Amongst equestrians and TV lovers, Heartland is a much-loved family series. The Canadian CBC show has been making people smile and breaking hearts since 2007 when it first aired. Fans have been following the individual family members’ stories and have no doubt grown attached to some of the characters. In this post, we’re going to go back to the beginning and explore the question “What is the cast of Heartland Season One?”.
Let’s begin with a brief review of what the series is all about for those who are a bit late to the party. Warning: you may find spoilers in this post!
Heartland: A Brief Summary
Heartland is a series that revolves around the happenings at Heartland Ranch and the people who live there. The Ranch is a horse ranch, and the family is very experienced in training and taming challenging or traumatized horses.
It is set in the fictional town of Hudson, which in real life is called High River town. The town is in Calgary, Alberta – do a quick google search of the area and you’ll find that the scenery is absolutely stunning.
Each member of the family at Heartland Ranch is troubled in some way. They have all faced serious obstacles in their lives, which makes them extremely relatable. Season 15 of Heartland is currently airing. Let’s take a look at who made up the cast of season one.
What is the Cast of Heartland Season One?
Several members of the Heartland cast have been part of the series since the very first episode aired back in 2007. The cast of season one includes:
Amber Marshall as Amy Fleming
Canadian actress Amber Marshall plays Amy Fleming, one of the principal characters. Amber was raised in London, Ontario, and was introduced to horses at an early age. Her website also states that she lives in Alberta, just like her Heartland character, Amy.
She also owns several animals herself, including horses, cattle, cats, dogs, rabbits and chickens.
In season one, we meet Amy Fleming, a fifteen-year-old equestrian. Despite her young age, Amy has grown up helping out with horses at her mother, Marion’s side. After Marion’s death, Amy continues to carry her mother’s legacy and teachings as she becomes a trainer and businesswoman in her own right.
Amy favors natural horsemanship as her preferred training method. She adopts Spartan, the horse that she and her mother rescued just before her mother’s death.
Over the course of the Heartland series, Amy works with thousands of traumatized or otherwise challenging horses. Even when she’s going through some serious stuff herself, she finds it very hard to say no to an owner and horse that need her help.
Michelle Morgan as Lou Fleming
Michelle Morgan plays Amy’s older sister, Lou. She has experience both in front of and behind the camera – she is also a filmmaker. She is a women’s rights advocate and has done lots of work with women’s shelters. In addition to this, she has served as a campaign ambassador for two women’s rights non-profit organizations.
In season one, Lou returns to Heartland Ranch from New York in the wake of her mother’s death. Finance-savvy Lou sets her mind to taking charge of the business side of things at the ranch. Though she means well, this sometimes causes friction amongst the family members.
Lou is the ultimate big sister. Her impulse to help is similar to Amy’s but in a behind-the-scenes, organizational fashion. The sisters love each other deeply, though when Lou returns from New York, Amy isn’t entirely best pleased. The two become closer down the line and always stand by one other.
Shaun Johnston as Jack Bartlett
Beloved Heartland grandfather, Jack Bartlett, is brought to life by Shaun Johnston. Here at Simple Horse Life, we think both Jack and Shaun are pretty awesome overall. Shaun Johnston was born in Alberta, where Heartland is set. His first season as Jack in Heartland earned him a Gemini award nomination.
Shaun’s Jack Bartlett is gruff, no-nonsense and a real straight shooter, but he has a heart of gold. Jack helped to raise Amy and Lou, providing them with a father figure in the absence of their real father, Tim.
He is fiercely protective of the family, especially his granddaughters. Jack’s kindhearted, but the kind of the guy you simply don’t want to mess with. In season one, Jack is coming to terms with the loss of his daughter, Marion. He’s often the rock that other characters need in times of trouble, sometimes forgetting his own needs in the process.
Graham Wardle as Ty Borden
Canadian actor Graham Wardle plays ranch hand Ty Borden in Heartland. Graham was born in British Columbia and studied film for three years. The actor now runs his own podcast.
Ty was in a youth detention center before he came to Heartland, where he is sent to carry out his probationary period. Ty bursts onto the scene in the first episode of season one, making a poor impression on pretty much everyone from the get-go.
He drives dangerously, smokes and gets into fights. It soon becomes apparent that underneath his bad-boy exterior is a loyal and kind young man who has been hurt a lot in his life. Ty is a character that develops personally a great deal over the course of the Heartland series.
Season one largely focuses on his friendship with Amy and their tentative romantic feelings towards each other. It also homes in on Ty’s relationship with Jack, who didn’t trust Ty at first but later comes to view him as a son.
Chris Potter as Tim Fleming
Actor, producer and director Chris Potter is Tim Fleming in Heartland. This is an actor whose career has spanned 30 years. He also gives his time generously to a number of charities. Chris has a wife, Karen, and four grown-up children.
Tim Fleming is a rather complex character in Heartland. The troubled father lost contact with his family after a stint in rehab. His relationship with Amy and Lou’s mother was turbulent, and he has a difficult relationship with Jack, who finds it hard to forgive Tim.
Tim is the kind of character who knows he has done wrong in the past and wants to make up for it. That said, he knows that rebuilding his relationship with his daughters will take time. In his own, rough kind of way, he tries to be there for his daughters to make up for past mistakes.
Jessica Steen as Lisa Stillman
Toronto-born actress Jessica Steen plays Lisa Stillman in Heartland. Jessica moved to Los Angeles in 1991, and went on to star in many series, such as ABC’s Homefront and films including Armageddon.
Lisa Stillman owns and runs Fairfield stables. Amy was recommended to her and Lisa allows her to work with one of her challenging horses. She later connects with Jack and the two find they share a lot in common. Jack has acted as a father figure to Amy and Lou for much of their lives, something Lisa greatly admires and can relate to.
The pair’s friendship soon develops into love. Lisa proves a fantastic addition to the family. She often acts as Jack’s support system and is someone he can confide in, given that he’s usually busy taking care of others. She is also supportive of Jack’s granddaughters and becomes a huge part of their lives.
What is the Cast of Heartland Season One?: Sum Up
- The cast of Heartland season one is made up of renowned Canadian actors and actresses. Each one brings something special and contributes greatly to the essence of Heartland.
- Amber Marshall plays Amy and brings vast experience with horses to the role. Amy is not just good with horses, she has a gift that means people are always seeking her out to help with theirs.
- Michelle Morgan plays business-savvy, protective older sister, Lou. Lou is often the family organizer, sometimes to the chagrin of everyone else despite her good intentions.
- Shaun Johnston is the loveable family patriarch, Jack. Jack is a gentle soul wrapped in old school protectivenesss.
- “Tough-guy-with-a-heart-of-gold” Ty is played by Graham Wardle. Ty is troubled but ultimately good. He becomes a huge part of the family.
- Chris Potter plays rough-around-the-edges, former absentee father Tim Fleming.
- As the female family rock is Jessica Steen as Lisa Stillman. Sensible, independent and supportive, Lisa is just what the family needs.
What is the Cast of Heartland Season One?: Final Thoughts
Heartland is so loved as a series in part due to the character’s relatability and genuine likeability. From the outside looking in, Heartland may seem to be your typical clean-cut family drama. When you get into it, you’ll find it’s a lot more than that.
The character’s struggles, the obstacles they face and the scars they carry are not so different from our own. Heartland’s creators never shy away from difficult topics, no matter how heartbreaking or hard-hitting.
We hope you have enjoyed this recap and have learned some cool stuff about the cast of Heartland season one. Who is your favorite Heartland character?
Happy streaming!
