The star also discusses her new haircut and what it represents
When Calls the Heart's new season is all about embracing change and fresh starts — and there will be a lot of it when the Hallmark Channel drama returns this Sunday. Following last season's dramatic cliffhanger, Season 11 picks up immediately after the events of the finale, revealing what happened to Lucas (Chris McNally) and who may be behind it, putting a temporary pause on Elizabeth (Erin Krakow) and Nathan's (Kevin McGarry) growing romantic feelings. A four-month time jump also moves the needle forward for the folks of Hope Valley as they enter the 1920s.
"There's a very full Season 11 to come," Krakow tells TV Guide. "There is more music. We've got some new cute kids. We have a really cute new animal. We have returning guest stars who are going to be really exciting. We have an incredibly dramatic, powerful emotional episode that is going to resonate with a lot of our viewers."
"We have a few real moments of passion that will hopefully steam up the screen," she teases. Krakow laughed when asked if that meant "Hallmark steamy" or a rung above the usual network threshold for romantic moments — presumably between Elizabeth and Nathan, who were dancing around their feelings the last time viewers saw them.
"We still know the network that we're working for. We have to work within certain bounds. But anytime you have a couple who have been 'will they, won't they' for many years — anytime you finally bring them together, there's bound to be passion," Krakow hints. "I'm excited to get to deliver that."
In an interview with TV Guide, the actress and producer discusses her decade-long journey with When Calls the Heart, the decision behind her character's dramatic new bob, why Elizabeth and Nathan seem suited for a long-term relationship right now, if the door has closed with Lucas, and much more.
Another season of When Calls the Heart is upon us! Have you wrapped your head around the fact that this is Season 11?
Erin Krakow: Is it underwhelming if I say yes? But I've had a lot of time to wrap my head around this because we started working on Season 11 in January of last year. So Season 11 has been on the brain for some time now, but I'm really excited about it!
You've been living in this world now for over a decade. How has your relationship with Elizabeth and the show evolved since the show began in 2014?
Krakow: Great question. I think that Elizabeth has certainly evolved. The town of Hope Valley has evolved. All of these characters have experienced an awful lot of change over the years — and growth. The character I play, the show we're on, the look of the town, it's completely different from how we started in Season 1. As far as the effect it's had on me as a person and as an artist, I feel like maybe I've become a more grounded artist as it applies to our show. There's a greater comfort in doing what we do and every season we go back, it feels like returning to a familiar place. It feels like coming home in a lot of ways. A decade and change later, we've certainly put in the time and we've been pretty happy to do it this whole time.
What have you been most surprised by as you've been on this journey?
Krakow: I knew that we had something special back when we were filming Season 1 and when we started getting positive feedback from the viewers, it felt great. I was glad that the show was resonating for people but the explosion of our fanbase, the Hearties, was an incredible surprise. I don't think any of us could have predicted just how passionate and loyal and borderline obsessive, in the best possible way, our fans could have been. It has been such a delight and really a true surprise to see how big this group of fans has grown and how passionate they are about When Calls the Heart.
Speaking more specifically to the season at hand, what is the overall thematic thread? What can you preview?
Krakow: Change. Self-discovery. Being open to, as Elizabeth puts it, infinite possibilities. There's a sense of a fresh start — spring cleaning, haircuts, new relationships, young love, mature love. There's a lot of newness happening this season. There continues to be a respect for and celebration for the history that we've created on When Calls, but it's with a twinkle in our eye and a spring in our step. There's just something that feels really exciting, fresh, and new about Season 11.
You mentioned Elizabeth's physical transformation. How much of a discussion was it to have Elizabeth debut a new bob?
Krakow: How you put it is exactly right: physical transformation. We were looking for a visual way of illustrating this change that Elizabeth was craving in her life. There was talk of maybe redecorating her row house at some point, something along those lines. But ultimately, we decided that it was time for a haircut. Elizabeth had had the same if not a similar look for a decade and it just felt like it was time. We're moving into the early 1920s where bobs were all the rage. She just experienced this breakup and I think a lot of women can relate to that post-breakup haircut. So it just felt like the right time to shake things up.
Do you think she's a lot bolder with her choices and decisions as a result of this change?
Krakow: There's still a softness and a gentleness about the character of Elizabeth. It's not like she transforms into a whole new person because she suddenly has a different style. But I will say, after the emotional roller-coaster that Elizabeth experienced in Season 10 as she went through the challenge of figuring out whether or not she and Lucas were meant for each other, she came to know herself a lot better. And in discovering her authentic self, there's a strength and confidence that comes with that, and hopefully we get to see a bit more of it in Season 11.
A lot went down in the Season 10 finale. Where do we find Hope Valley at the start of the new season?
Krakow: We have a double start to Season 11. When we come back, we're picking up right where we left off. You'll get the satisfaction of seeing what happens in the moments immediately following Bill, Nathan, and Elizabeth running off to make sure Lucas is okay as he's in danger. And then we have a time jump — several months later — between that and coming back to Hope Valley. Nathan has been involved in an investigation, Lucas has had some time to recover — spoiler alert: He's not dead! They've all had space and room to breathe. It's exciting to see the way Elizabeth and Nathan, in particular, greet each other and start that dance to try to determine if maybe there is something more between them.
When Elizabeth approaches any potential new relationship, she really takes her time and weighs the pros and cons, how it would impact aspects of her life, and her personal priorities. How does she navigate exploring a romance with Nathan?
Krakow: You put it in such a celebratory way! I think others would say that Elizabeth overthinks. I appreciate it the way you put it. Elizabeth is taking her time for multiple reasons. One, she wants to be respectful of the fact that a very real love story and relationship with Lucas recently ended and she wants to protect the fact that she is a single mother to a young boy. The more insecure side of her questions whether or not Nathan even still has feelings for her. She wants to be sure of that before diving in with that confidence. And Nathan, I think, feels similarly in that he doesn't want to assume that just because Elizabeth is single she's into him.
Do you think they're more suited for a long-term relationship now if they do end up going down that route?
Krakow: I do. With time, it gives people a greater chance to grow and learn about themselves. I don't think that Elizabeth was ready for a relationship with Nathan back in Season 8 when he shared how he was feeling. Yeah, I think that now is a great time for them and I'm excited to see their story play out.
Lucas has a lot going on when the show picks back up. He's now the governor, which is now one of his top priorities. He's trying to recover from what happened to him in the finale. Where do things stand with Elizabeth and Lucas?
Krakow: We see right away that when Elizabeth finds out that Lucas has been shot, she instinctively knows she needs to go be by his side. They've been very important to each other for some time and she doesn't want him going through that alone. We see right there there's still a lot of care for each other in that relationship. They aren't going to be romantic — their love story has come to an end — but there's great potential for friendship between them and we get to explore that a bit in Season 11. It's a friendship that is based on mutual respect, care, and support for one another. Elizabeth really sees just how much Lucas has to offer the world and the change that he can help make for the good [of the people], so she's right there to support his visions however she can.
Is the door still open for Elizabeth and Lucas romantically or do you feel that time has passed?
Krakow: I do think that their love story has ended. It was a very real love story and a beautiful one, and I'm glad that Chris [McNally] and I had the opportunity to play that together. But no, I think at this point, they've realized that they're not meant for one another, and Elizabeth is moving on.
Everything to know about When Calls the Heart Season 11
It's a very busy weekend for you. You're also starring in a new Hallmark movie, Blind Date Book Club, with Robert Buckley. Can you tell us what it's about and who you play?
Krakow: It's a really cute, charming, cozy movie that takes place in a coastal town, mostly in a bookshop owned by my character, Meg. She's taken over after her mom died and in an effort to make it her own, she creates this blind date with a book club where she wraps up books so you can't tell what they're about. People can pick them up and if they like them, they can come back and discuss them in this book club. Graham, played by Rob Buckley, is a very successful author who's branching out to try a new genre and he wants to bring his book into this book club to try to get honest feedback. We see Meg and Graham work together and maybe get a little too honest with each other, and along the way find real chemistry. It's a great movie for anyone who loves books and who loves love stories.
You've been sharing a lot of behind-the-scenes videos from the set on your Instagram. What was the dynamic like with Robert Buckley when the cameras weren't rolling, and was it similar to how your characters got along on screen?
Krakow: Rob and Erin in real life are a lot goofier than Graham and Meg are. Rob and I had a lot of fun when the cameras weren't rolling, being silly, and that's often led by Rob because he's so quick-witted, making crazy dance moves and runway walks. Or he can be very dry, sarcastic, and more cerebral in his humor. But overall, he's a super fun guy to work with. And when the cameras are rolling, he brings it. I was so impressed by how prepared and present he was. He never missed a line, just such a pro, and it was a wonderful experience working with him.
Circling back to When Calls the Heart, what emotions will Hearties be feeling as the season unfolds?
Krakow: I hope that when they tune in for the season premiere, they're feeling similar to what I feel when I step back on set for my first day of work every season, which is a lot of joy. I hope it feels like a nice, warm reunion for our viewers with these characters that they've come to love. It's going to be a really heartwarming, exciting, intriguing, funny, romantic season with a little something for everyone.
With the way things ended last season, could that be a precursor to the direction Season 11 may go?
Krakow: You're really trying to get the scoop on the cliffhanger at the end of Season 11! [Laughs.] We're all for infusing When Calls the Heart with great dramatic moments. So we'll want to make sure that we carry that through to the very end of Season 11 as well.
Blind Date Book Club airs Saturday at 8/7c on Hallmark Channel. When Calls the Heart premieres Sunday at 9/8c on Hallmark Channel.
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