Candace Cameron Bure is excited to film “another four to five movies” with Great American Family in 2025, but her journey with the network has had its challenges.
“It’s definitely tough when dealing with the media,” Cameron Bure, 48, shared with The Hollywood Reporter in an interview released on Wednesday, December 25. “We appreciate the media for directing people to our channels, but there’s always a chance that what we say can be taken out of context.”
The actress mentioned that her previous remarks about Great American Family — which is part of Great American Media — emphasizing “traditional marriage” instead of Hallmark Channel’s more diverse storylines (like those featuring same-sex couples) created some bumps along the way.
“That was something I faced when I joined Great American Family, and it was a really challenging period,” Cameron Bure reflected. “Being misunderstood like that was hard.”
Cameron Bure, known for her role on Full House, made news in April 2022 when she revealed that she was leaving Hallmark Media after 13 years to join Great American Media. This change brought her back together with Bill Abbott, the former CEO of Hallmark, who had stirred some controversy before leaving the network by pulling an ad that featured a same-sex couple.
In November 2022, Cameron Bure shared her reasons for the switch after being a major part of Hallmark’s holiday programming and earning the title of “Queen of Christmas.” She told The Wall Street Journal’s WSJ. Magazine, “My heart wants to tell stories that have more meaning and purpose and depth behind them.”
She said that Hallmark was a “totally different network than when I first joined” and she was really looking forward to working with Great American Family because they want to “support faith-based shows and good family entertainment.”
Cameron Bure also mentioned, “I believe that Great American Family will focus on traditional marriage.”
This statement upset many fans and celebrities, with some even calling Cameron Bure a “bigot.”
Cameron Bure, who has produced several movies for Great American Family through her Candy Rock Entertainment company, expressed her sadness about the negative reactions she got at that time.
She started her long message on Instagram in November 2022 by saying, “Everyone who knows me understands that I truly care for all people.” She expressed how much it hurts her to think that anyone would believe she would want to upset or hurt someone on purpose. She also mentioned that it makes her sad to see the media trying to create divisions, even over something as joyful as Christmas movies. Given how things are in our world today, she said she shouldn’t be surprised. “We really need the spirit of Christmas now more than ever,” she added.
She described herself as a “dedicated Christian” who feels it’s her mission to love everyone.
Cameron Bure finished her message with, “To all of you reading this, no matter your background, beliefs, or political views, including those who have tried to hurt me with insults, I love you.”
Two years later, Cameron Bure mentioned that Great American Family is still finding its place in the media world and focusing on its faith-based content.
“We’re a pretty new channel. This is just our fourth year doing Christmas,” she shared with THR. “Like any new business, you have your main audience and what you want to achieve, and you’ll create the content that fits that group best.”
The Fuller House star added: “Most networks don’t try to appeal to everyone. What sets our channel apart from others is that we’re open about discussing God and how He influences our lives, rather than just talking about fate or luck.”
Cameron Bure mentioned that Great American Family focuses on “faith in our movies,” which fits perfectly with their channel’s slogan: “Christmas as it’s meant to be.”
Because of this, she looks for stories that not only celebrate Christmas but also “touch the heart and have more purpose than just the magic of Christmas or Santa Claus.”
Even though she faced some criticism for her comments in the past, Cameron Bure said she has always remained committed to her vision for Great American Family, which prioritizes love and God.
“It’s always been the spirit of all the movies that I’ve produced. God loves all of us, and that’s the spirit behind everything I create,” she added.