HOPE VALLEY: 1874 Stars Can’t Stop Talking About the ‘Power of the Hearties’

Published: March 25, 2026

By India McCarty

HOPE VALLEY: 1874 stars Bethany Joy Lenz and Benjamin Ayres weighed in on the power and passion of Hearties.

“I know all the actors on WHEN CALLS THE HEART,” Ayres told Woman’s World. “I haven’t been on the show, so I haven’t felt the power of the Hearties, and to now sort of be dipping our foot in and feeling their support has been really powerful and exciting, but I really wanted to be able to honor the fandom and be able to create something that they would love as much as WHEN CALLS.”

HOPE VALLEY: 1874 is a prequel to WHEN CALLS THE HEART, sharing the stories of the people who originally settled in the town that would become Hope Valley.

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Lenz echoed her co-star’s statements, saying, “I knew that there was a sort of a fandom that existed, but I didn’t understand how similar it was to the ONE TREE HILL fans that we’ve had for 25 years.”

She previously starred on mega-popular teen show ONE TREE HILL for nine seasons.

“When people lock in on a community, cast or show — something that they feel connected to, that they’ve been through long journeys with — the way that they continue to show up, I had never experienced anything like that, except for ONE TREE HILL,” Lenz continued. “So, to be able to see this happening on the other side with this show, and know that they’re welcoming us the way that they’re welcoming us, and the way that they’re excited for what we’re doing, it’s not nerves, but it does make me really excited to enter another community that’s similar.”

Lenz, who is also a musician, even penned HOPE VALLEY: 1874’s theme song.

“I just had the idea,” she told TV Insider. “I thought when I signed on for the show, I want to write the theme song. I just felt it.”

Ayres added, “I remember in transport, you were like, ‘I wrote this song that I think would be great for the opening credits.’ The second I heard it, I was like, ‘If it’s not this song, I quit the show.’ It really helps set the tone for the show that we want to make and that we thought we were making.”

The co-stars have gushed about each other in interviews, with Ayres telling Decider, “It’s been just an absolute pleasure to work with [Lenz]. She’s so talented and smart and funny and brings a lot to this world as far as creative ideas. I think we’ve developed a really beautiful, mature relationship for the characters on the show.”

“It’s a real blessing,” the actress said of her friendship with Ayres. “I feel so lucky that we got Ben to be a part of this.”

From the support of the Hearties to on-set friendship, both Lenz and Ayres are feeling the love and community that WHEN CALLS THE HEART is so famous for!

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