Brendan Penny
ActorActive 2015–2025
View on IMDb
View on TMDBCareer at a glance
20Hallmark films
8 at Christmas
Audience rating6.5 / 10
across 16 rated films
Weirdness4.3 / 10
Mostly standard issue
Best reviewed
Most recent
Brendan Penny is the kind of actor Hallmark plugs in when a film needs to feel safe in good hands, even if the marquee rarely says so. Across twenty films since 2015 he has been the lead exactly once, working most of the time as the steady presence inside the ensemble. Winter and small towns are his element, the setting for ten of those titles, and eight are Christmas movies that he plays straight without ever winking at the camera. His high point is Time for Them to Come Home for Christmas from 2021 at 7.2, with The Wedding Cottage close behind at 7.1. Laura Soltis turns up in four of his films, the nearest thing he has to a regular partner. For a cozy December night, he is a familiar face you already trust.
Follow & about Brendan
- From
- Ottawa
Brendan James Penny is a Canadian film and television actor who first became well known to TV audiences as A.J. Varland in the first season of Whistler that aired in Canada from 2006 to 2008. He is perhaps best known as Detective Brian Lucas in Motive, a Canadian crime drama centred on a team of Vancouver homicide detectives, also starring Kristin Lehman, Louis Ferreira and Lauren Holly, which aired from 2013 to 2016. Brendan currently stars as Kevin O'Brien in the Hallmark Channel family drama series Chesapeake Shores, which premiered on August 14, 2016. He has also been the hero of a number of Hallmark originals.
Brendan’s signature
Across 20 films, Brendan often leans into Christmas and is usually set in small towns.
- Christmas8 films
- small towns10 films
- a marketing3 films
12 hours
12 hours of Hallmark Christmas movies, and counting.
Adds up across 8 festive titles.
Known for
A Dash of Love6.6
as Paul Dellucci · 2017
Weirdness 3/10
Pride, Prejudice and Mistletoe6.2
as Luke · 2018
Weirdness 3/10
Autumn in the Vineyard6.5
as Nate DeLuca · 2016
Weirdness 4/10
Certified weird
Tis the Season for Love6.3
as Dean · 2015
Weirdness 8/10
Certified weird
Magical Christmas Ornaments6.3
as Nate · 2017
Weirdness 9/10
A Little Christmas Charm6.8
as Greg Matthews · 2020
Weirdness 4/10
On-screen partners
On-screen couple
Brendan’s most frequent on-screen partner is Rachael Leigh Cook, with 3 films together — top-billed alongside each other in 3 of them.
Recurring roles
Brendan is a recurring face in In the Vineyard.
Where Brendan fits in
The corners of the Hallmark universe Brendan keeps turning up in. Each one is a full ranked guide.
All 20 movies
Newest first2020s
12 films- 2025
Merry Christmas, Ted Cooper!Actor · Small TownNot ratedWeird 4/10 - 2025
The More the MerrierActor as Brian · Small TownNot ratedWeird 3/10 - 2024
A Novel NoelActor as Sawyer Lambert · ChristmasNot ratedWeird 5/10 - 2024
Family Practice Mysteries: Coming HomeActor as Jack · Misunderstanding6.8Weird 3/10 - 2024
Love on the Danube: Kissing StarsActor as Tripp Nelson · InternationalNot ratedWeird 5/10 - 2023
A Season for FamilyActor as Paul · Christmas7.0Weird 4/10 - 2023
The Wedding CottageActor as Evan Stanford · Small Town7.1Weird 5/10 - 2022
In Merry MeasureActor as Adam · Christmas6.4Weird 5/10 - 2021
Beverly Hills WeddingActor as Cory · Valentine's Day5.6Weird 4/10 - 2021
Time for Them to Come Home for ChristmasActor as Paul Bennett · Christmas7.2Weird 4/10 - 2020A Little Christmas CharmActor as Greg Matthews · Christmas6.8Weird 4/10
- 2020
The Secret IngredientActor as Andrew York · Valentine's Day6.8Weird 4/10
2010s
8 films- 2019
Easter Under WrapsActor as Bryan Bailey · Easter6.4Weird 4/10 - 2019
Valentine in the VineyardActor as Nate DeLuca · Valentine's Day6.2Weird 3/10 - 2018Pride, Prejudice and MistletoeActor as Luke · Christmas6.2Weird 3/10
- 2017A Dash of LoveActor as Paul Dellucci · Valentine's Day6.6Weird 3/10
- 2017Magical Christmas OrnamentsActor as Nate · Christmas6.3Weird 9/10
- 2017
Summer in the VineyardActor as Nate DeLuca · Rural/Farm6.2Weird 3/10 - 2016Autumn in the VineyardActor as Nate DeLuca · Small Town6.5Weird 4/10
- 2015Tis the Season for LoveActor as Dean · Christmas6.3Weird 8/10
Brendan’s standouts
In pictures
A quick look at Brendan’s Hallmark run — headshot and the posters fans know best.
- Brendan Penny
Beyond Hallmark
Where else you might recognise Brendan from — notable roles outside the Hallmark catalogue.
- Fifty Shades Freedas Co-Pilot Beighley (Grey Jet)2018
- The A-Teamas C130J Pilot #12010
- Tooth Fairyas Josh2010
- I Love You, Beth Cooperas Sean2009
- John Tucker Must Dieas Teammate #12006
- Supernaturalas Steve2005 · TV
- Stargate Atlantisas Male Wraith2004 · TV
- Smallvilleas Wagner2001 · TV
Brendan’s creative circle
Most directed by
- Peter Benson3 films
- Terry Ingram3 films
- Don McBrearty2 films
- Michael Robison2 films
Most written by
- Marina Adair3 films
- Judith Berg2 films
- Nina Weinman2 films
- Sandra Berg2 films
- Steven Sessions2 films
Who Brendan works with
The cast and crew Brendan keeps ending up on set with — the regular faces you’ll recognise from one film to the next. Bigger circle, more films together.
Movies by year
Ratings profile
Average 6.5 across 16 rated movies — each dot is one film.
People also ask
- How many Hallmark movies has Brendan Penny been in?
- We have 20 Hallmark movies on file for Brendan Penny, spanning 2015–2025.
- What kind of Hallmark movies is Brendan Penny known for?
- Brendan is best known for Christmas movies and romances set in small towns.
- What is Brendan Penny's highest-rated Hallmark movie?
- Time for Them to Come Home for Christmas (2021) is Brendan's best-reviewed Hallmark film, with a 7.2/10 audience rating.
- What is Brendan Penny's most popular Hallmark movie?
- A Dash of Love (2017) has more audience votes than any other Brendan Penny Hallmark film, so it's the one most people have actually seen.
- Who does Brendan Penny usually star with?
- Brendan's most frequent on-screen partner is Rachael Leigh Cook — the two have led 3 films together as a Hallmark romantic pairing.
- Is Brendan Penny still making Hallmark movies?
- Yes — the most recent Brendan Hallmark film we have is from 2025, so the credits keep coming.
- How many Hallmark Christmas movies has Brendan Penny made?
- Brendan Penny turns up in 8 Hallmark Christmas movies.
- What was Brendan Penny's first Hallmark movie?
- The earliest Brendan Hallmark title we have is Tis the Season for Love (2015).
- Where is Brendan Penny from?
- Brendan is from Ottawa.
- What does Brendan Penny do in Hallmark movies?
- Brendan Penny works on Hallmark films as actor.
Data & sources
Brendan’s filmography, credits and ratings are compiled from IMDb, TMDB and Wikipedia, then checked and tidied by the Talking Hallmark team. Last updated August 2026.
Catalogue curated by Alanna of Talking Hallmark. About the project
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