When Calls the Heart’s Erin Krakow feels protective of Elizabeth
For nine years now, actress Erin Krakow has been the face of Hallmark Channel’s period drama When Calls the Heart. As Elizabeth Thornton — Thatcher, when the show started — she has weathered highs and lows. She became an integral part of the Hope Valley community, married a handsome mountie, and soon after became a widow and single mother.
In Season 9 of the series, which premiered on Hallmark Channel earlier this month, she finds herself in a good place, both in terms of her personal and professional life. Krakow said she is grateful that the show has continued to do so well.
“It’s been an amazing ride so far,” Krakow said in an interview with The Pop Culture Principle. “I am well aware that most shows don’t make it this far.”
Season 8 was a tough one for Elizabeth. A widow with a young son, she was trying to choose between two suitors. She also quarreled with her friend Rosemary (played by Pascale Hutton), something that was out of character for the pair.
Season 8 highlights
Her favorite scene in Season 8 was when the town came together to help a new family in Hope Family. The Canfields arrived in town at the start of the season. Their daughter, Angela, was blind, but Elizabeth was determined to have her attend the school with the rest of the children. She received pushback from higher-ups in the district, but the town stood by her decision, coming together to walk Angela to the schoolhouse.
“That scene was a true Hope Valley moment in the sense that it was community coming together in support of one another to do what was right and that to me is what When Calls the Heart is really about,” she said.
Romantic drama
Krakow also touched on the backlash she and other actors faced when Elizabeth finally chose Lucas over Nathan in the Season 8 finale. While she understood the disappointment some fans felt, it was difficult to deal with the criticism.
“I am very protective of Elizabeth, and I think she has had so many challenges along the way,” Krakow said. “Her losing Jack was a major loss in her life, but it would be really nice if we could celebrate the joy that she’s now getting to experience.”