Kevin McGarry is reflecting on the unexpected ways “When Calls the Heart” changed his life, including helping him find his wife and start a family.
McGarry, 41, opened up about the Hallmark Channel series during the 10th annual Hearties Family Reunion on Saturday, Oct. 3. During a cast panel, the actor was asked how joining the beloved show had affected his life.
McGarry Thanks Hallmark for His Life
“I think, to be serious about this question and without getting into my personal life too much, my life has changed quite a bit,” McGarry said, according to video shared by the “Heart to Hearties” podcast.
The actor, who plays Mountie Nathan Grant on the series, then revealed that his family has grown since he first joined the show.
“I just had a baby with my wife,” McGarry continued, prompting cheers from the crowd. “And at home, I think holding him and … being with Kayla, (I realize) my life changed so much when I joined this show.”
McGarry was referring to his wife, actress Kayla Wallace, whom he met while working on “When Calls the Heart.”
The actor also reflected on the relationships he has formed with his fellow cast members during his years on the series.
“Not only do I get to go to work with people that I consider close friends up here, and laugh and get told to stand by Jack,” he joked, looking toward co-stars Jack Wagner and Erin Krakow. “Never (stand) in his light, and Erin (Krakow), too, for that matter.”
“But I get to go home to these gifts that were given to me through joining this show,” he said of Wallace and their son. “Every day, I am so grateful for joining the show, meeting all of you, getting to come to work, and getting to live the life that has been given to me through the show. Yeah, every day.”
McGarry has previously spoken about how important the series has been to his personal life. In 2025, he told TV Insider that he owed the show more than just a boost to his acting career.
“I owe a lot to When Calls the Heart for not only helping my career and giving me a job and meeting all my friends, but meeting Kayla, meeting my wife, it’s been the most special part of being on that show,” he said.
McGarry & Wallace’s Cute Relationship
McGarry and Wallace, 32, joined “When Calls the Heart” during its sixth season. McGarry was introduced as Nathan Grant, while Wallace played Fiona Miller. Wallace remained with the series through 2024 before taking on the role of attorney Rebecca Falcone on Paramount+’s “Landman.”
The pair initially became friends while filming in the summer of 2018. They confirmed their relationship in November 2020 before announcing their engagement in December 2022.
McGarry later confirmed that they had married in September 2024 during another fan event. In November 2025, the couple announced they were expecting their first child.
They revealed their son’s arrival on Mother’s Day the following year, but have continued to keep details about him private.
Now, as McGarry continues filming the 14th season of “When Calls the Heart,” he has an especially personal reason to appreciate the series that brought him to Vancouver in the first place.
Comments
Kevin McGarry Reveals the Biggest Gift ‘When Calls the Heart’ Gave Him