As Hearties count down the weeks until the Season 9 premiere of When Calls the Heart, the stars of the show have kept quiet about upcoming storylines.
But in a recent interview on the Everything About Hallmark podcast, Kayla Wallace, who plays Fiona Miller on the series, said viewers can expect her character to grapple with some new business opportunities.
“She gets challenged quite a bit this season,” Wallace said. “I’m excited for people to see that journey.”
In a live chat that ran during the interview, fans kept asking if Fiona would fall in love in Season 9. Several Hearties wanted to know if Fiona would end up with Mountie Nathan Grant, who is played by her real-life boyfriend, Kevin McGarry. Wallace demurred, saying she couldn’t give away any spoilers.
During the interview, Wallace talked about how intimidating it was to join the cast of When Calls the Heart during Season 6.
“I remember feeling like the new kid at school,” she said. “Everybody was so welcoming.”
New girl in town
When Calls the Heart is Hallmark Channel’s longest-running original series. Based on a series of books by Janette Oke, the show follows the residents of a small mining town in Canada at the turn of the 20th century.
Wallace’s character became a fan favorite when she arrived in Hope Valley on Season 6. A phone company employee, she was sent to the town to train new switchboard operators. Known for her short — above the ankle — hemlines and fancy shoes, she wasn’t afraid to speak her mind and push people’s buttons.
Over the years, she has developed an unlikely friendship with local woman Florence (played by Loretta Walsh), something fans brought up in the live chat.
“You get to see a vulnerability in both of them that you don’t always get to see,” Wallace said.
Feeling Butterflies
Wallace also touched on her new Hallmark Movie, Feeling Butterflies, which premieres in March.
In the romantic comedy, she plays Emily, a woman who runs a butterfly sanctuary. To make ends meet, she does butterfly releases at birthday parties and weddings. In an attempt to grow her business, she’s hoping to do a release at an upcoming celebrity wedding. When she meets single dad Garrett (played by McGarry), he helps her with her business, and they grow close.
Filmed on location near Ottawa, the movie is visually stunning, according to Wallace.
“It’s going to be a really beautiful film to watch,” she said.
Season 9 of When Calls the Heart premieres Sunday, March 6 at 8/7c on Hallmark Channel.
Feeling Butterflies premieres Saturday, March 12 at 8/7c on Hallmark Channel.