Loretta Walsh on Why Women’s Voices Make ‘When Calls The Heart’ Timeless [Interview]

For the last eight seasons, Loretta Walsh has captivated audiences with her sharp tongue and her love for gossip as Hope Valley’s Florence Blakeley on When Calls The Heart. Florence is one of several ‘modern’ women on a show centered around the early 1900s. 

Walsh and I had a conversation recently about her role on the show and how it has evolved over the years. Her enthusiasm for the show and Florence showed through with every answer she gave.

From day one, Florence Blakeley has been one of Hope Valley’s original townspeople and a staunch believer that the protagonist, Elizabeth Thatcher is someone who isn’t cut out for their little town. However, as time goes on she learns alongside Elizabeth that anything is possible if you just put your mind to it. 

As Walsh so aptly put it, “when we first meet [Florence] she is incredibly prickly and tough-minded. Judgmental. She was really coming from a place of grief.” However, over time, she said “it’s been a journey of healing. She has been on a journey to heal that loss and to heal that grief.”

“[Florence] has been getting incrementally better at being a part of the community through helping others and getting her own store — her first job,” she said. Walsh went on to explain that Florence has become a self-made woman who now knows her worth is in her passion for her job, not in who she is as a wife or widow.

It’s been incredible to see Florence soften up over the years. Walsh credits that to the relationship she has with Elizabeth. These two very different women were able to “change after they went into the mine together.”

“Over the years, she has been changed by Elizabeth. She has received the different ideas and lessons on love, forgiveness, vulnerability, and softness that Elizabeth has offered,” Walsh explained.

She went on to describe how the relationship between these two women comes across in Season 8. “Some of the moments with Elizabeth [will] deepen their relationship again, which I’m excited about,” she said.

With all this talk about the strength these two female characters exude onscreen, Loretta Walsh also discussed how that strength is universal to the entire show. 

“I think that Hope Valley can have quite a feminist claim. And, I think that’s part of the success of this show. Even though this was set from 1910 to 1918 women are brave, they are strong. They’re courageous. They work together. And there is a real sisterhood within the women of this town.”

As any fan of the show knows, When Calls The Heart allows the female characters to be the leaders in the town. After all, the community is mostly made up of women, many of whom have careers outside of the home and family.

None of these women tear each other down — even if they don’t really like each other.

For Walsh, this sisterhood vibe is what attracted her to the role all those years ago. “I wanted to do a show that was about how important that connection and friendship and love and sisterhood between women is,” she shared.

“I had no idea it would go this long or spread this far. It really started with all these fans of the show who created a community with each other. They have a community of constant generosity and goodness to one another. It’s something I really didn’t see coming.”

Walsh was adamant about crediting the fans for pushing this show forward, year after year.

“Hope Valley is a place where people pull together and help one another.” It’s something Walsh feels is needed even more now.

“If we didn’t realize before the pandemic, we sure know it now. We really need each other,” she said. “Hope Valley and When Calls The Heart really represent that. Even though it’s a period piece, it’s actually very relevant to today.”

Of course, Florence interacts with more than just Elizabeth on the show, so I was curious to see who Walsh wishes she could have more onscreen time with and her answer surprised even me.

“Martin [Cummins], I love that guy. I’m really fascinated by his character because he’s kind of this mysterious man. You don’t know for sure if he’s good or not.”

Never fear, Hearties. There is a Florence and Henry friendship on the horizon for Season 8. She couldn’t say much about it, but Walsh did tease a bit about their budding connection.

“Without giving too much away, I think that Henry and Florence are sort of coming to a new understanding of each another. And perhaps there is a budding friendship there.”

She even went on to create the perfect storyline for Florence if she were to ever take center stage, something she was more than excited to talk about.

“I would love to have a growing problem with the town. [One where] Florence secretly solves it and has to keep it to herself that she’s the one who solved it. Like she has some secret skill that helps solve the problem. It would be hard for her to do, to keep quiet.”

All this said, Loretta Walsh really just wanted to leave me with the understanding of just how blessed she is to be a part of a show that has such a wide community of fans who have become like family. 

“This show has been the gift that keeps on giving for myself and millions of other people. I’m not sure I can encapsulate in just one thing. It really has been an extraordinary experience.”

You can catch Loretta Walsh on When Calls The Heart on Sundays at 9/8c on Hallmark.

*Featured image credit: Noah Asanias

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