Bennett will star as Danny, a gay ex-jock, in a trilogy following the global romantic escapades of three best friends.
Bennett hopes young people will "watch this and...feel less scared and more seen this Christmas"
Announcement comes shortly after rival Hallmark Channel opened the door to developing LGBTQ storylines
Hallmark's parent company said it is "committed to creating a Hallmark experience where everyone feels welcome"
Anti-gay radio host Bryan Fischer calls ad's reinstatement "another victory for the gay Gestapo"
Channel initially caved to pressure from socially conservatives who objected to depictions of homosexuality
Petitions say LGBTQ inclusion is at odds with providing "family-friendly" programming, but some signatures may be fake