I am absolutely awestruck by the actors who invest tireless hours of preparation and skill into our favorite shows. More often than not, we forget just how much time and energy is required when one chooses the career path of a working actor, but in spite of the difficulties and time constraints, there is nothing more fulfilling on earth for these creative souls. And this describes Erica Carroll, who has diligently brought the character of Dottie Ramsey to life for four seasons of When Calls the Heart and is embarking on the fifth. It was quite a feat to make a connection with her because every time we set up a date to chat, one of us had to cancel due to busy schedules on either end. Finally, towards the end of this summer, we made the time to chat, and only now, have I been able to set aside the requisite time to publish our interview for my lovely readers!
Photo by Kristine Cofsky Photography © Kristine Cofsky Photography 2016
RH: Erica, I am so very glad we finally made connections. I know how busy everyone is, especially actors.
EC: Thank you, Ruth, for your patience and continuing to reach out. I am also glad we finally are getting the chance to do this.
Somewhere Between with J R Bourne
It was so good to see you in Somewhere Between this summer.
Oh, yeah, such a great show.
And I looked over all your credits. You’ve been a very busy lady.
This year feels pretty crazy for me with all the stuff I’ve filmed. And really it’s not the work that keeps me so busy. It’s really about the auditions. They keep me very busy, and I’m just grateful I have gotten so many opportunities.
I have a great deal of respect for actors. I hear how you sometimes have three auditions in one day, and I don’t know how you guys do it.
Thank you. It’s a whole other world that we live in, that’s for sure.
Now, I was reading some about you, and it seems like you have a pretty interesting background. I think I read that your parents were Irish.
Yes, that’s true. In fact, my whole family was born in Dublin. And then my parents moved to Canada and had me. I was raised very Irish in Canada. I never felt super Canadian till I went back to Ireland to study and realized. {laughs} My nickname was “Canada.” But I was raised with the Irish culture, including Irish dancing, music, food, and all that.
Were you interested in acting most of your life?
No, actually I was very introverted and shy. The shock of performing was not a pleasant one. I even remember when I first started Irish dancing that I stared at the floor when I danced, which was not effective. {laughs} I finally got my chin up after a while.
I originally wanted to be an astronaut actually. I know it’s not something that small kids usually think of doing, but it’s what I wanted. And then I realized I could just play one. {laughs}
Supernatural
Right, I was thinking you have done a lot of sci-fi stuff.
I do love the sci-fi. Through my high school years, I fell in love with Star Trek. I still have a bit of the astronaut thing in me.
While I did do some elementary and high school plays, I didn’t really pursue acting for film and television until about 1998, when I was trying to put together a portfolio for interior design. {laughs} So I had this moment where I went, “I don’t wanna do this! I wanna act!” But being fearful of performance and things like that…I didn’t want to not pursue it because it scared me. It was more about overcoming that fear of performing that really pushed me to do it.
Well, I don’t think you’re alone in some of what you shared about performing. I mean, most actors do tend to be quiet and reserved, and then I think they find themselves in acting where they can express themselves once they get over that fear.
Oh, I envy the people who are like, “Oh, I was a performer when I was a child. I was dancing and singing and…” {laughs}
What was your first professional job in the business?
I think it was The Outer Limits. I had a couple roles on that series. Then I think I did some small, independent films as well. But that’s how I began to learn the ropes.
Supernatural
I actually lived on Vancouver Island in a place called Duncan, so my first few years of auditioning, I would travel over on a ferry for an hour and a half both ways. And it took an hour to get to the ferry. Oh, gosh, the amount of work to just get to an audition, and there were no guarantees that you would book it. That was challenging. You really have to want it if you’re going to be traveling six hours to go to an audition for a commercial. {laughs}
Well, yeah! I don’t think I’ve ever heard of anyone doing that. This may be a first. I guess you really had to want to do it.
The producer of Outer Limits was from Duncan, so we ended up connecting and he really helped me out with getting my first credit so I could start to get seen more. ‘Cause as you build your credits, you start to get a little bit more leverage with casting and writing and all that.
Supernatural
As I looked through your credits, I didn’t realize you had done so much. It’s a pretty impressive list.
I sometimes feel like a newbie, and then I see my resume, and it’s like, “Wow!”
I can imagine. And sometimes even a working actor that I know will be in something, and because I’m not looking for them, I miss seeing them.
Yeah, honestly for me as an actor, that’s what I want. I just want to be able to work and not have people recognize me or even know my name. {laughs} I get to work in the job that I want to do, and I still get to have anonymity and a nice workload. It’s a great gig to have.
I think that a lot of people think all actors want to be famous and want to be noticed on the street. But that’s not the case at all. I’m happy just to work and not have people know me when I’m out and about. It’s the best of both worlds.
Actually, a lot of the actors I talk to say the same thing. They’re not ready to go down to LA and have this name recognition and people knowing who they are and going through their trash cans.
Absolutely not. What about that is attractive to you? I mean, would you like that? I wouldn’t. And it’s not even about being ready to go down; it’s a choice. Like I choose not to. I have an awesome life in Vancouver and I’m super happy with that. And no one going through my trash! I’m super happy with that too.
Supernatural
So you’ve had a recurring role on Supernatural?
Yeah, I was in a couple of episodes for season one, and then I was out and then I was back in seasons nine and ten. I played four different characters. I was a nurse once. And then I played the mother of a young girl. And then I was an angel, and then the vessel of the angel. This show is in its thirteenth season, so they are definitely a fixture here. Very well-known.
Now, I’ve heard of people who have done two roles in Supernatural, but not four roles until you came along.
I don’t actually know of anybody else who has done four roles. There may be a couple of others, but I haven’t tried to look it up to see. I’m probably not the only one.
Misha Collins, Erica Carroll, Tara Pratt, and Erica Tremblay in Supernatural
Well, I’m sure if you’re not the only one, I would think the group must be pretty small.
Fans have definitely created a narrative for the reason why I was all these different characters. But the best one I’ve heard was this. The mother and the daughter were all Caroline Johnson, who is the vessel that the angel, Hannah, occupied. They made up this whole backstory of Caroline Johnson. And if that was the case, then I only played two different characters. {laughs}
The Supernatural community is so wonderful. I love them.
Me too. I realize I have not watched the whole show. There’s just not enough time in my life. But I do love the fans. They are some of the best.
Now, I was trying to figure out what your first Hallmark work was. It looks like it was The Wishing Tree.
Really? Yeah, I guess that was my first Hallmark movie. What about the movie Duke?
Oh, I hadn’t even realized that was Hallmark, but it definitely is. It says it came out the same year, so maybe that was your first one.
Yes, actually it did come first. That was my first Hallmark movie.
Supernatural
That is one I haven’t seen. I will have to look it up.
Prior to that film, I was involved with a lot of CW shows.
You actually did a few Hallmark things before joining the cast of When Calls the Heart. So what do you like about working for Hallmark?
Well, what’s great about working, for example, on When Calls the Heart, the story is so sweet, lovely, and clean in comparison to a lot of stuff on TV right now, not to mention all the news that’s happening. It’s just so nice to have something that is not devastating, something clean, happy, and pure and where the biggest drama is the tea is cold or something like that. (laughs)
I like that my nieces and nephews can watch the show because most of the stuff I’ve been on, except for the kid’s shows…but even the kid’s shows that I’ve done, they’re still a little scary. My nieces and nephews are still quite young, so it’s nice that my family actually gets to watch a show that I’m in. My sisters are really specific about what their kids get to watch, so it’s nice that they can actually see me in something. They all love the characters, and they can relate to the little kids in the story.
I also love that it’s a period piece. It’s fun to go to set. It kinda transports you into another time. I love the sets, and I love the costumes. Getting to wear a big skirt every day is kind of my jam. I like wearing big skirts as it is. I love the style of the period and women getting to dress like ladies and being so proper. I love all of that.
And all of the Hallmark projects I’ve done, they’re always nice, heartwarming stories, and it feels nice to put that kind of energy out in the world. There’s a lot of times that I’ll get auditions for projects, and I just flat out don’t want to put that kind of vibration out there. Even sometimes working on projects with animals–like exotic animals–there are projects that just don’t align with my morals and values. Quite often, when it comes to a Hallmark project, it’s easier to yes to.
When Calls the Heart season 1
You have been with When Calls the Heart from season one.
Yes, my character, Dottie, has made quite a journey. She was there from the beginning, and she was very different from the others. She is one of the only women who wasn’t married to a miner. She was the mayor’s wife. Then the mayor left town and then he died. It was very traumatic.
I remember that. She’s had quite a journey, and now she has a dress shop.
Yes, I’m very happy about that.
I remember that Dottie was the one who in the beginning, you don’t know if you want to trust her because you’re not sure where her loyalties lie.
I think Dottie is about taking care of Dottie. Dottie is a feminist back in a time when the woman wasn’t the one who got to run the household. Dottie’s always been very independent, and she definitely wore the pants in the relationship. All along, she’s been trying to gain that independence and take care of herself. Now that she has her dress shop, hopefully that will be a success so that she can keep taking care of herself in a time when not having a partner would have been very difficult.
One question I have is–I don’t know where my son has gone.
When Calls the Heart season 3
There are some unanswered questions in relation to many of the storylines. Sometimes we don’t know where the kids are, and other times we don’t know where the parents are. I try not to worry about those issues, but some fans get very caught up in those things. But I know many factors go into the direction of the storylines.
The task these writers have…our cast is so huge at this point. It is such an intricate weaving, I don’t now how they do it. They do an amazing job, not only with the stories and including all of us in the stories in some way, but there’s all the technical side of it too for them to take into account. The fact that they balance both of them and still keep a larger story with all of the inner workings, I think, is quite a feat. Especially considering all their time restrictions and everything.
So for an actor, my justification for my son being gone is that he is away at boarding school.
That sounds good. I’m sure there will be many Hearties who appreciate that.
And that’s why Dottie’s got to make these choices like working for Gowen and things like that. She’s trying to support her child. She’s got to survive and figure out a way to live.
with Martin Cummins
I think that’s a really good way of thinking about it. So with season five, what would you like to have happen for Dottie?
I’m honestly not sure because the thing I wanted most for Dottie was to open her own business. And I got that last season! So I would hope that the business is really successful. For me, this storyline is pretty cool because my mom was a seamstress. My mom passed away in 2004, and so I thought it was an interesting little twist that now Dottie has her own store. I remember getting to use the Singer sewing machine in the Christmas movie last year, and my mom had an antique Singer sewing machine along with all her other sewing machines. I thought it was a little shoutout for my mom.
So my hope is that Dottie’s store is successful and that she can dress everyone in the latest fashions. And that should happen since she has the influence of Rosemary.
One of the questions the Hearties always have for Dottie is whether romance will ever come into her life again.
I don’t know. I know Dottie and Bill agreed to a friendship. But I don’t know of anyone else who might be coming along. But Dottie is really focused on the business side of things. I think she’s pretty happy with that.
You know, there is this fan art called “The Evolution of Dottie” that I just love. How she’s gone from this commanding mayor’s wife to the snoopy mayor’s assistant to the captivating widow to being an aspiring businesswoman. I just love how Dottie has persevered and survived all that.
Well, at least we know Dottie is still there, and we’ll just have to see how the season unfolds. At least your character seems to have staying power, so we’re glad about that. And we’ll get to see you in the Christmas movie and season five. {pause} I know some actors are very passionate about certain causes and/or charities. Any you’d like to mention?
Yes, I am a big proponent of the Amnesty International Write For Rights Campaign. I help in writing letters for human rights violations. It is something I work on to organize, and it just so happens I missed HFR2 because it fell on the same weekend as that.
I got to go to the first HFR, and it was great. It was so much fun. I met a ton of fans. It was great seeing real people behind the fandom. You see all these posts online, but getting to meet everyone makes it real. It was great to interact with everyone while I was there.
Somewhere Between with Paula Patton
So what other projects do you have out there besides When Calls the Heart?
I was in Somewhere Between and filmed that this spring as was mentioned. And then I was on an episode of Timeless.
I love Timeless! Such a great show.
I really enjoy it too. I love all the historical facts included so that I can walk away knowing I’ve actually learned something. I’m so glad it ended up getting renewed, and maybe I’ll be back, you never know.
Timeless
I know I watched the episode you were on, but I will have to go back and watch it again and find you.
I understand. Everyone looks so different. When I do sci-fi conventions, people will walk right past me. They have no idea who I am–which is awesome. Then they come up to my table and are like, “Oh my gosh, you look so different than your character!” That’s kind of a compliment. I like that.
In addition to those, is there anything else upcoming you can mention?
Behind-the-scenes Insomnia
Well, Insomnia is a show I filmed in Russia a year or two ago. I don’t know exactly when it’s releasing. I’m not sure what rating you’d give it, but it’s a pretty action-packed project, and it’s very intense. It’s a really cool story. It’s kind of like Hunger Games, like the whole gotta survive thing crossed with a gambling game. There are contestants that have to fight to survive. The whole concept is to play or die. I play one of the contestants in it. We shot it in Moscow, and you don’t always get to shoot in places like that. It is a mini-series of eight episodes.
According to what I’ve seen, it looks like Starz has the distribution rights, but there’s not a definite release date yet.
I know there’s a misconception that actors are privy to all this knowledge about when things are being released, but that is really not the case. In this case, it’s something I’ve done long ago, and I’ve moved on. I hope it airs soon, and if I get any information, I’ll be happy to let the fans know.
It looks like Redemption is listed on my IMDB, but that was actually a web series, and I filmed that a long time ago. It was lots of fun. I played a rich, snooty lady.
Now, as to anything else upcoming, I have actually taken a big detour to be honest. I’m not auditioning any more. I’m venturing into writing and directing. This past year has been challenging for me health-wise, so trying to keep up with the pace of auditioning is not really an option for me, so I’m starting to branch out into other areas that I’m very interested in and starting a whole new chapter of my life.
I also started a t-shirt company. Our first t-shirt is out, and it’s “I am all-inclusive” t-shirt. Our company is called Brightfaith, and it’s basically just t-shirts with socially-conscious messages. Nothing like, “I’m with stupid.” Our shirts have thought-provoking conversation messages. It’s just myself and best friend involved in the company.
So I’m also writing in the hopes of being another one of those female directors that we so desperately need out there.
I agree with you completely on that point. I’m big on women supporting women, especially in production, directing, and writing.
It really requires a lot of focus to do all this writing, and I just cannot have that focus interrupted with all these auditions. I understand the importance and value of auditions, but it takes so much time away from you, and I really need to use that time to write and pursue these other goals and dreams. I’m so grateful that I have When Calls the Heart which fulfills the acting thing for me. And I’m also trying to learn as much as I can. It’s a little scary, but I feel like acting wasn’t the end of the road for me. I’ve always felt like I want to keep learning more and challenging myself more. And I really want to contribute more to the stories that are out there. And I know I have really great stories in me that I need to get out. So that’s what I’m doing, and I’m pretty pumped about it. So understand that I’m not leaving acting, but I really want to pursue learning more skills. I’m fulfilling my artistry another way.
Photo by Ed Araquel
Personally, I think that’s really smart. I’ve talked with a lot of actors who want to write and direct, but they’re so busy with acting, that they don’t have the time to pursue it. You can’t really pursue both very easily at the same time. Some do, but it is so exhausting that something tends to suffer.
One of the stories I’m working on concerns the deaf community. I am currently trying to learn ASL so that if I manage to make this film, obviously I’d be casting a deaf actor and I want to be able to communicate.
Oh, that sounds intriguing, but then I’m a lifelong learner who has always loved to learn new things.
That is exactly how I am too. I know a lot of actors are passionate about acting, but my passion is learning. I’m always ready to learn the next thing. I’ll probably learn how to direct, and then I’ll be like, “Okay, now what? Now I can be an astronaut!” {laughs}
Photo by Kristine Cofsky Photography © Kristine Cofsky Photography 2016
I’m like that too. I’m never content with the status quo. I have to keep challenging myself.
I know some people tell me how this is going to be hard. And yeah, but you just have to do it. Sometimes you don’t ask how. You just start going in the direction, and things start to fall into place.
I think you’re exactly right. I think you can spend all day talking about what how you want to do this or that, but if you don’t ever do them, what good is it? I think sometimes people should just jump in and start doing them. Sure, you should do some research and know what you’re doing, but at some point, you just have to do it.
Myself and four other actors have kind of formed a group to help each other in the process. We are all moving in the same direction and motivating each other and learning along the way. If there’s an opportunity for us to shadow other directors or anything else, we try to work on that together.
I also teach acting classes and coach and mentor a lot of actors. I’ve been honing my skills in the performance side for a long time and feel very good about that, about helping actors get performances and understanding the narrative and the arc of the story and their characters. So now when it comes to me making movies, it’s really about getting the money so I can make them. Life’s too short not to try.
I fully agree. Erica, thank you so much for taking the time today to chat.
Ruth, it’s been a real pleasure. I appreciate your support and the support of all my fans with a special shoutout to the Hearties. So thank you.
Dottie Ramsey was my introduction to the amazing Erica, and from that moment on, I have always been intrigued by her interpretation of every role she has brought to the screen. She possesses that innate ability to ensure that her characters are believable, and even if the character herself is not the most amiable nor the most trustworthy, the viewers cannot help but connect with the actress who has breathed life into such an authentic persona, flaws and all. Erica is a tenacious woman who continues to immerse herself within any production that she is privileged to work, and her attention to the performance aspects of this business has made her a tour de force.
As Erica is charting a new path for herself within this profession that drives her passion, I have no doubt that she will persevere as she relentlessly invests her time and resources in these projects which inspire the course of her artistic endeavors. She is not content to merely act and tell the stories which someone else has written for her. On the contrary, the flaming desire of her innermost being is to contribute to the world of storytelling by adding her own unique voice. While acting is a worthy pursuit to which many aspire and never attain, Erica proceeds to challenge herself beyond the realms of acting into a whole new world of writing and directing, and the possibilities for this visionary professional seem limitless.
For those who have watched When Calls the Heart: The Christmas Wishing Tree, you already witnessed the engaging story arc that Erica brought to life for Dottie, and we can anticipate even more as soon as season five officially arrives on February 18th. However, the Canadian Hearties are yearning to see the Christmas special on the Super Channel tonight (December 26th), and I believe the movie is available digitally on many platforms as well. I hope everyone has an opportunity to check out this and the rest of Erica’s works, and if you are so inclined, feel free to investigate all of Erica’s links below. It is refreshing to observe a woman who has been involved with the world of show business for so many years and yet refuses to become jaded or give up on her dreams, as that often happens to some who choose to settle for the ordinary and the common. In Erica’s case, she is uncommonly extraordinary, and I greatly anticipate her future undertakings. Moreover, I feel confident that all of her fans will remain to support her as she doggedly and triumphantly chases her passions.
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Dottie Ramsey
When Calls the Heart
