Amber Marshall on 'Heartland' Family, Overcoming Loss, and Amy Finding Love Again

Many people who watch the popular show Heartland have grown up with Amber Marshall. The 35-year-old actress has played Amy Fleming for more than 15 years, in more than 250 episodes. Season 17 is currently being made. Based on the best-selling books, the show follows the Bartlett-Fleming family as they live in the made-up town of Hudson, Alberta, which is set in the beautiful foothills of the Rockies.

Amy loves living on a ranch with horses she has taken care of and open space. Even though life in the country hasn't been easy. Like Amy, Marshall and the rest of the group have also lost loved ones. Robert Cormier, who played her love interest in Finn Cotter on the show, died after a fall last September.

The show has been on for the longest time in Canadian TV history, but it is still getting new viewers from outside of the Great White North. The show is one of the top five most-streamed in the U.S., and season 16 just started on UP Faith & Family in the U.S. Marshall took a break from shooting season 17 to think about how Heartland has been around for so long and how it connects generations, as well as to hint at what's to come.

How is the mood on the 17th season set?

Amber Marshall: Since we've been together for so long, we've really become like a family. I remember that thought when I was in high school and my friends became my family. There have been times like that on set over the years. The funny thing about it is that we are playing a family on TV. We care about each other deeply. I love that the show has been going on for a long time because it gives the characters more depth and history with other characters.

What do you think about Amy's change?

It's not often that an actress gets to play the same role for so long. It has been cool to be able to grow as a person at the same time that my character has grown. Many of the stories are based on things that are happening in my own life, which is interesting to me because I'm going through a lot of the same things as my character. I remember that Heather Conkie, who ran our show at the time, was taking notes at my own wedding. "Oh, we'll see this on the big screen in about a year," I said. Truly, stories very much like these did happen. That's also the best way for me to get ready for my part, since I'm going through the same things myself. I can say, "Wow, I've been there and done that" when it comes on TV. I know exactly how I felt about it and can use that to build my character.

This season, Lyndy, Amy's daughter, is really starting to become her own person. She is played by Ruby and Emmanuella Spencer. You can tell that she has a lot of the horse-whisperer traits and skills in her as Mom.

Lyndy is played by two twin girls. They were cast in the show when they were six months old. It's crazy how much they've grown up on the show. This summer they will be seven years old. They really do feel like family to me. I've spent a lot of time with these girls. As they've grown and learned, I've been there for every step. I feel really good about that. Not just as an actor, but also as a mother figure to these kids. I agree with you again that makes the show seem so real. They make the show seem so real.

When Robert died, it was a terrible blow to the show. In season 16, your character was so connected to his character Finn. Fans really wanted these two to get together and stay together. On set, you talk about being a family. How has the progress been going?

Plus, Amy's fans were thrilled to see her start to love again. To live those times on screen and feel so close to Robert and his character Finn. We talked about different parts of the story for several days. "Okay, this will get us through the rest of the season and farther," we thought. We always talked about it. He was a great person to work with because he was always honest and open. That was easy to talk about. Being with him is a lot of fun.

Our hearts broke when we heard the news. Something about that moment made me think about how you never know when someone close to you will die. We all took a step back and thought about our lives and the people we care about and love. We made sure they knew that. You could be wrong. Life is not always certain. Everyone on set got a little shock after seeing that. There is a way that I think it brought us all together: you can't take anything for granted.

People in the United States can watch Season 16 right now on Up Faith & Family. What about Amy's story do you like the most?

According to me, season 16 gave Amy the chance to move on with her life. Graham Wardle played her late husband Ty [Borden]. After he died, there were a few seasons we wanted to spend celebrating his memory and their relationship. People who have watched the show for a long time know how strong that link was and how important it was for the Heartland series. It seems kind to the characters and the fans to show how people grieve and tell the story of a single mom who had to put her daughter before everyone else. Though, in a way, those times were really hard because I found it hard to play a heartbroken widow. You blame yourself and try to go to very dark places every day. In Season 16, it finally became clear that Amy could not go on. She has every right to be happy. Fans were able to cry with her during that time. Now it's time for her to move on and let her heart open up again.

Some people think that Sam Langstone (Shawn Roberts) is the new guy she likes. What can you hint at about how things will go between him and Amy?

I believe it's important to have characters who are always there for female characters who have been through love and loss. Even though there is always the chance of asking, "Is something going to happen?" You could be wrong. That's what makes stories interesting: you don't know what the character will do next. There are things, even our own lives, that we might see as nothing more than neighbors, friends, or whatever else we want to call them. Then something in their life might happen that makes them see things differently. One of my friends. She lost her husband and is now a widow. She made fun of her friend all the time. Four years later, she married her next-door friend. There's no telling what might happen.

How many more years do you plan to play Amy?

I love this person. Not the person, but this way of life. When it comes to movie sets, Heartland has one of the nicest ones I've seen. We mostly film outside in beautiful places. Every day when I go to work, it's beautiful. Indeed, there are bad days when it snows and is -30°F, but we have to forget about those. What a lovely, hot summer day! We get to spend the whole day with some great people and a bunch of horses. Today we're at the ranch. I'm not sure if I could ever get a better job. It works so well for my life. That's where I live. It's beautiful here. I would rather be here than anywhere else. As long as this horse is here, I'll ride it.

What do you think makes the show popular and last so long?

I believe fans really want a good family show that they can watch together without having to worry about what's on it. Not have to tell their kids what to do. What people say about that is one of the most common things I hear. In fact, Heartland has brought their family closer together. I keep hearing that kids will watch the show and then call their grandparents to talk about it. That is what they all have in common. We can all enjoy it and talk about it. In a world that moves so quickly and has so many gadgets and technologies that separate people. People don't talk to each other very often, but they can still watch our show together.