One of Hallmark fans' favorite heartthrobs will be back on our screens just in time for the holiday season when he stars in the Great American Family Christmas movie "Christmas Keepsake" (2023).
Actor Daniel Lissing has been a mainstay on the network for nearly a decade. But Hallmark aficionados likely know the Australian actor best as Jack Thornton from the long-running romance series "When Calls the Heart."
Though he's no longer on the show, Lissing has become a Hallmark and Great American Family staple, picking up roles as the hunky love interest in various movies. But while fans love watching him sweep their favorite protagonists off their feet, Lissing has already found his soulmate. If you've ever wondered who Daniel Lissing's wife is, it's no one you've seen on screen.
Rumors swirled for years that Lissing was secretly dating his "When Calls the Heart" co-star Erin Krakow. They had undeniable chemistry on screen and actually got married in one episode of the show.
The public knew there was someone special in his life when he said in 2018 that he was spending the holiday season in love. But any rumors that the lucky lady was Krakow were squashed when Lissing revealed in October 2019 that he was engaged to his new fiancee, Nadia.
The actor has kept a lot of their relationship private — Nadia has never even revealed her last name. But over the years, the pair have revealed the story of their love.
Here's everything we know about the happy couple's relationship:
His Biggest Fan
Instagram/DanielLissing
Lissing has managed to keep most of his dating life away from the public eye until announcing he was with Nadia.
In a happy coincidence, the pair met way back in 2018 when both were spending time on vacation in Reykjavik, Iceland.
Lissing was traveling after he had just made the big decision to leave "When Calls the Heart" following five seasons. Nadia was at a bar with her friends celebrating finishing graduate school with her master's degree when he saw her.
"A very happy, slightly intoxicated Australian approached me in a bar," Nadia told Entertainment Tonight in 2019. "My first impression was, 'This guy is hot but he might be a little crazy.'"
But even if he drank a few too many beers that night, Lissing still managed to win her over with his charm and sense of humor.
"I'd never met anyone like him before, that's for sure. I felt an instant connection," Nadia told ET. "There was an instant connection, deeper than anything physical, mental or even explainable."
Lissing says he doesn't regret leaving his role as the iconic Jack on "When Calls The Heart" because if he hadn't, he never would have met Nadia.
"How can I look at my future wife and say, 'I should've stayed on this job'? She's my life," Lissing told ET in 2020. "And that's exponentially more important to me than a job."
When they met, Nadia had no idea she was dating a Hallmark heartthrob. He finally revealed he was an actor on their third or fourth date. "I'm his biggest fan now though," Nadia said. "And he's mine."
However, she did have to get used to his growing popularity with his fans.
"The first time I experienced that he was famous — you'd never know from him — it was a little strange," she admitted. "But after meeting so many amazing fans that are inspired by him, I feel proud and that he is doing good things in the world. I really respect all the support he gets."
After a year and a half of dating, Lissing finally popped the question and revealed to the world he was off the market. He got down on one knee in October 2019 — and Nadia's birthday — and she said yes.
Nadia told ET she never saw the proposal coming. "It was a surprise and I was overwhelmed with happiness," she said. "There were lots of tears of joy, followed by dancing around the house together!"
Lissing hard-launched his relationship on social media, calling Nadia the love of his life and showcasing the beautiful, square-cut Tiffany & Co. engagement ring on her finger.
"The way he makes me feel is as if we've always known each other," Nadia said. "He just gets me at my core and I get him like no one else."
A Secret Wedding
Instagram/jegdiva
Lissing and Nadia dreamed of and started planning a big, beautiful beach wedding in Bali, scheduled for 2020. But unfortunately, like so many other couples, the COVID-19 pandemic upended those plans when the world shut down.
Fans knew the Hallmark couple's wedding had been postponed. But they started to speculate midway through 2020 that the two had already exchanged vows when Nadia changed her name on Instagram to Nadia Lissing.
Lissing shot down those rumors in an interview with ET, even showing his hands without any wedding band. But, it turns out, the fans were onto something.
Lissing and Nadia finally announced in June 2020 that they had tied the knot earlier that year in a small, private ceremony.
"It was a pretty fast and easy decision to make," Lissing told ET. "When you've met your 'one,' you just want to start your married life together as soon as possible."
"The Rookie" actor said the wedding was a "very small and sweet service" attended only by two close friends who served as witnesses. Afterward, they celebrated "privately."
"We're saving all our personal touches and extravagant decorations for our big family wedding. Wedding planner and all," Lissing added. "It'll be an awesome wedding, but very different to the first one just for us."
Since their nuptials more than three years ago, the couple have been happily galavanting across the world and hanging out with Nadia's dog, Oscar (who actually has his own Instagram account). They've posted photos from Australia, Poland, Toronto, New York City, San Francisco, Dubai, the Maldives, Mexico and more.
They post adorable photos of each other sharing beautiful views, eating Nadia's favorite meal (pasta) or celebrating each other's birthdays.
As far as we can tell, they still haven't exchanged vows in front of all their friends and family on a beach in Bali. But the pair are obviously adept at keeping secrets from the public, so we'll just have to wait to find out.
