The Heartland cast for season 16 doesn’t introduce any new characters to the series, but the classic main cast returns and some supporting characters get the chance to shine. Heartland is filmed in Alberta, Canada, a fitting place as the Canadian family drama is set in the same province, taking place on the titular ranch. The show premiered in 2007 on The CW in the United States and season 17 released in 2023. Fans have high hopes that Heartland season 18 is on the horizon, but until then, the first 17 seasons are a cozy story to return to.
Heartland follows the Fleming sisters, who move to the Alberta ranch to work alongside their widowed grandfather, Jack Bartlet, and their father, Tim Fleming, after their mother passes away. There, they encounter all the ups and downs that come with farm life as they grow and mature as a family unit. Heartland season 16 ends with the characters’ conflicts finding happy resolutions, including Tim making amends with an old foe, Lou renewing her marriage vows, and Amy helping her daughter acquire a beloved horse. Every character gets a moment to shine at their beloved ranch.
Actor: Amber Marshall began her career in 2000 with a small role in the little-known series Super Rupert as Ally and has since gone on to more significant projects. Heartland is by far Marshall’s most famous role, but she has appeared in a number of significant TV shows, as well as a handful of films. Her TV performances include Lauren in Doc and Rebecca in Dark Oracle. In film, Marshall appears in the TV movie The Elizabeth Smart Story as the titular character, and Nicole in Mutant World.
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Character: Amy Fleming, the younger Fleming sister, is the protagonist of the series and a natural horse trainer, like her mother. At age 15, Amy was in a car crash that also killed her mother and has haunted her since. Her time on the ranch has helped her deal with her past trauma and mend a broken bridge with her absent father. Amy falls in love with ranch hand Ty (Graham Wardle) throughout the series and they eventually have a daughter together, Lyndy, though Ty tragically died in season 14, giving Amy a new deep pain to deal with.
Actor: Michelle Morgan’s first role was in the 1999 made-for-tv movie, Road Rage, where she had the minor role of Rebecca, and since then, she has appeared in several TV shows, made-for-TV movies, and feature-length films. Her notable movies include George A. Romero’s zombie movie, Diary of the Dead, where she stars as Debra Moynihan, and The Bad Seed Returns as Angela Grossman. Morgan has had guest roles in notable television shows, including Batwoman as Gabi Kane and Stargate Atlantis as F.R.A.N./Dr. Elizabeth Weir.
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Character: Lou is the eldest Fleming sister and while her sister handles the actual ranch work, Lou uses her considerable financial background to help make the ranch profitable. Her on-again, off-again relationship with her ex-husband, Peter Morris, is a constant thread in Heartland, but the end of season 16 depicts the pair renewing their vows, indicating their commitment to forging a closer relationship going forward.
Actor: Born in Alberta, Shaun Johnston feels tailor-made to play the role of Jack Bartlett in Heartland, the most significant role of his career. Beyond Heartland, Johnston has been a part of many TV shows in recurring roles, including Jake and the Kid as Jake Trumper, Traders as Ben Sullivan, and Wynonna Earp as Juan Carlos. His notable film credits include Matt in Supervolcano, Colonel Nelson A. Miles in Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee, and Smallpox Bob in Broken Trail.
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Character: Jack is Amy and Lou’s grandfather on their mother’s side and a former rodeo star who is a stubborn defender of his granddaughters, even from their father and love interests. Jack owned the Heartland ranch until his daughter took it over and made it a horse ranch. Season 16 sees Jack wrestle with the jealous feelings he has for the relationship between his late father and his rival Al Cotter (Duncan Fraser), eventually finding peace with their relationship at the end of season 16.
Actor: Chris Potter is a prolific TV and film actor, and a talented director, having been behind the camera for 30 episodes of Heartland. While Heartland is a significant role in Potter’s long career, he has several important parts in memorable shows. Potter stars as Detective Sergeant Tom Ryan in Silk Stalkings, had a recurring role in Queer as Folk as Dr. David Cameron, and co-starred in Kung Fu: The Legend Continues as Detective Peter Caine. His film credits include playing the main antagonist Captain Bill Fawcett in Vin Diesel’s The Pacifier and costarring as Jake Russell in the Hallmark Good Witch franchise.
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Character: Potter plays Tim Fleming in Heartland, Amy and Lou’s father who was estranged before the start of the series. Though he often butts heads with his father-in-law and his daughters, Tim makes the most of the second chance he is given to be with his family. Formerly having faced substance abuse issues, Tim finds his strength and discipline the longer time he spends with his family.
Actor: Jessica Steen appears as the supporting character Lisa Stillman in Heartland. Steen is a prolific television actor with a few notable film roles under her belt as well, including Jennifer Watts in Armageddon and Karen Cross in the Jason Statham action thriller Chaos. On TV, Steen has had recurring roles in Earth 2 as Dr. Julia Heller, Homefront as Linda Metcalf, and Captain Power and the Soldiers of the Future as Corporal Jennifer ‘Pilot’ Chase.
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Character: Lisa Stillman is the owner of the ranch neighboring Heartland, and neighboring is an appropriate word because Stillman’s Fairfield Stables is a well-known horse-breeding ranch. Lisa is kind-hearted and generous, always willing to help the Flemings. She also has a long-time romance with Jack and, despite a few hiccups, Lisa eventually elopes with the rancher and the pair move in together in season 11.
Alisha Newton as Georgina “Georgie” Fleming Morris: Georgie returns to Heartland in season 16 after being absent for season 15. She suffers a riding accident that nearly paralyzes her but, in the final episode, makes a full recovery and is even offered a prestigious placement at a riding school in Brussels, Belgium. Alisha Newton first began acting in 2010 and had a small role in Supernatural that year as an unnamed little girl. She’s also part of the main cast of Devil in Ohio as Helen Mathis, and plays Young Annabeth in Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters.
Kerry James as Caleb Odell: Kerry James returns to Heartland season 16 as Caleb Odell, a ranch hand hired by Jack who briefly develops a rivalry with Ty when he begins to have feelings for Amy. Their relationship doesn’t last long, and he ends up having several romances on the show. Beyond Heartland, James is best known for his roles as Butch Cassidy in the TV movie Goodnight for Justice: Queen of Hearts and as Nick, a guest character in the cast of The Way Home.
Gabriel Hogan as Peter Walter Morris: Peter Morris is Lou’s ex-husband and the pair have had a troubled relationship over the years, but season 16 sees them putting their bitterness aside and renewing their marriage vows. Gabriel Hogan is a prolific television actor who plays Ike Crystal in the main cast of Tacoma FD, Ian Farnham in Traders, and Joe Kennedy Jr. in The Kennedys. His notable film roles include Jake in Love and Death on Long Island and Detective McDylan in I Spit on Your Grave III: Vengeance Is Mine.