Who is Erin Krakow? Meet the actress who plays Elizabeth Thorton in When Calls the Heart season 12

After the final episode of When Calls the Heart season 12 aired, series lead Erin Krakow announced on social media that the Hallmark Channel has greenlit another installment of the show. Krakow portrays the character of Elizabeth Thatcher Thornton, a young teacher from the big city who secures a position in a small community on the Canadian frontier and adapts to a new lifestyle.

Based on the eponymous book from the Canadian West series by Janette Oke, When Calls the Heart is a Western drama created by Michael Landon Jr. and Brian Bird. The first season premiered in 2014 and inspired a spin-off from the same network, When Hope Calls, in 2019.

Krakow’s character, Elizabeth, has been the heart of When Calls the Heart since its inception. The daughter of a wealthy shipping magnate, Elizabeth's commitment as a teacher is challenged by her appointment in a small town with a coal mine, where a disaster occurs shortly after she arrives. She confronts both professional and personal challenges in the show, navigating love and loss without losing her spirit.

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Erin Krakow’s on-screen career beyond Hallmark

Born in Philadelphia, 40-year-old Erin Krakow grew up in South Florida and attended the Alexander W. Dreyfoos School of the Arts. A classically trained actor, she earned a BFA from The Juilliard School in New York City. Krakow currently resides in Los Angeles but spends a significant portion of the year in Vancouver, Canada, to shoot for When Calls the Heart.

Krakow is known for her theatrical performances as well as her screen roles. During her time at Juilliard, she portrayed Viola and Sebastian in the school’s production of Twelfth Night, Helena in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and Yelena in Black Russian.

Since graduation, Krakow has continued to perform on stage, playing Cecily and Shelby in the stage adaptations of The Importance of Being Earnest and Steel Magnolias, respectively.

In television, Krakow became a recurring cast member on Lifetime’s Army Wives, playing Specialist Tanya Gabriel. She also appeared in the recurring role of Molly on CBS’s daytime soap, Guiding Light. Network shows in which Krakow has guest-starred include Castle on ABC, NCIS: Los Angeles and NCIS on CBS, and Good Girls Revolt on Amazon/Sony.

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Erin Krakow is a familiar face on the Hallmark Channel

With the conclusion of When Calls the Heart season 12 on March 23, 2025, Krakow will have spent as many years as the face of the show on Hallmark Channel. However, this is not the only project for which the network's viewers recognize her.

The list of Hallmark shows featuring Krakow in leading roles includes Blind Date Book Club, The Wedding Cottage, It Was Always You, and Chance at Romance. She also had a supporting role as Christie in A Cookie Cutter Christmas.

Additionally, the actress has appeared in various roles in Hallmark Movies & Mysteries, including Miranda in the holiday series Finding Father Christmas, Engaging Father Christmas, and Marrying Father Christmas, and Ella in Sense, Sensibility, and Snowmen.

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Where is Erin Krakow’s Elizabeth in When Calls the Heart now?

Krakow is set to reprise the role of Elizabeth Thatcher Thornton in the upcoming installment of When Calls the Heart. In the last episode, Elizabeth struggles to accept her son Jack Jr.'s diabetes diagnosis and decides to leave Hope Valley with him in the final moments.

Nathan (played by Kevin McGarry), with whom Elizabeth has fallen in love following her husband Jack Thornton's death in season 5, meets them midway and reminds her that they are a family and must stay together.

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Check in for more updates on the upcoming season of When Calls the Heart.