Meet Hallmark Star Luke MacFarlane's Partner, Hig Roberts
It's natural for fans to want to know a bit about the real-life partners of our favorite Hallmark Channel stars. After all, we see these actors taking on plenty of romantic roles, so of course we want to know who they're romancing IRL. Well, for those of us whose favorite Hallmark leading man goes by the name of Luke Macfarlane, it's time to learn a little more about his own leading man in his own love story. Until recently, only true fans knew about Macfarlane's real-life partner. This summer, though, some very exciting new developments have caused the very private couple to get a bit more public.
We've long known that Luke Macfarlane is one of the Hallmark stars who are proud members of the LGBTQIA community. Still, while this lovable leading man has been very open about his sexuality, he's stayed tight-lipped about who exactly his romantic partners have been. It seems, though, that Macfarlane has settled down, and his partner is the other half of one serious power couple. Macfarlane is in a relationship with none other than Hig Roberts, a champion Alpine skier.
Hig Roberts was born to ski
Hig Roberts is from Steamboat Springs, Colorado, and was born in 1991, making him 11 years younger than his partner, Luke Macfarlane. At just two years old, Roberts skied for the first time, proving that he was destined to master the sport. Interestingly, Roberts knows precisely when he first predicted his future as a professional skier; he was only eight years old. He recounted this life-changing evening in an Instagram post, writing, "My Mom had just yelled at me because I had to take another run. For some reason as I went into the darkness that night I thought, 'I am going to be a pro skier.' It all clicked right then. I was going to do it. I remember the exact spot and each day I have visualized the feeling from that night."
Just a year later, when he was only nine years old, Roberts shattered his femur just before he was about to compete in his first major skiing competition. The dangerous surgery that followed threatened his future in the competitive sport. Luckily, he was able to overcome the odds and continue on to an incredible career.
Hig Roberts had an impressive career as a pro athlete
Hig Roberts ultimately raced on the Middlebury College Ski Team. He went on to ski for Team America and the U.S. Ski Team. He narrowly missed a place on the U.S. 2018 Pyeongchang Olympics team, yet he competed in 31 World Cup races. All in all, he ended up with two national titles. Roberts retired in March 2019 after an incredible career as an athlete.
While he was ready for his professional skiing life to come to an end, he certainly knows more than a thing or two about the business. Consequently, his new role as a sports agent for the Wasserman Media Group seems like a perfect fit. On his LinkedIn profile, Roberts lists "Wharton MBA Candidate" in his bio. In June 2023, he shared a photo of himself on Instagram posing in front of a University of Pennsylvania Wharton School sign. He included the caption, "Good to see you again school. Wharton MBA//Wasserman downloading—" indicating that he was on his way to a master's degree from the prestigious business school.
He changed skiing in a way that might surprise you
In 2020, Hig Roberts did an interview with the New York Times titled "Ski Champion Comes Out as Gay: 'I'm Ready to Be Happy.'" This was the first time that Roberts was open with the world about his sexuality, but what he accomplished with this interview was even bigger than that. He was the first-ever high-level Alpine skier to be openly gay. In an interview with Out Magazine, Roberts explained feeling that his career made coming out particularly difficult. "I didn't know what gay was in terms of how that could exist in the spaces I loved and the spaces I found myself, which was sports," he said. "I was not sure if what I was feeling was matching up with the way I was perceiving gayness at that time, which was obviously a wrong [depiction]."
He believed that his experience meant that more LGBTQ+ representation in sports was important. "That's a big reason for me speaking up as an athlete ... There hasn't been a lot of representation in the space, especially in Alpine skiing, a very masculine, aggressive, strength-based sport." Ultimately, Roberts said, he thought, "I love this sport more than anything — I'm so lucky and privileged to be doing this — but I can't go on another day not trying to achieve the person that I am meant to be ... which I think for each and every one of us, one of those main goals needs to be happiness and authenticity."
Roberts and Macfarlane lead a private life
If you're wondering why you didn't know that this incredible pair was a couple until recently, you're not alone. It's clear that Hig Roberts and Luke Macfarlane are aligned in how they deal with some of the strange side effects of celebrity. While they both have careers that put them in the public eye, they put value on keeping their behind-the-scenes lives out of the limelight.
In a recent interview with Out Magazine, Macfarlane explained, "We have so few opportunities to be private nowadays. My generation was writing their secret thoughts in a journal and they would lock it with a key and hide it. Now our secret thoughts are very public all the time, so it's important to keep some things private." When the couple got together and how they first met remains a mystery, and it's clear that the pair doesn't want to share many of these details with the public.
The family is growing
While Hig Roberts and Luke Macfarlane have played their cards close to their chests when it comes to their relationship and their private lives, one important factor has prompted the pair to openly gush about some very exciting news. On June 4, the pair welcomed a baby, Tess Eleanor Macfarlane, to the world. Macfarlane's first photos of their newborn daughter show their instant connection, and it's clear that these are two proud papas.
In an Instagram post featuring photos of the happy dads and their beautiful baby, Roberts' caption addressed "Tessie girl" with a heart emoji. He went on to say, "Your entrance into our family has filled our hearts. The light, tenacity, and spirit you immediately showed is a blessing we will forever grasp. We are happy Dads. We love you endlessly T."
It's easy to see that this is one happy family, and their love is continuing to grow. What's next for the family remains to be seen. That said, in an interview with Out Magazine, Luke Macfarlane did describe his dream wedding scenario, and yes –– you guessed it –– it would be very private. So, are wedding bells in the couple's near future? They haven't said anything to that effect, but one thing is for sure: This happy power couple has plenty to be excited about.