The Secret To Hallmark Star Pascale Hutton's Onscreen Chemistry With Kavan Smith

No matter which "When Calls the Heart" couple is your personal favorite, no one can deny the chemistry between Pascale Hutton and her onscreen hubby, Kavan Smith. The pair plays Rosemary and Lee Coulter on the hit Hallmark Channel drama. And, while plenty of Hallmark couples are played by real-life lovers, that isn't the case for these two, despite how much it might look like it when we're watching the Coulters enjoy married life together. The Hallmark Channel struck gold when they cast these two opposite each other, and they clearly know just what a perfect onscreen couple they've got, since they've cast them as a romantic pair in multiple different projects.

These co-stars always seem compatible on TV, and they're just as compatible when they aren't reading from a script. In an interview with TV Fanatic, Smith explained, "we're both fairly spontaneous, and certainly on set, we're spontaneous. We love to play around." Hutton echoed these same sentiments, explaining that the pair's friendship offscreen translates to their work onscreen. "Kavan and I didn't know each other very well before we started filming," she told My Devotional Thoughts. "I had no idea ... that his character was going to be a potential love interest for Rosemary. But right out of the gate, the two of us just hit it off — on screen and off. We've become very close friends ... It's always a pleasure when the two of us get to hang out together 'cause we genuinely are friends."

Pascale Hutton may not be married to her onscreen husband, Kavan Smith, IRL, but these two are still almost as close behind the scenes as they are when the cameras are rolling. In an interview with the PC Principle, Hutton opened up about just how these two manage to have such palpable chemistry on "When Calls the Heart." According to Hutton, looking like two folks who are made for each other isn't about acting; this connection comes naturally. "The chemistry was there pretty much out of the gate," Hutton explained. She adds that "it's only become more so as we've spent more time together." And, this pair has spent plenty of time together. Lee and Rosemary first started dating during Season 2 of "When Calls the Heart;" they tied the knot in Season 3, and now they're going strong and welcoming a new member of the family in Season 10. 

While there may not be romance in Hutton and Smith's real-life relationship, their incredible chemistry comes from their strong friendship. "Kavan is truly one of my best friends in the entire world," Hutton says, adding, "the fact that I get to do a job that I love with a person that is one of my best friends, that's just such a rare anomaly in one's career and I just enjoy every second of it." It's true that this kind of close costar relationship isn't a common one, and it certainly shows through onscreen.

"When Calls the Heart" first made its way into Hearties' hearts in 2015. While Pascale Hutton and Kavan Smith have reprised their roles as Rosemary and Lee Coulter for the 10 seasons that followed — and will do so for the upcoming 11th season — that's not the only project where the pair has played love birds. Hutton and Smith played Molly White and Nick Dyson in the Hallmark movie "The Perfect Bride" in 2017, as well as its 2019 sequel, "The Perfect Bride: Wedding Bells." They then reunited once again as Ben and Paige in another Hallmark movie, "You Had Me at Aloha," in 2021. 

It's clear that these two are just as happy to star in projects together as we are to watch them, and based on their credits, the Hallmark Channel is evidently equally thrilled to cast them. In an interview with MediaVillage, Kavan Smith spoke out about what it's really like working with the same costar when playing so many different characters. "It's not necessarily a bad thing when the person you're doing them with is so much fun," he explained. He added that "people might get sick of seeing us together, but for us, it's so enjoyable." Just how much fun they're having is contagious, and luckily for them and us, viewers love these two together just as much as they love working side-by-side. Rosemary and Lee forever!