Yahoo Lifestyle Hallmark’s 'Finding Mr. Christmas' Winner Says His Grandma Is Going to 'Freak Out' (Exclusive)
Hallmark has found its new leading man in Ezra Moreland.
The former navy rescue diver was named the winner of Hallmark’s competition series Finding Mr. Christmas in Thursday’s finale.
"It is such an amazing feeling," Moreland told Parade on the show’s winter wonderland set after winning. "Especially because winning this competition totally represents who I truly am and my family ... It’s such a magical coming together of my entire life, and I couldn't be more grateful and also proud."
Moreland's grandma Shirley, who is admittedly his "goal in life," is no doubt proud as well. Earlier in the day, the TV star revealed that his grandmother always has a "Hallmark movie going on" when they talk during "coffee time."
“If I can watch one of those [a Hallmark movie] whenever I can, I feel like that’s a direct connection to her and will always carry a sense of home wherever I am," he said.
Moreland imagined that his grandmother is "going to pretty much freak out" about him winning Hallmark’s first-ever reality competition series, which sees the winner star in an all-new original movie, Happy Howlidays, opposite Jessica Lowndes.
"She will be like, ‘What?!,'" he said. "Because she knows that anytime I go do a job, I travel, she knows that I'm following my heart, and I tell her that I’m able to do that from the guidance and inspiration that she's always bestowed upon my siblings and myself."
Jonathan Bennett, who co-created, executive produced and hosted the competition series, knew Moreland would make a perfect Mr. Christmas when he watched him onscreen.
"We said this from the beginning, how will we find out who Mr. Christmas is? How will we know? And we said we’ll know it when we see it. Because it’s something you can’t explain. It’s not who’s the best looking or who’s the funniest," Bennett explained. "It’s who has that thing that when they’re onscreen, everybody leans forward and when we watch Ezra onscreen, everyone leans forward. And I was like, That’s it."
Bennett landed the role of Aaron Samuels in Mean Girls after making others lean forward himself. He recalled, "I remember when I first got cast, honestly, in Mean Girls, our director Mark Waters told me that they took three finalists' tapes and they put them in front of like, I think it was like people in the office. They brought a bunch of people from the office," and the screen tests were played.
Related: Jonathan Bennett Reveals What Makes a Perfect Hallmark Leading Man
"Mark said, 'When you came onscreen, everyone leaned forward,' and I will never forget that,” Bennett shared. “When Ezra’s on camera, you lean forward.”
Fans can catch the newly crowned Mr. Christmas playing Max, a dog shelter owner, opposite Lowndes in Happy Howlidays, which premieres Saturday, Dec. 21 at 8 p.m. ET on Hallmark Channel.
Get to know Hallmark's new leading man, Ezra Moreland:
The Mr. Christmas shares five fun facts about himself with Parade:
1. "No matter how much I love to adventure and go on trips and all these beautiful views and stuff, I always carry a good book and my notebook with me, and I just try to find space for a coffee."
2. "No matter what, gonna find a way to get a workout in at least once a day, if I can, because I love to stay active and healthy. And that could just be a walk or a hike."
3. "If I don't connect with one of my family members for more than a couple days, something's wrong, and I'll just make the space and time to make it happen because, honestly, when I'm connected with my family, I feel like I can accomplish anything."
4. "[My] favorite food is lasagna."
5. "I need a hot coffee right now, and anytime I have one in my hands, I'm happy."
Related: Hallmark's Countdown to Christmas 2024 Schedule Is Here
