hallmark soap opera actors

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When we think of Hallmark, these are the names — and faces — who spring to mind.

It's not surprising that soap lovers flock to the various movies and series produced by Hallmark. Not only do they star a slew of faces familiar to daytime fans but they almost always have at their heart big emotions, family ties and romance… in other words, all the things we tend to look for in our entertainment offerings!

When many think of Hallmark movies one of the first names to come to mind is Candace Cameron Bure. She's been a familiar face in households for years, having started out as Full House's studious D.J. Tanner, and has appeared in numerous Hallmark movies, plus is the face of Hallmark Movies & Mysteries Aurora Teagarden Mysteries series. Even so, could you as a soap fan ever picture her on one of your favorite daytime dramas?

We spoke to the actress back in May and when asked if she's ever considered doing daytime, Bure not only said, "hey, never say never," she admitted to having been a Days of Our Lives fan for over 10 years and gave us a glimpse into her routine that once circled around the NBC soap. "When my kids were young, and I lived in Calgary – my husband was playing hockey for the Calgary Flames — I would watch Days of Our Lives every single day. I'd put them down for their naps and sit and watch my show."

Candace Cameron Bure Hallmark

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Other names familiar to daytime fans who regularly pop up on Hallmark productions include Lacey Chabert (Bianca, All My Children), Alison Sweeney (Sami,Days of Our Lives) Jen Lilley (ex-Theresa, Days of Our Lives) and General Hospital's Ryan Paevey (ex-Nathan) to name but a few. Another former daytimer who's gained a very big Hallmark following? Guiding Light alum Bethany Joy Lenz (Michelle), whose combination of girl-next-door looks and just-this-side-of-sassy persona make her a perfect fit for the genre. The actress shared a post on Instagram featuring a photo from the set of her recent Countdown to Christmas movie Five Star Christmas, opposite Days of Our Lives' Victor Webster (ex-Nikolas), to which a fan, Linda K. Collier, replied, "Just watched your movie and I loved it! You are beautiful and awesome as always! And Victor is handsome and charming as ever! Great cast and story! Merry Christmas!"

So, who are your favorites? Take a look at our list of 20 beloved Hallmark stars in the gallery below, then hit the comments with your thoughts on who we failed to mention. in

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