Hallmark Christmas season is officially upon us, which means it's time to get excited about seeing all of your favorite stars bringing cheerful holiday stories to the popular network. Cindy Busby is no stranger to the Hallmark Channel, having been a regular actress in its films and TV shows for nearly a decade. This year, her newest Hallmark Christmas movie, "Christmas Everything," premieres on Friday, Nov. 10. The movie follows Christmas lover Lori Jo and her roommate as they head to Yuletide Springs for a longtime tradition to honor her late grandmother. Along the way, they meet two men, Carl and Jason, and romance ensues. It's one of a whopping 40 new holiday films debuting on the network this year.
Busby has one of those warm and bubbly personalities that makes her perfect for all the family-friendly films featured on Hallmark, which is why she was an instant fan favorite. If you've ever wanted to know how Busby got her start in acting, what Hallmark projects she's worked on and details on her personal life, you've come to the right place. From details on her low-key marriage to non-Hallmark shows you might recognize her from, here's everything to know about Cindy Busby.
Cindy Busby's Acting Career
Paul Archuleta/FilmMagic
Fans of Hallmark Channel original movies and TV shows are sure to recognize Busby. The Canadian-born actress has been appearing in Hallmark projects since 2014. Though she is now a Hallmark sweetheart, Busby's acting career dates all the way back to the late '90s. She was born and raised in Montreal and attended the prestigious Dawson College to hone her acting craft.
Instead of booking it straight to Hollywood, Busby jumped into her professional acting career in Canada. She landed a role on the Canadian series "Heartland" and wound up appearing in 52 episodes from 2007-2014. The show became a No. 1 hit in Canada and is available in 81 countries worldwide. She played the role of Ashley Stanton in the series, based on the books by Lauren Brooke. The series is still going strong despite Busby's departure, currently in the midst of Season 17. Even though it's been years since she's been on the show, Busby tells Parade that she really cherishes that time spent on set.
"I remember being SO excited when the pilot got picked up back in 2008. You just never know what will make a show work or not, but in this case, I think it's the cast and crew. It's one of the best I've ever worked with. I still cherish all my 'Heartland' memories. I'm not sure if Ashley Stanton will ever come back, but I know that if they asked me to, I would try my very best to make it work! I loved playing Ashley so much."
Busby's additional credits include appearances on "Vampire Diaries," "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" and "The Big Year." Some of her more recent projects include "Marry Me in Yosemite "and "Crown Prince of Christmas," released in 2022. Busby's starring role as Lauren in the TV movie "Love in Zion National: A National Park Romance" hit Hallmark earlier this year.
While she's captured audiences' hearts throughout the world, she is best known as a beloved Hallmark star.
Cindy Busby's Hallmark Movies
Hallmark Media/Johnson Production Group
Busby debuted on the Hallmark scene in 2014 and hasn't looked back since. Her first role for the network was as Brooke in the movie "Lucky in Love." Hallmark fans love her in "Unleashing Mr. Darcy" and the sequel, "Marrying Mr. Darcy." In the movie, Busby stars alongside her onscreen love, Ryan Paevey. The two's budding romance captured audiences, and the pair reunited for the sequel, following the tumultuous love story.
"Unleashing Mr. Darcy" remains one of the most popular movies on the network. In an interview with Parade about the movie's success, Busby said, "I feel like the secret ingredient was the chemistry between the cast and crew on and off camera. We were all so surprised and excited to find out there was gonna be a sequel because we wanted to hang out again."
Busby is no stranger to on-screen romances. She's starred in several love stories including "Love in the Forecast," "Romance on the Menu" and "Warming Up to You." Of course, Hallmark is synonymous with Christmas movies, and Busby is no stranger to acting in the network's holiday romances. She's been in several including "Everything Christmas," "A Godwink Christmas: Meant for Love" and "Our First Christmas."
Even though Busby has worked with several leading men, she and actor Christopher Russell seem to have a special on-screen chemistry. The two have been in four films together: "Puppy For Christmas," "Love in the Forecast," "Chasing Waterfalls" and the most recent, "Warming Up To You." When asked about their relationship, Russell shared, "Cindy Busby is the best...We clicked right away since we have very complementary personalities...She is a barrel of laughs, that's for sure."
In an interview with Just Jared, Busby spoke about how several of her movies centered on nature. It isn't just a coincidence that she gravitates to those types of movies. She was filming "Chasing Waterfalls" in 2020 — which, due to the pandemic, was mostly filmed outdoors. Even though she claims she's not the most "outdoorsy" person, being in nature has given her a deeper appreciation of the great outdoors.
When it comes to the types of movies she is cast in, she says, "They just kind of kept coming my way and I'm super grateful for it because I love the outdoors, I love nature. There's something super therapeutic about it. People just...they gravitate toward it, you know, of a mother nature and getting to see different parts of the world that perhaps they haven't seen."
Even though Busby has worked for other networks, including competitor network Great American Family, she's committed to producing content for Hallmark and her loyal fans. When asked why she loves Hallmark, she said, "The Hallmark fans! They're the best and so supportive of my work. As long as they keep asking for more, I'll be there!"
Is Cindy Busby Married?
Instagram/cindy_busby
Busby keeps aspects of her personal life pretty close to the chest; but thanks to social media, fans get some sneak peeks of her life off screen. In a 2020 interview with Parade, Busby shared her love of dollhouses and miniature figurines, saying, "I've been fascinated by them for as long as I can remember."
Even though Busby has her fair share of romances on screen, her true love is her husband, Chris Boyd. Busby and Boyd tied the knot on Dec. 12, 2020. Boyd is successful in his own right as both an actor and producer. The two don't appear to have any children, but they have a rescue dog named Suzie.
Busby shared a sweet video montage on Instagram of Suzie, writing, "Thanks for sharing your unconditional love with us Suz! You've made life so much better, made my heart grow bigger and brought a smile to my face ever since!"
Busby appears to be a budding foodie, dedicating an entire Instagram story to food. She also has several posts showcasing her favorite smoothies and workout drinks.
