Who Is Luke Macfarlane? Meet the Fan-Favorite Hallmark Star and First-Time Father

Since his 2014 Hallmark Channel debut, Luke Macfarlane has starred in at least one film for the network every year. He's one of the most recognizable Hallmark faces, and it's no wonder why: He's disarmingly charming, sings like a bird and makes playing the cello look effortlessly cool.

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Besides his Hallmark hits (Hello, "A Shoe Addict's Christmas?" A classic.), Macfarlane has enjoyed a richly varied career in film and TV. The 43-year-old actor starred in 2022's "Bros," the first gay rom-com from a major Hollywood studio. He also appeared in the Apple TV+ series "Platonic" (2023) and in the Netflix holiday movie "Single All The Way" (2021).

But the Canadian-born star hasn't forgotten to throw us Hallmark obsessives a bone every now and then. In 2023, he starred in Hallmark's LGBTQ+ house-swap romance "Notes of Autumn," following it up with the Countdown to Christmas flick "Catch Me If You Clause."

You might think the in-demand actor doesn't have any time left on his plate, but Macfarlane is a proud father of one. He welcomed a daughter in June 2023. How did he become one of the most beloved Hallmark stars of all time? Read on for a rundown of everything we know about Luke Macfarlane — his upbringing, his breakout soap opera role and his reaction to becoming a dad.

Who Is Luke Macfarlane?

Thomas Luke Macfarlane grew up in a small town in Canada, in a family of academics. He decided early on that was not what he wanted to do with his life, as he explained to Rage Monthly.

"My family was all academics—medical professional academics—and part of me was terrified that I would end up in that field and be unhappy. I played the cello, so on a lark, I thought I would audition for Juilliard. I knew I wasn't a good enough cello player to make it. So instead, I thought I would trick them into believing that I am a good enough actor. I was very lucky and got into Juilliard. I was not a theatre kid, but this became my escape plan."

After attending Julliard School in New York City, Macfarlane's early career in Hollywood included roles in the film "Kinsey," the miniseries "Tanner on Tanner" and the FX series "Over There." His breakout came when he landed the role of Scotty Wandell on the ABC soap "Brothers & Sisters" in 2006. He appeared on the show for five seasons as the love interest and eventual onscreen husband of Kevin Walker (Matthew Rhys).

Following "Brothers & Sisters," Macfarlane went on to star in the Canadian sci-fi series "Killjoys," as well as the PBS drama "Mercy Street."

Luke Macfarlane's Hallmark Movies

Macfarlane made his Hallmark debut opposite Meghan Ory in the 2014 romance "The Memory Book." He's remained a familiar face in seasonal Hallmark movies since, popping up alongside leading ladies like Candace Cameron Bure and Nikki Deloach in flicks like "Christmas Land," "The Mistletoe Promise," "Karen Kingsbury's Maggie's Christmas Miracle," "A Shoe Addict's Christmas," "Just Add Romance," "Sense, Sensibility and Snowmen," "A Valentine's Match," "Chateau Christmas" and "Christmas in My Heart."

Macfarlane has appeared in at least one Hallmark movie every year since 2014. But, for a while there, it looked like he had parted ways for good with the network that nursed him. While promoting "Bros" in 2022, Macfarlane told the Los Angeles Times, "I think I've told my story for now with [Hallmark]." He added: "How many firefighters can I play?" (He did play a firefighter in 2018's "A Shoe Addict's Christmas.")

But Macfarlane made his Hallmark comeback in 2023 with the LGBTQ+ house-swap romance "Notes of Autumn," following it up with the Countdown to Christmas flick "Catch Me If You Clause."

He's a Classically-Trained Cellist

In the 2020 Hallmark movie "Chateau Christmas," co-starring Merritt Patterson, Macfarlane was able to show off his very real musical abilities. The original script called for a character who played the violin, but, as a classically trained cellist, Macfarlane asked to have the script changed to make it more authentic to his background.

"I love music," he told TV Goodness. "I really do. I've played the cello since I was a little kid. There was one moment when Merritt's character is playing the piano. I remember they had this wonderful pianist, Karen Allred. She had written all the music and recorded this beautiful Christmas-themed [composition]... I was listening to her play at the concert and it just hit me. I felt myself tearing up. Just that amazing moment where you [feel the] music. That was really maybe one of my favorite things. It was just also fun [to] sit around between takes and play cello and people [realized I could] actually play."

His New Life as a Father

Macfarlane and his partner, professional skier Hig Roberts, became parents in 2023. Their daughter, Tess Eleanor Macfarlane, was born June 4th, 2023. In an Instagram post celebrating the milestone, Macfarlane wrote, "Her Dads can't wait to introduce her to all the remarkable people and the beautiful world we live in." Can Luke Macfarlane please write Hallmark cards, too?

READ MORE: These Hallmark Channel Co-Stars Are Couples In Real Life