Jen Lilley was best known for her role as Theresa Donovan on Days of Our Lives. After leaving DAYS, she became a fixture on the Hallmark Channel until four years ago. Now, fans can look forward to her surprising return in the new film A Royal Setting.
Key Takeaways
- Jen Lilley played Theresa Donovan on DAYS.
- After leaving soap operas, she starred in many Hallmark movies.
- Lilley teased her highly anticipated return to Hallmark, which is coming soon.
Jen Lilley Returns to Hallmark This Week
On Instagram, Lilley teased her big return to the Hallmark Channel. She will be back soon on the new film, A Royal Setting. The soap actress posted a clip from the new movie along with the caption, “I feel like the luckiest lass in the land that I got to bring Ruby Robinson to life!”
A Royal Setting premieres on Saturday, March 28. In the meantime, the actress will be sharing plenty of teasers for soap fans and Hallmark fans who missed watching her on the small screen.
In the new romantic comedy, Lilley stars alongside Good Witch alum Dan Jeannotte, who plays Prince Luca. This is a Hallmark reunion for Lilley and Jeannotte. The two first starred opposite each other in 2019’s Paris, Wine & Romance.
Lilley plays the role of Ruby, a gemologist whom the prince hires to restore some of his family’s precious jewels. Ruby creates a modern design for Prince Luca. The two work closely together, leading to sparks flying. Ruby is also at risk of upsetting the Queen, which could affect both her professional and personal life.
Check out the full trailer for A Royal Setting in the YouTube video below.
Why the DAYS Alum Left Hallmark
In a YouTube video, Lilley announced that she left Hallmark for Great American Family. She wanted to create more faith-based and family-oriented content. In 2022, Lilley signed a multi-picture deal with GAF, which fit more with her personal values.
The actress also wanted to have more time for charity, which she barely had with DAYS and Hallmark’s intense production schedules. Lilley’s deal with GAF gave her more creative control under the former Hallmark CEO Bill Abbott.
Many of her Hallmark co-stars left the network for GAF because they wanted to work with her. But now she’s found her way back to Hallmark. Lilley didn’t share whether this was a permanent return.
A Royal Setting premieres on the Hallmark Channel on Saturday, March 28, at 8 PM ET and streams the following day on Hallmark+.
MORE: DAYS alum Jen Lilley stars in a new Christmas movie and releases a self-help book.
