I have watched When Calls the Heart from the moment the pilot movie premiered, to the series, throughout the ups and downs, and I am certainly ready to see more of this incredible show beginning Sunday, February 24th! As an anticipatory prequel to the official start of season six, The Greatest Christmas Blessing premiered on the Hallmark Channel (and Super Channel Heart & Home) on Christmas Day 2018, and I couldn’t have been any more ecstatic, enthralled, and entertained! One of the actresses featured in that Christmas movie, Morgan Kohan, will be one of the two lead actresses helming the spin-off series (When Hope Calls) that is scheduled to premiere in August of this year exclusively on the Hallmark streaming service known as Hallmark Movies Now. Recently, I was able to catch up with Morgan and ask her a few questions about her career with an emphasis on her Hallmark work. In anticipation of a rebroadcast of When Calls the Heart: The Greatest Christmas Blessing on Hallmark Drama Wednesday, February 20, I am honored to share Morgan with my readers today!
Photo by LV Imagery
RH: Why did you decide to pursue a career as an actress? What kind of training have you had to prepare you for this career?
MK: When I graduated from high school, I really wasn’t sure what I wanted to do. Dance had always been a huge part of my life, so when the opportunity to audition for the Randolph Academy in Toronto came up, I jumped at it. Through that program, I discovered my love for acting and that was it! We studied theatre history, scene study, voice and text, vocal coaching, dance classes…the whole shebang. Over the years, I’ve kept up with different acting classes around the city – if I’m not working on a project I try to always have class on the go to keep sharp and just ’cause I love it!
Murdoch Mysteries
What was your first professional job in the business? What are your memories of that job?
My first professional job (aside from commercials) would have been Murdoch Mysteries! It’s like a well-oiled machine at this point because it’s been going for so long, and it was a great show to start on. It was pretty funny though because I had lost my voice just a day or two before filming, so my voice was suuuuuuper croaky. Which if you didn’t know me well, you probably wouldn’t notice, but I laugh every time I hear it.
You were on an episode of Murdoch Mysteries. What did you enjoy most about your time on that show?
Oops! Kinda already covered this one. But another thing I enjoyed about the show was the costume! My character had this gothic edge to her, so they had me in this gorgeous black dress and coat with huge crows feathers coming up from the neck. I felt very saucy.
Star Trek Discovery
You’ve also been a part of Star Trek Discovery and other well-known shows in the business. Any memories you would like to share from your time on Star Trek?
I played a weapons trader on Star Trek and they wanted me to do some tricks with the guns when I’m inspecting them. They brought me in a day early to meet with the weapons handler to teach me some things. He was nice enough to let me take them home ( they were 3D printed, couldn’t actually fire anything and totally safe) to practice before going to set the next day. So I have some pretty hilarious videos of me in my pajamas trying to flip these guns around! Got to say though, I got pretty good at it!
Martin Cummins, Johannah Newmarch, Paul Greene, Kavan Smith, Pascale Hutton, Erin Krakow, Lori Loughlin, Jack Wagner, Eve Bourne, Aren Buchholz, Morgan Kohan, Jocelyn Hudon Credit: ©2018 Crown Media United States LLC/Photographer: Eike Schroter
Before joining the Hallmark family, how familiar were you with the network?
I had seen a few Hallmark Christmas movies in the past to get into the spirit of the season, but that was about it. I don’t have cable at home, so I really wasn’t aware of how huge the network is and how much content they have. It’s super impressive!
Please tell us about filming the When Calls the Heart Christmas movie. What did you enjoy most about your role and working on set?
Jocelyn Hudon, Morgan Kohan, Paul Greene Credit: ©2018 Crown Media United States LLC/Photographer: Eike Schroter
Working on the movie was a wonderful experience. It was filmed in Vancouver, where I’ve never had a chance to work before, so it was really amazing getting to know the city. And I loved that the whole town is fully built, so you can wander through the different shops and rooms when they weren’t being used. That was special because it really felt like you were in this actual town and not just on a set! I also loved that my character is with her sister, and although they already have this built-in bond, they are still kind of getting to know each other.
What can you tell us about When Hope Calls and your character’s involvement with the show?
When Hope Calls will be about Lillian and Grace and the new orphanage they’re opening. As they didn’t get to grow up together, the show will revolve around the two sisters rebuilding their relationship. I’m sure we will get to know some of the kids in the orphanage as well and some potential suitors for the sisters down the line!
What do you enjoy about period shows? What do you see as the challenges?
Morgan Kohan Credit: ©2018 Crown Media United States LLC/Photographer: Eike Schroter
I love the wardrobe! It always helps me to build out the character. A challenge can be trying to stay true to the period in your movement and way of speaking while keeping it engaging for a modern audience. But with a strong director or showrunner at the helm, they’re usually good at keeping those things on track!
Any other upcoming works you can mention?
Just before Christmas, I wrapped lead in a movie that we shot in beautiful Costa Rica! That should hopefully be coming out sometime this year. I also have an episode of The Bold Type on Freeform airing this season as well as an episode of a secret show (I can’t say much about yet!)
Any goals/hopes for the upcoming year?
To have a successful first season of When Hope Calls!! I’d also love to continue to travel to new places for work and get out to BC more often to see my family.
Why do you believe Hallmark is experiencing such unprecedented growth as a network?
Hallmark doesn’t try to be anything it isn’t. They do lovely family-friendly, heartwarming shows, and at the end of the day, who doesn’t love to watch something that’s going to put a smile on their face?! With so much turmoil going on in the world, Hallmark provides a wonderful retreat to forget any worries of the moment and fall in love with their characters and storylines!
Photo by LV Imagery
I know I declare this unequivocally on many occasions, but it is something about which I am truly passionate and grateful in relation to the Hallmark Network. Because of their allegiance to high quality, family-friendly entertainment, I have been introduced to such unbelievable talent that I wouldn’t otherwise notice on my television screen. Many networks would never consider taking a chance on virtual unknowns when launching a flagship show on a relatively new streaming service such as Hallmark Movies Now. And yet, they have made the choice to feature Morgan (and Jocelyn Hudon) in one of the most anticipated Hallmark shows of 2019. Even before I chatted virtually with Morgan, I was already convinced that she was the ideal choice for such a venture, and now her effervescent enthusiasm, her obvious expertise, and her pragmatic humility (not to mention her undeniable work ethic) only reinforce what we Hearties already knew. Morgan is an emerging talent who has demonstrated her eagerness to create a character with authenticity, charm, and profundity, and after seeing her in the Christmas movie, we all are anxiously awaiting this next venture.
If you have not seen When Calls the Heart: The Greatest Christmas Blessing, be sure to tune to Hallmark Drama February 20th for the reairing of one of my all-time favorite episodes of this series (Super Channel Heart & Home is showing it again on February 24th, and it is available on demand with that network as well). Additionally, while we await the late summer premiere of When Hope Calls, be sure that you check out all of Morgan’s links below and consider following her where applicable. As a young lady with an amazingly bright future, I cannot wait until we see her yet again in another dynamic series envisioned by the network that consistently provides phenomenal, beautiful, heartfelt programming. As excited as I am for season six of When Calls the Heart, August cannot come soon enough!
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