We were joined on the Popternative show by Bethany Joy Lenz (A Biltmore Christmas, One Tree Hill) and Benjamin Ayres (The Santa Class, Saving Hope) who co-star in the new Hallmark+ series, Hope Valley: 1874, a spinoff to the beloved Hallmark Channel series, When Calls the Heart.
Hope Valley: 1974 premiered on Saturday, March 21 and a new episode will drop every Thursday beginning March 26. The cast also includes Jill Hennessy (Law & Order, City on a Hill), Roan Curtis (Sidelined 2: Intercepted, Firefly Lane), Lachlan Quarmby (Providence Falls, The Watchful Eye), Jedidiah Goodacre (Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, The Order), and Mila Morgan (Home Before Dark, The Holiday Sitter).
Taking place in 1874, the series follows the beginnings of the frontier settlement that grew into Hope Valley, focusing on the strength, perseverance, and relationships that built the beloved town. Lenz plays Rebecca Clarke, who journeys from Chicago to the Western Canadian frontier with her 11-year-old daughter, Sarah (Morgan). When her wagon breaks down and the boardinghouse proves far from what was promised, Rebecca is forced to rely on the help of a local rancher and longtime bachelor, Tom Moore (Ayres).
While Hope Valley: 1874 shares the same foundation as When Calls the Heart, Lenz explains that it does offer a different experience: “[We feel] honored that we’re a part of something that’s got such a great legacy and has built a community that’s so strong and connected. We’re hoping that we can bring that community in from that point because we’re a prequel and not a sequel or an offshoot.”
“I didn’t want to fill my mind too much with what they’re doing with When Calls the Heart because what we’re doing on Hope Valley: 1874 is quite grand, it’s very cinematic and the world is so big. I guess I just didn’t want it in the back of my mind. I didn’t want to be affected by what people were expecting from us from having watched When Calls the Heart. I want them to see something totally new,” she adds.
Watch the full conversation with Bethany Joy Lenz and Benjamin Ayres below.
A new episode of Hope Valley: 1874 drops Thursdays on Hallmark+.