Came across this today
Staying true to Alberta's heartlandThe phrases “CBC drama series” and “third season” don’t often go together.
For that reason, the stars of CBC’s Sunday night drama Heartland may not have expected to still be here at this point, with a third season premiere and its current season going strong.
“I didn’t have any expectations, I was kind of rushed into it at the beginning, because I auditioned for the role about three days before we went to camera,” said Amber Marshall, who plays the show’s lead, Amy Fleming.
“There’s a big following behind the book series, so I’m sure the show will do well, but I never expected to be here three years later still going strong,” she added.
Heartland films in and around Calgary and shows off some of the western Canadian Rockies scenery, including on set in Millarville.
Marshall’s character is a young “horse whisperer” at the Heartland Ranch, dealing with injured animals as well as managing a complicated personal life that includes the aftermath of her mother’s death, a complex love life and the return of her estranged father.
This year, the show mirrors Marshall’s growing fame as her character’s skill with horses gets revealed to the world via the Internet, and she’s dubbed the “Miracle Girl."
That reflects the show’s spreading fame, as it gets a wider and wider release around the world, including France, to Australia to Germany to Senegal.
“I can’t believe the success the show’s gone through already, we’re in so many different countries and I get fan mail from all around the world and I didn’t think that that would ever happen. It’s just blossomed into such a large show,” Marshall said.
For Marshall, the part of her character about dealing with horses is familiar. One of her early career goals was to be a veterinarian, and she has worked in a vet clinic for the past five years in her hometown of London, Ont., including in between seasons of the show. She still hasn’t ruled out the idea of returning to animal care in the long term.
“I never thought of acting as my full time career, and I still don’t. It’s something that I’m doing now and I love every minute of it, and it’s allowing me to see the world and meet new people and have fun doing it,” said Marshall.
“But at this stage of my life it’s a very unpredictable business, and I’ve always thought about doing something with animals, which is why this job is so perfect for me, because I combine both of those loves in one,” she added.
The western setting was also an attraction for veteran actor Chris Potter, who plays Marshall’s father on the show, which was initially planned to just be a cameo, but grew into a regular role.
“Spending five years in the mountains is just a lot more appealing then spending five years in a fake spaceship or a fake cave,” said Potter, although he admits he’s probably the wrong member of his family to be involved in a show about horses, as his daughter and wife are competitive hunter-jumpers.
“When I had this opportunity, I remember I said ‘They want me to go out a day or two early so I can pick my horse,’ —[my wife and daughter] looked at each other and said, ‘what is wrong with this picture?’” said Potter.
The fact that Heartland is a family-focused show also had a big appeal to Potter, who sees a bright future for it in the Sunday night slot, calling it one of his best experiences in show business.
“The relationships we have with our young stars and our producers, it’s all in the right place,” he said.
“This particular show has legs, and if it’s done right, I think it’s going to be around a long time,” he added.
Heartland is broadcast on CBC, Sunday nights at 7 p.m.