When Calls The Heart: What The Hallmark Show Cast Looks Like In Real Life

Hallmark's "When Calls the Heart" first aired in 2014, and it's become a beloved series with the 14th season debuting in 2017. Set in the fictional location of Hope Valley, Canada, it tells the story of teacher Elizabeth Thatcher as she builds a life for herself on the Canadian frontier. It's one of the Hallmark shows based on a book series; Janette Oke wrote six books in her Canadian West series, with the first one published in 1983.

The Hallmark historical romance has earned itself a lot of fans, the most die-hard of which call themselves "Hearties." They tune in to watch the wholesome storylines and the slow-burning romances. The show is set in the early 1900s, and while the costumes aren't always entirely period-accurate, there are lots of corsets and long skirts for the women and vest and jackets for men. 

The show's costume designer, Barbara Gregusova, told TV Insider, "Hallmark wanted me to still do 1910 but with a modern feel." "I usually call it a 'stylized 1910 period' because we are trying to keep some of the period silhouettes, but when it comes to the color palette, it's definitely brighter and very Hallmark-ish because it's very colorful." With the period costuming and styling, it's no wonder that the "When Calls the Heart" actors look different in real life.

Elizabeth Thatcher (who becomes Elizabeth Thornton as the show progresses) is played by Erin Krakow. Before Krakow became a Hallmark star, her biggest part was a recurring role on "Army Wives." "When Calls the Heart" was her first in a leading role. Krakow's character starts the show with long, gently curling hair. But Season 11 debuted a big chop to a chin-length bob. The showrunners made it one of the plot points for the episode, and it symbolized the character's desire for change. "She's open to infinite possibilities," Krakow told People. "And so we went back and forth with a few ideas, but the haircut felt like something that was so visual and so bold for Elizabeth that it would be just something new for our viewers to get to see."

In real life, Krakow has similarly short hair, but instead of wearing it smooth, she embraces its natural curl more often, especially when she's not on the red carpet. You can see her on her Instagram page rocking the natural look. While Krakow looks relaxed in her day to day life, no corsets in sight, she can also go full glam when it comes to a red carpet look.

Pascale Hutton plays Rosemary Coulter, who becomes one of Elizabeth's best friends on "When Calls the Heart." Hutton described her character to The Pop Culture Principle as "larger than life, she is very theatrical, she is very dramatic, and she is very happy to take center stage and have all eyes on her."

You can see big personality echoed in her eye-catching style — her hair is styled with vintage curls, and her outfits often feature vibrant colors. And while Hutton has talked about how the corset she has to wear isn't the most comfortable thing, Hutton sees a lot of value in them and how they help her move in a certain way.

When it comes to Hutton's real-life style, she's typically far more laidback than her character, with minimal makeup and her hair is looser and straighter. You can watch her transformation from casual everyday Hutton into an immaculately put together Coulter in an Instagram reel that Hutton shared. Then, for the red carpet, Hutton has donned form-fitting dresses and the occasional red or bright pink lipstick that we'd never see on Coulter.

Kevin McGarry made his "When Calls the Heart" debut in Season 6 as Nathan Grant, the new Mountie for Hope Valley. As such, one of his frequently worn costumes is the traditional red Mountie uniform, also known as the Red Serge. It's apparently not the most comfortable costume. In an interview with the Hallmarkies Podcast, he said that it was too hot in summer and then too cold in winter. Beyond the costumes, his hair as Grant is often slicked back, and while Grant started the show clean-shaven, he has a mustache by Season 9.

McGarry's real-life facial hair is often more five-o'clock shadow or even a full beard, and it looks like he uses a lot less product in his hair. And his outfits are far more casual, with plenty of t-shirts and jeans, nothing like Grant's suspenders or Mountie uniform.

One of the major storylines on "When Calls the Heart" is when Elizabeth is caught in a love triangle, unable to choose between Mountie Nathan Grant and Lucas Bouchard. Bouchard, played by Chris McNally, joined the cast in Season 6 as the new saloon owner. Bouchard is known for dressing well, and he often dons a three-piece suit.

That's not so much how McNally dresses. While McNally's Instagram page primarily features behind the scenes shots and clips from his acting jobs, he also occasionally shares some more personal pics. In them, you can see that McNally and Bouchard do both have beards, but for fashion, McNally seems to trend more towards West Coast comfort with button-down jackets over t-shirts and Chelsea boots.

That said, McNally does have an eye for high-quality design, just perhaps not as formal as his character. Viv Leacock, who plays Joseph Canfield on "When Calls the Heart," said at a Hearties fan convention that McNally isn't afraid to drop cash on quality clothing. "Chris McNally has the most expensive taste in clothing that I've ever seen in my life," Leacock said. He confirmed that McNally would spend "a couple grand" on clothing in one shopping trip. While the quiet luxury trend isn't necessarily expensive, McNally's outfits may very well be high-end, pricey pieces that just look relaxed.

Andrea Brooks plays the compassionate Faith Carter, who started "When Calls the Heart" in Season 2 as a nurse and becomes a doctor as the show progresses. Carter dons the long dresses of the period, and her outfits are tailored but fairly demure. Though some of her costuming was a challenge — Brooks was actually pregnant while filming "When Calls the Heart" during Seasons 7, 10, and 12, and the costume designer helped her disguise her baby bump since Carter wasn't pregnant on the show.

Carter's hairstyle is actually more contemporary than you might expect. She has blond highlights in her curly hair, and it's often worn half pulled back with two facing framing tendrils that anyone who lived through the '90s will recognize.

In real life, Brooks seems to favor looser curls and a middle part, if her Instagram pics are any indication. She also seems to be a fan of pigtail braids; a practical hairstyle for a mom of three. When it comes to her everyday wardrobe, Brooks is all about comfort, and she has plenty of workout gear — she's a distance runner with a number of half marathons under her belt.

Kavan Smith plays Leland "Lee" Coulter, local sawmill manager, Mayor of Hope Valley, and the husband of Rosemary Coulter. He's a dapper dresser with plenty of three-piece suits, vests, and plaid jackets.

Smith wears his hair similarly to how Coulter does — slicked back with a part on the side. But that's where the similarities stop. Smith's real-life style is far more laidback. While he doesn't share much on social media, when he does, he's often wearing a simple t-shirt or monochrome button down shirt. He also has a large tattoo on his right arm, which we can't imagine on the sophisticated Coulter.

Jack Wagner has played Bill Avery, a former Mountie and forensic investigator, since Season 1, Episode 11. Wagner has referred to Avery as the "James Bond of Hope Valley" because "he charms women, he carries a gun, he rides horses, he picks locks, and he solves crimes," via Hallmark Channel. With all that he has to do, Avery's style is utilitarian, and one of his signature pieces is a brown duster jacket.

When the camera stops rolling, Wagner is a fan of golf with a collection of polo shirts and visors for his time on the links. He also spends time with his co-stars off-set, including Kevin McGarry and Chris McNally, where Wagner's look is distinctly more casual than what he wears as Avery.