Christmas movies are no strangers to juicy love triangles, and Netflix's The Holiday Calendar blessed us with one that was adorably innocent and dreamlike. While anyone familiar with the typical rom-com lexicon could probably predict which guy Abby Sutton would eventually pick, her romance with single dad Ty Walker was the perfect way to draw viewers into the film's wintry world. Who plays Ty in The Holiday Calendar? If you're a fan of certain throwback TV and movies, you may have recognized actor Ethan Peck immediately.
This post contains spoilers for The Holiday Calendar. As doctor Ty, 32-year-old Peck initially came across as the ultimate Prince Charming in The Holiday Calendar, which began streaming on Netflix on Nov. 2. Described as the elementary school parents' most eligible bachelor, Ty first met Abby (Kat Graham) when his Christmas tree fell off the top of his car and nearly caused an accident with her vehicle. They unexpectedly reunited at the school Christmas recital, where Abby was supporting her niece and Ty was watching his daughter.
The tokens in Abby's magical Advent calendar often predicted their extravagant, Christmas-themed dates that followed, but what the calendar couldn't foreshadow was the pair's inability to actually get to know each other. After learning he had a bit of a playboy past and seeing him mock her Advent calendar, Abby broke up with Ty. If you were still crushing on him regardless of his not-so-great shadiness, there's definitely a reason why. Whether you knew it or not, Peck has appeared as the cute boy in more than a few of your old favorite things.
Remember the French boy Michel in the Olsen twin classic Passport in Paris? That was a 13-year-old Peck trying out his best European charm, so blame him if your tween self ever went to Paris determined to find your own Michel (admit it, you definitely failed that mission).
If you were a fan of ABC Family (R.I.P), you may also remember the actor in the TV adaptation of 10 Things I Hate About You in the role Heath Ledger originated in the 1999 movie. The 2009 comedy was canceled after one season due to low ratings, but Peck's Patrick Verona came with the same deep voice and dark locks we later saw in Ty in The Holiday Calendar.
Even if you missed him in these roles, the actor may seem familiar for an even bigger reason. He's the grandson of late Hollywood legend Gregory Peck, known for his work in To Kill a Mockingbird and Roman Holiday among numerous other films. The resemblance between the two men is uncanny, so if you're a fan of the Golden Hollywood era, you were definitely having deja vu watching Ty woo Abby.
The younger Peck will next star in the second season of the CBS All Access series Star Trek: Discovery. As he did in 10 Things I Hate About You, Peck will take over a classic role originally played by another actor, portraying USS Enterprise officer Spock in the sci-fi series. He may look like his grandpa, but Peck isn't a bad doppelganger for Leonard Nimoy either.
Although he's bound for futuristic galaxies, I definitely wouldn't complain if Peck books a leading role in another romantic comedy soon. Time to start a petition for his own Netflix Christmas movie!
The Holiday Calendar is currently streaming on Netflix.
