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As Lori Loughlin continues to navigate her life after the Varsity Blues scandal and recent marriage woes, the “Full House” alum is getting back to her wholesome image with a highly anticipated return to Hallmark.
Loughlin, who is set to reprise her role as Abigail Stanton on Hallmark’s “When Calls The Heart” after a seven-year hiatus, has had a rough few years both personally and professionally, including a two-month stint in prison for her involvement in the college admissions scandal and a separation from her husband of nearly 28 years, Mossimo Giannulli.
Despite the setbacks, experts believe Loughlin could make a strong comeback. And the timing is perfect.
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Lori Loughlin is preparing to reprise her role as Abigail Stanton on Hallmark’s “When Calls The Heart” after a seven-year hiatus due to her involvement in the college admissions scandal. (Olivia Wong/WireImage)
“Cancel culture has softened in recent years, and depending on the offense, the public has become much more forgiving,” Steve Honig, founder of The Honig Company, told Fox News Digital. “More and more, we’re seeing celebrities weather the storms and bounce back. There’s also some truth to the old adage that time heals all wounds, and Loughlin has been off the grid for a while now.”
“Her bread and butter is wholesome family entertainment and that’s her strength. She has to stick to what she knows and the areas where she has a history of success.”
“Loughlin’s return to her original roots is a smart move on her part, and it’s fortunate for her that her former employer is willing to have her back,” Honig continued. “She was very well established in her genre and returning to it will strengthen her pre-scandal image and help her curry favor with her audience.”
“Its bread and butter is wholesome family entertainment and that’s its strength,” he added. “She needs to stick to what she knows and areas where she has a history of success.”
Doug Eldridge, founder of Achilles PR, said Loughlin benefited from some empathy, because of his relationship.
Loughlin served two months in prison, completed 150 hours of community service and paid a $150,000 fine after pleading guilty to conspiracy charges stemming from payments to William “Rick” Singer, the mastermind of the scam. (John Tumacki/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)
“We are a nation built on second chances. We love the comeback story and we have always welcomed the underdog. Loughlin fills both roles,” Eldridge said.
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“She was arrested, convicted and spent two months in prison,” he continued. “Most Americans watch the news and see rampant insider trading in the halls of Congress, or violent criminals roaming the streets because of no-cash bail. Yet here is a woman who did everything possible to give her children a competitive advantage, and she has been exposed and served as an example.”
While Eldridge has made it clear that this doesn’t make his decisions “any less bad,” it’s a matter of perception.
“From a public relations standpoint, once the dust settles, the average American might understand his actions,” he said. “It’s true, they couldn’t afford a half-million-dollar bribe like she did, but the desire for our children to do better than us is a common thread in American society. Empathy goes a long way.”
Despite personal and professional setbacks, Loughlin could make a comeback, experts say. And the timing is perfect. (AP Photo/Steven Senne, file)
“Second chances and underdogs are making a comeback,” he added.
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In 2020, the actress served two months in prison, completed 150 hours of community service and paid a $150,000 fine after pleading guilty to conspiracy charges stemming from paying William “Rick” Singer, the mastermind of the scam, to get his daughters, Isabella and Olivia Jade, into the University of Southern California.
In April 2024, Loughlin spoke with First for women about forgiveness and moving forward.
“Every day we face different obstacles. But, to me, it’s like this song says, ‘I’m knocked down, but I get back up,'” she said in the outlet’s cover story. “No one said life would be a breeze; we all make mistakes, but the important thing is to persevere.”
“For me, it’s just about persevering and, as an actress, I hear ‘no’ a lot, so I just have to be myself and persevere and try not to let the negativity in,” she continued. “My advice is to keep moving forward. Everyone has good times and bad times. That’s life. I think you just have to get back up. Nobody said life would be a breeze. There is beauty in life, but there are also challenges in life.”
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Although she didn’t directly address the scandal, she did talk about asking for forgiveness.
The couple separated after nearly 28 years of marriage. (Donato Sardella)
“I actually try to be a forgiving person. I’m not one to hold on to things. Things happen to everyone. We’ve all been in a position to ask for forgiveness, but to ask for it you have to learn and know how to forgive too,” Loughlin said.
“My family wasn’t one to hold grudges. I didn’t grow up in a household where if you made a mistake you weren’t forgiven,” she continued. “No one is perfect, we all make mistakes. So I was always told to let things go. And I think for your own health you have to let things go because you can’t hold on to negativity. Life is too short.”
Amid his thoughts, Loughlin was dealing with his own marital difficulties behind closed doors.
In October, Loughlin split from her husband of nearly 28 years, Mossimo Giannulli.
“Lori and Mossimo live apart,” Loughlin’s rep, Elizabeth Much, told Fox News Digital. “No legal proceedings are underway.”
Loughlin’s personal struggles won’t impact his return to the screen, an expert has said. (Rich Fury/Invision/AP, File)
A source told People magazine that the couple’s final years “put a strain on their marriage.”
“Things were never the same” after the two “overcame the fallout of college admissions and prison sentences together,” the source said.
Although devastating, this personal struggle won’t have much impact on his return, Eldridge said.
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“As far as her divorce goes, the impact will probably be negligible,” he said. “Unfortunately, in the United States, more than 50 percent of marriages end in divorce; of those, 72 percent are initiated by women. Until you experience that, most people are numb. As such, it won’t move the needle with viewers.”
