Crown Media
Little Jack has been recast. Although fans following on social media might have already known this, many people watching the “When Calls the Heart” premiere will be finding this out for the first time on Sunday night. Erin Krakow, who plays Elizabeth, shared some light on why the Taylor twins left and Hyland Goodrich has taken their place on the Hallmark series.
Krakow Said the Taylor Twins Were Ready to Move On
In an interview with the Hallmarkies Podcast, Krakow said the Taylor twins (Lincoln and Gunnar Taylor) were ready to move on.
“I think that they were ready to move on and we of course only want what’s best for them,” she said. “So we’re off and running with Hyland and I think that everyone is just going to love him.”
Krakow, who is a star and executive producer on the show, told ET Online about the move: “Hyland has brought so much joy and laughter to Hope Valley. He’s a natural in front of the camera and his improvisations had us all grinning! We can’t wait for the Hearties to fall in love with Hyland’s performance, as we have.”
She also told ET Online about the twins’ departure: “We will miss Gunnar and Lincoln Taylor, who previously played Little Jack, but we will cherish all the memories we shared and they will always be very special members of our WCTH family!”
More #WCTH news, #hearties: meet your new Little Jack, @HylandGoodrich! @etnow @erinkrakow @ChrisMcNally_ @WCTH_TV @hallmarkchannel
The Taylor Twins Are Still Listed as Part of the Cast for Episodes 1 & 2 of Season 9
The Taylor twins (Lincoln and Gunnar Taylor) are still included on Crown Media’s official cast list for episodes 1 and 2 of season 9. Hyland Goodrich, who was recast as Little Jack, is also on the cast list.
Here’s the official cast list that Hallmark released for season 9 episode 1. Gunnar Reid Taylor and Lincoln David Taylor are listed at the end as Little Jack Thornton, right after Hyland Goodrich is listed as Little Jack Thornton.
Crown Media
They also appear on the cast list for episode 2, but are no longer on the list for episode 3. So it’s not clear if we’ll still see them in some scenes in the first two episodes, or if we might see them in flashbacks. But the twins will be part of the show in some way until episode 3.
On October 1, during filming for season 9, the Taylor twins did post a photo showing them wearing a Hope Valley outfit that is nearly identical to one Goodrich is seen wearing in a clip from the new season.
On July 22, when filming had first started for the new season, the Taylor twins posted a photo showing the twins on the set of “When Calls the Heart” and standing outside a trailer with “Little Jack” on it. So if they participated in filming for a couple of episodes, this might be why they’re still on the cast list.
The Twins Shared on Instagram Why They Left
The twins shared on an Instagram post (via their parents) why they left.
They wrote: “Words out – Taylor twins have taken the year off of filming and even though we miss our WCTH family, we will never forget the three years we spent on set. We can not wait to see our new friend Hyland on the show and look forward to meeting him! This is not goodbye – it’s see you later ❤️.”
To make sure you don’t miss a single news update about “When Calls the Heart,” join the Hearties News Facebook group, follow the Heavy on Hallmark Facebook page or subscribe to the Heavy on Hallmark newsletter here.