Jonathan Bennett just had one of those classic Hollywood moments, but with a very Palm Springs twist.
The Mean Girls and Hallmark heartthrob was honored with his very own star on the Palm Springs Walk of Stars, and instead of making it all about himself, he turned the whole thing into a love letter to the people who got him there.
In a long, emotional Instagram caption, Jonathan wrote that when you grow up dreaming of showbiz you picture the ceremony, the applause and the star, but you never really understand how many people are quietly pushing you forward long before your name is ever set in cement.
He told fans that this star doesn’t belong only to him, but to every coworker, crew member, castmate, director, writer, producer and friend who has stayed up late with him, fueled by caffeine and questionable sanity, helping him turn wild ideas into real projects.
Jonathan thanked the people who answer his calls at midnight, who rewrite scenes in cramped trailers at 6 a.m., who fix the lights, fix his hair and pour their hearts into work that may never give them the same public recognition.
So when people walk past that shiny plaque and see his name, he wants them to know it was built from “hundreds of hands” and “hundreds of talents” all believing in something together.
He also paid special tribute to Palm Springs itself, calling it a place that has given him and his husband community, safety, joy, connection and a sense of belonging they had never experienced before.
Receiving a star in a city that embraced them so completely is something he says he will cherish forever, describing the honor as a symbol of what they have created together, not just what he has done alone.
Standing proudly beside him at the ceremony was his husband, Jaymes Vaughan, a former Chippendales host, Amazing Race contestant and TV personality who now co-hosts the LGBTQ+ travel show Confetti and runs the queer-focused travel company Outbound Travel.
Jonathan and Jaymes made history in 2022 as the first gay couple to grace the cover of The Knot magazine, and they have been open about wanting their marriage and visibility to help other queer couples see themselves in big mainstream moments.
The Palm Springs star feels like a continuation of that mission, turning what could have been a solo ego trip into a celebration of queer love, collaboration and community.
Of course, they brought the cuteness factor too, posing at the ceremony with their fluffy pup and flashing matching grins that basically screamed “this is our star.”
For longtime fans who first met Jonathan as Aaron Samuels in Mean Girls and later watched him host Food Network shows and star in Hallmark’s first gay Christmas rom-com The Holiday Sitter, this milestone is a reminder of how far queer visibility in entertainment has come.
But for Jonathan himself, the real magic seems to be that the boy who once dreamed of applause now gets to share the spotlight with the people he loves, in a city that loves them right back.
And honestly, what’s more star-worthy than that?
📷 IG: @ jonathandbennett
