What Hallmark's Kevin McGarry Thinks Of Nathan & Elizabeth's When Calls The Heart Romance

Kicking off in Season 6, Hallmark's fan-favorite "When Calls the Heart" saw Elizabeth (Erin Krakow) enter into a major love triangle with Hope Valley's newest bachelors, Nathan Grant (Kevin McGarry) and Lucas Bouchard (Chris McNally). Though the Season 8 finale seemed to put this will they-won't they romance to rest, lingering tensions between the three have kept the love triangle firmly in mind.

Hallmark star Kevin McGarry weighed in on the relationship between his character and leading lady Elizabeth, recognizing its ongoing complexities. "It's complicated; it's always been complicated," McGarry shared in an interview with Canadian Super Channel Heart & Home. "They are connected, but at the same time ... they're like a puzzle piece you've got to like, you know, jam together" (per Heavy).

McGarry plays Nathan, who arrived in Hope Valley as the new town constable following the death of Elizabeth's husband, Jack Thornton. Soon after his arrival, it became clear that the Mountie had feelings for the town's school teacher, feelings he confessed to in Season 8.

Though Elizabeth Thatcher rejected Nathan Grant following his love confession in Season 8 of "When Calls the Heart," the two have maintained their undeniable connection in the subsequent seasons. Kevin McGarry, who plays Nathan, opened up about his character's feelings towards Elizabeth following his rejection and her engagement to his romantic rival Lucas.

"There will always be a spot in his heart for Elizabeth, and in the beginning, he's accepting of the situation," the actor told Media Village in 2022. During an interview with Canadian Super Channel Heart & Home, McGarry similarly discussed the evolving dynamic between the two, explaining that their connection has led to a lot of pain in the past.

"They find solace in each other, although it's hard," the actor shared. "And I think the fact that they just know each other so well and they're able to call each other out on the truth of who they each are. It leads to hurt feelings sometimes, or it leads to things said, and that's happened since they met" (per TV Shows Ace).

While Nathan's feelings for Elizabeth might not be reciprocated, that doesn't mean the "When Calls the Heart" character has been totally bereft of a love life. Following Elizabeth's rejection, the constable encountered a couple of potential love interests, including town nurse Faith Carter (Andrea Brooks) and pharmacist Mei Suo (Amanda Wong).

In a behind-the-scenes interview for Season 10, Kevin McGarry spoke about his character's attempts at love, acknowledging that it's been quite the journey. "Nathan finally comes to terms with the fact that he's not great at romance," the Hallmark star said. "But his heart has always been open."

This isn't the first time that McGarry has referenced Nathan's vulnerable nature, as he also talked about his character's emotional maturity in an interview with TV Fanatic. "I don't think Nathan has a short fuse. He is just not good at masking his feelings, both good and bad," he explained. "I look at him more as wearing his heart on the sleeve of his Serge."