Erin Krakow Says Elizabeth’s Haircut on “When Calls the Heart ”Indicates ‘Real Change in Her Life’ (Exclusive)

Elizabeth Thornton marks a new beginning with a new look

This post contains spoilers from the season 11 premiere of When Calls the Heart.

Elizabeth Thornton is having her Felicity moment!

In an exclusive interview with PEOPLE, Erin Krakow, who has portrayed the Hope Valley schoolteacher for 11 seasons and counting on Hallmark Channel's small-town drama When Calls the Heart, explains why she and the writers thought that the April 7 season premiere would be the perfect time for the character to change her hairstyle.

"We were trying to figure out a story that would illustrate Elizabeth's desire to create some real change in her life," says Krakow, 39, who also executive produces the show.

Related: When Calls the Heart's Erin Krakow Says Elizabeth and Nathan's Kiss Won't Disappoint Fans (Exclusive)

"She's open to infinite possibilities. And so we went back and forth with a few ideas, but the haircut felt like something that was so visual and so bold for Elizabeth that it would be just something new for our viewers to get to see."

Of course, Elizabeth and her loved ones are dealing with extreme uncertainty in the episode.

Governor-Elect Lucas Bouchard (Chris McNally) who is also Elizabeth's ex-fiancé, was shot at the beginning of his term as governor of Union City, and his shooter was (supposedly) identified within the hour.

But on a show like WCTH, which tells so many stories of strong young women in the early 1900s for a largely female audience in 2024, the moment Elizabeth Thornton sat in front of her friend Rosemary (Pascale Hutton) getting ready to change her hairstyle for the first time was monumental.

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Elizabeth exuded confidence as she sat in the chair with a haircutting cape on before Rosemary began, and directly answered a question about whether she was happy with her decision to break up with Lucas and stay in Hope Valley.

"I am, and I know I made the right decision. I'm so grateful that everyone who matters to me is safe," Elizabeth said before her friend made the first snip.

The gravity of the moment is palpable in the scene, which is reminiscent of the season 2 moment in Felicity when Felicity (Keri Russell) cut her hair after her break-up with Ben (Scott Speedman).

"Any comparison to Keri Russell, Felicity vibes, that's great. I'm thrilled and honored," says Krakow, adding that she feels "playful and fun" with a short bob.

As for Elizabeth, the end of her relationship with Lucas comes at the beginning of the 1920s and just before the town of Hope Valley experiences the change that will come when Governor Bouchard's resort is built, bringing a surge of tourism into town.

Related: Erin Krakow Reflects on the Real-Life Romances on the When Calls The Heart Set: 'Magic in Hope Valley' (Exclusive)

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The sweet, empowering moment is another example on WCTH of "strong, independent, fearless women who are finding themselves in a world that is made for men," Krakow says.

"And I say fearless, but I should follow that up by saying part of what I love about the way we tell these stories of these women is that the writers allow us to see into their more quiet moments where they're exposing some of their fears and vulnerabilities," she says.

When Calls the Heart airs Sundays at 9 p.m. ET/PT on Hallmark Channel.

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