Luke Macfarlane
A Canadian actor who broke ground by becoming Hallmark's first openly gay leading man, bringing authentic queer romance to mainstream television.
Born 1980 (age 46)·Canadian actor·Birthday: January 19·Generation X
Biography
Luke Macfarlane grew up in London, Ontario, and trained at the Juilliard School, a background that grounded his career in classical discipline. He first gained attention as the charming, conflicted soldier Scotty Wandell on 'Brothers & Sisters,' a role that placed a gay relationship at the heart of a family drama. After exploring sci-fi action in 'Killjoys,' he pivoted to a new frontier: the cozy world of Hallmark movies. His decision to be an openly gay lead in that traditionally conservative genre wasn't just a personal milestone; it signaled a shift in the network's storytelling. That journey culminated in the 2022 film 'Bros,' a major studio comedy where he played opposite Billy Eichner, cementing his role as a visible and bankable figure in expanding romantic narratives on screen.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Luke was born in 1980, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Luke Was Born
The biggest hits of 1980
#1 Movie
The Empire Strikes Back
Best Picture
Ordinary People
#1 TV Show
Dallas
Luke's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1980Born
John Lennon shot and killed in New York
Gas: $1.19/galHome: $47,200Min wage: $3.10/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Call Me" — BlondieBest Picture: Ordinary People
1985Started school
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1993Became a teenager
European Union officially established
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $86,600Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"I Will Always Love You" — Whitney HoustonBest Picture: Schindler's List
1996Could drive
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
1998Could vote
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
2001Turned 21
September 11 attacks transform the world
Gas: $1.46/galHome: $126,400Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Hanging by a Moment" — LifehouseBest Picture: A Beautiful Mind
2010Turned 30
Deepwater Horizon oil spill; iPad launched
Gas: $2.79/galHome: $147,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Tik Tok" — KeshaBest Picture: The King's Speech
2020Turned 40
COVID-19 pandemic shuts down the world
Gas: $2.17/galHome: $248,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Blinding Lights" — The WeekndBest Picture: Nomadland
2026Age 46 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Played Scotty Wandell, one half of a landmark gay marriage storyline on the ABC drama 'Brothers & Sisters.'
- Starred as lead agent D'avin Jaqobis across five seasons of the Space channel sci-fi series 'Killjoys.'
- Became the first openly gay actor to headline a series of romantic films for the Hallmark Channel.
- Co-starred with Billy Eichner in the 2022 Universal Pictures comedy 'Bros,' a major studio film centered on a gay relationship.
Did You Know?
He is a trained cellist and performed with the National Youth Orchestra of Canada.
Before acting, he was a member of the boy band 'Eyz Wide Shut' with his brother.
He publicly came out as gay in a 2008 interview with The Globe and Mail.
“I think there's something really powerful about seeing two men in love in a Hallmark movie.”
