You probably didn't see it coming, but the "Mr. Christmas" phenomenon is real. If you’ve been scrolling through Hallmark+ or catching the tail end of the Countdown to Christmas marathons, you’ve definitely run into the name Ezra Moreland. He’s the guy who basically manifested a career out of thin air—well, thin air and a reality show. It's rare to see someone go from a Navy rescue swimmer to a holiday heartthrob in less than a year, but that’s the Ezra Moreland story.
Most people know him as the winner of the 2024 reality competition Finding Mr. Christmas. It was a wild ride where ten guys competed in "festive challenges" to prove they had the leading-man vibes Hallmark is famous for. Honestly, it sounded a bit kitschy at first, but Moreland actually pulled it off. He didn’t just win a title; he won a legitimate seat at the table in the world of cozy cable movies.
The Breakthrough: Finding Mr. Christmas and Happy Howlidays
Before he was memorizing lines about cocoa and mistletoe, Moreland was a rescue swimmer in the U.S. Navy. Talk about a pivot. He spent six years in the military before moving into modeling and eventually landing on the set of Finding Mr. Christmas hosted by Jonathan Bennett. It’s funny because he had zero—literally zero—formal acting training before the show. He just sort of figured it out on the fly.
Winning that show led directly to his debut film, Happy Howlidays, which premiered in December 2024. In it, he plays Max, a guy who runs a dog shelter. He’s paired up with Jessica Lowndes, a Hallmark veteran who basically mentored him through the process. The plot is classic: Lowndes' character, Mia, finds a stray dog, ends up at Max’s shelter, and (spoiler alert) they fall in love because their dogs like each other.
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It was a massive hit for the "Countdown to Christmas" crowd. People were skeptical about a reality star leading a movie, but the chemistry worked. Moreland admitted in interviews that pretending to not like dogs at the start of the movie was the hardest part because he’s actually a huge animal person.
Expanding the Filmography: Christmas on Duty
A lot of reality winners fade away after their first project. Not this guy. In 2025, Moreland proved he wasn't a one-hit-wonder by appearing in Christmas on Duty. This time around, he wasn't the primary lead—that went to Janel Parrish and Parker Young—but he played a character named Fred.
The movie follows two rival Marines assigned to "Christmas Duty" at a military base. For Moreland, this was a bit of a full-circle moment given his own military background. Even though his role was supporting, fans were all over social media talking about his return. It showed that Hallmark actually sees long-term potential in him, rather than just using him for a single season of reality TV promotion.
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Key Ezra Moreland Movies and TV Appearances
- Finding Mr. Christmas (2024): The reality competition series on Hallmark+ that started it all.
- Happy Howlidays (2024): His first starring role as Max, the dog shelter owner.
- Christmas on Duty (2025): A supporting role as Fred in a military-themed holiday rom-com.
- Lexus Commercial (2025): He actually did his own stunt driving for this one!
What’s Next for Ezra Moreland in 2026?
So, where is he now? As of early 2026, Moreland is firmly planted in the Hallmark ecosystem. There have been rumors about him branching out into non-holiday content—maybe a Spring Into Love or Summer Nights feature—but the Christmas brand is where he carries the most weight.
He’s also been very vocal about his sister, Barbara Moreland, who is an actress and model herself. It seems like the "acting bug" is becoming a family business. He’s spent a lot of time recently in New York and Portugal, and if his Instagram is any indication, he’s deep into "actor mode," constantly training to improve the craft he stumbled into.
Why He Actually Matters to the Network
The reason people keep searching for Ezra Moreland movies and TV shows is that he represents a shift in how these networks find talent. Usually, it's a "Who's Who" of former soap opera stars or child actors from the 90s. Moreland is the "everyman" who actually made it.
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Is he an Oscar-caliber performer yet? Probably not. But he has that specific brand of earnestness that makes these movies work. He feels like a guy you might actually meet at a small-town tree lighting ceremony. Plus, the fact that he actually knows how to jump out of a helicopter (thanks, Navy) gives him a bit more "edge" than your average sweater-wearing lead.
Actionable Insights for Fans
- Where to watch: Most of his work is exclusive to the Hallmark Channel and the Hallmark+ streaming service. If you missed Happy Howlidays, it usually cycles back during "Christmas in July" events.
- Stay updated: He is surprisingly active on social media, often sharing behind-the-scenes clips of his "Fred" character or his stunt driving work.
- Watch for Season 2: Since Finding Mr. Christmas was renewed for a second season, keep an eye out for a potential cameo from Ezra as the "reigning champ" to mentor the new contestants.
If you’re looking to binge-watch his career, start with the reality show. It makes the transition to the movies much more rewarding when you see how nervous he was during the acting challenges compared to how polished he looks on screen now.