusive the network is, but also from a creative standpoint. We're opening new doors by telling this story on the network, and a lot of people are gonna feel represented and feel like they see themselves on screen," Bennett said. "But for me personally, why it's such an important moment is because of how Hallmark Channel has created a safe space for queer people to tell stories. By having that door wide open, we'll be able to tell more. It's the best thing in the world — they literally created the safest space to tell queer stories."
Who Is Jonathan Bennett's Husband?
Tommaso Boddi/Getty Images for The Thirst Project
Representation of the LGBTQ+ community is something Bennett and his husband Jaymes Vaughan are passionate about. The couple wed in 2022 and have a Hallmark-worthy love story of their own.
Vaughan, a former "Amazing Race" contestant and TV host, was interviewing Bennett when they first met. Bennett told The Knot in 2021 that when he set eyes on Vaughan, he thought he was "the most beautiful man" he'd ever seen. For Vaughan, it wasn't exactly love at first sight, but he could sense the chemistry within minutes of meeting Bennett.
"The producer is counting down 5, 4, 3, and I'm like, 'Let's take a picture for social,'" said Vaughan. "The minute he leans into me, it's like electricity. And then the producer calls, 2, 1, go."
"The interview was a complete disaster," added Bennett. "You literally watch us fall in love with each other on camera. After it was over, I said, 'Can I get your number?' And he said, 'I would hope so.' My publicist said, 'Jonathan, you came on a little strong. Whatever you do, make sure you wait at least three days to call.'"
The two had their first date later that day. When it came time to pop the question, Vaughan knew he had to do something ultra-romantic for Bennett. He decided to write Bennett an original song, which he sang to him right before asking to marry him.
"I run out the door and Jaymes is standing there holding a sign that says, 'We never did find our song, so I wrote one for you,'" Bennett recalled of the proposal. "When I saw him with the sign, I knew I was being proposed to and began to ugly cry. It was the first time I heard the song and I just blacked out."
Jonathan Bennett and Jaymes Vaughan's Activism
Bruce Glikas/Getty Images
Bennett and Vaughan tied the knot in a lavish ceremony in 2022. After facing discrimination during their wedding planning, the couple found ways to make their special day a public-facing celebration of inclusivity.
For starters, the duo had their wedding rings custom-made at Kay Jewelers in an effort to establish the national jeweler as a safe space for gay couples. They also picked UNICO Hotel for their wedding venue after their chosen resort turned them away:
"For years, we planned to get married at Palace Resorts in Mexico," said Bennett. "When we got engaged, the owner said he couldn't marry us because we're two men and it goes against his morals. That was a sucker punch to the gut. We decided in that moment that our wedding was bigger than us. It's our wedding, but it isn't just about us. It's about the LGBTQ+ community. We're really making a point to make this wedding very loud on purpose."
Since their nuptials, Bennett and Vaughan have been a force for good in Hollywood and beyond. The couple co-hosted iHeart's PrideCast Podcast, which was nominated for a GLAAD Media Award. Along with his "Mean Girls" co-stars Lacey Chabert, Lindsay Lohan and Amanda Seyfried, Bennett participated in Thirst Project's 2020 campaign to raise funds for safe drinking water in Uganda.
For his part, Vaughan has lent his hosting talents to worthy events, like 2023's OUT100 Awards honoring LGBTQ+ individuals who have made a positive impact on culture.
