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When Calls the Heart is back with an all-new season on January 4. 

Fans of the Hallmark Channel series are eager to see what’s next for the residents of Hope Valley, especially after the dramatic season 12 finale, when Elizabeth (Erin Krakow) was forced to leave town so that her son Jack (Hyland Goodrich) could be get life-saving treatment for his diabetes. 

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Many Hearties are also wondering what’s next for Lucas Bouchard (Chris McNally), who has been single since Elizabeth broke off their engagement at the end of season 10. Season 12 introduced a potential love interest for Lucas in Edie Martell (Miranda MacDougall). The pair had a tense but flirty relationship as they faced off over his plans for a national park in Hope Valley and as they searched for a lost treasure. 

Edie is back in When Calls the Heart Season 13, and McNally has teased that her and Lucas’ relationship will deepen in the new episodes. 

“We just follow them further along this journey,” he said at the Hearties Family Reunion fan event in September 2025 (via YouTube). “And stakes get a little bit higher as they battle their own personal experiences and situations and the things that brought each to this point in life and this place in life. We’re just peeling back more layers of the onion.” 

“We will be making significant strides forward with each season in terms of their relationship,” he added. 

Who is ‘When Calls the Heart’ cast member Miranda MacDougall?

So, who is the woman who may have stolen Lucas’ heart? On When Calls the Heart, Edie is a lawyer who inherits a ranch near Hope Valley from her late uncle. 

“I think I was initially attracted to Edie’s independence and agency. She’s a really well-rounded character – steadfast and direct but willing – as time goes on – to be vulnerable with those she trusts,” MacDougall told Heart in Motion. 

Well-rounded is term that also applies to MacDougall herself. Before landing her role on When Calls the Heart, she appeared in episodes of The Flash and starred opposite Luke MacFarlane in the Lifetime movie Amish Stud: The Eli Weaver Story. She also had a supporting role in the 2025 Hallmark movie Return to Office and starred in the indie movie Hunting Matthew Nichols. And in addition to acting, MacDougall is also a producer and director. 

“I actually direct a lot of commercials … I’ve directed a lot of music videos. I direct theater. I’ve worked as a producer on a couple of films and documentaries,” she said in a 2025 interview with The Edify Show. “So yeah, keeping busy.”  

When Calls the Heart premieres Sunday, January 4 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on Hallmark Channel. Episodes stream the next day on Hallmark+. 

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