When Calls the Heart's Elizabeth Thatcher Thornton: A Journey of Self-Discovery in Season 11

 

As When Calls the Heart enters its eleventh season, Hope Valley is on the brink of change. From the dawn of the 1920s to the evolution of one long-awaited romance, the show's star and executive producer, Erin Krakow, is ready for viewers to embrace the transitions ahead, especially for her character, Elizabeth Thatcher Thornton.

 

Erin Krakow, who plays Elizabeth, has experienced a whirlwind of trials and tribulations throughout the drama. The schoolteacher has faced the loss of her husband Jack, the birth of her son, finding love again with Lucas Bouchard, and eventually ending their engagement.

 

For Erin, season 11 is crucial as Elizabeth is not just looking out for those she cares about most. Elizabeth is on a journey to discover who she is amid the start of something new.

 

"Season 10 was a very challenging emotional time for Elizabeth," Erin tells Good Housekeeping over Zoom. "A lot of self-reflection, a lot of trying to figure out what's the right move and is she with the right person. Moving into season 11, it was important for me to explore the sides of Elizabeth that show her celebrating life a bit more and being open to those. There's a real lightness and joy that comes with that."

 

Indeed, Elizabeth takes focus on figuring out her own identity in When Calls the Heart season 11, starting with asking Rosemary Coulter to help cut her hair in the premiere episode. But while switching up her looks is one element on her road to self-discovery, there's one other thing that fans have waited years to see happen.

 

As Erin explains, season 11 is unique for Elizabeth as she can finally acknowledge her feelings for Mountie Nathan Grant, with whom she's had an on-and-off friendship since he first appeared in season 6. While Nathan has expressed his desire to be in a relationship with her, viewers know she eventually chose Lucas as her next beau, before she chose to end their relationship amid her own hesitation to choose between him and Nathan.

 

Now that she's finally single, Erin says Elizabeth is ready to take her relationship with Nathan to the next level. But unlike her previous romances, Erin says the twosome's road to love is much softer for a specific reason.

 

"When I think about the way [When Calls the Heart is] handling it, it's grown up," she says. "For Nathan and Elizabeth, they're busy people. She's trying to raise her kid, she's a teacher. He's trying to raise his kid [Allie], he's a Mountie. They've got lives and responsibilities. 

 

That's not necessarily a sexy way of approaching it, but that's life for them. It's a mature kind of love that ends up being very passionate, if I may say. Sometimes it's just nice to see a couple of grown people fall in love."

 

So, what else is Erin excited for fans to see in When Calls the Heart season 11? As the actress emphasizes, Elizabeth is expanding her horizons, but she's not the only one.

 

"There have been so many changes in the rollercoaster of Elizabeth's journey," Erin says. "Season 11 is no exception. We're breathing new life into Elizabeth and into the fabric of the town in various ways. And Nathan is there and there's all this excitement and change happening in Hope Valley. And so not only for Elizabeth, but for everyone in town, it feels like a new beginning."

 

When Calls the Heart season 11 airs Sundays at 9 p.m. ET on Hallmark.

 

Conclusion

In season 11 of When Calls the Heart, Elizabeth Thatcher Thornton embarks on a journey of self-discovery. With her previous relationships behind her, Elizabeth is ready to take her relationship with Nathan Grant to the next level. This season promises to bring new life to Elizabeth and the town of Hope Valley, making it a must-watch for fans of the show.