The Stunning Transformation Of When Calls The Heart Star Erin Krakow

0Hallmark Channel (Hallmark Channel)From full-on glam to prairie-chic fashion to embracing her natural curls, "When Calls the Heart" star Erin Krakow has undergone a gorgeous transformation.Much like her "When Calls the Heart" character, Erin Krakow has been on quite the journey over the years when it comes to her physical appearance, and her stunning transformation has truly been a sight to see. Since she first began playing the role of Elizabeth Thornton on the Hallmark Channel period drama in 2014, Krakow has been through numerous different phases in terms of her hair, makeup, and fashion, both on the show and behind-the-scenes. When we delved into what the leading ladies of "When Calls the Heart" look like in real life, it became clear that Elizabeth's beauty and grace on screen is an extension of Krakow's gorgeous and ever-evolving appearance in real life.

In November 2025, Krakow announced that she was expecting her first child with husband Ben Rosenbaum, who is just one of the real-life partners of the "When Calls the Heart" leading ladies. The pregnancy brought out a whole new glowing look for the actor. Leaning into a more natural appearance at the time, Krakow seemed to be embracing her bouncy curls more than ever, and was posting plenty of makeup-free Instagram selfies to highlight her raw, unfiltered beauty. Her radiant pregnancy look is just one of the many different style eras Krakow has gone through while starring on Hallmark's beloved prairie romance series for more than a decade. From major hair makeovers to complete style shifts, we're looking at just how much Krakow has changed over the last several years.

Read more: What The Cast Of Downton Abbey Looks Like In Real Life

When Erin Krakow was rising to fame in the early to mid-2010s, her hair, makeup, and styling were very representative of the trends at the time. Taken in 2014 during one of Krakow's earliest red-carpet photo-ops, the picture above shows Krakow sporting an outdated eyeliner trend of dark black liner on both her upper and lower eyelids, leaving an overpowering effect on her bright blue eyes. Her brunette hair was also long and wavy at the time, though she would soon end up chopping it off for a shoulder-length cut.

Early on in her career, Erin Krakow leaned into the glitz and glamour of Hollywood, as seen in the photo above during a 2017 red-carpet outing. The actor donned a body-hugging gown with a plunging neckline for the event, while opting for a full-glam makeup look at the time. Krakow had a very bronzed look and she was wearing heavy, full-coverage face makeup and dramatic smokey eyeshadow. Meanwhile, her hair, reaching just below her collar bones at that point, was perfectly straight and sleek.

Erin Krakow had undergone another major makeover by 2018, when she cut her deep brunette locks into a chin-length bob, as seen in the photo above. Around the same time, the "Wedding Cottage" actor replaced her usual eye makeup routine with a milder, softer approach. Instead of the harsh black eyeliner she had sported before, Krakow's lower liner is a warm shade of brown in this pic, and her eyelids are defined with more neutral eyeshadow tones, giving her eyes much more room to pop without being literally overshadowed.

In 2021, Erin Krakow looked totally different from her "When Calls the Heart" character, rocking thick bangs as shown in the photo above. This snap was taken during a visit to Hallmark Channel's "Home & Family," when Krakow's hair was a rich shade of brown with deep auburn undertones. She was seen with this same hairstyle in the 2021 romance film "It Was Always You," and she kept the fun look for several months even after filming wrapped.

In a major departure from her earlier fashion moments, Erin Krakow slowly but surely evolved her style into a dreamy, cottagecore aesthetic. During recent years, Krakow has frequently worn stylish modern prairie-inspired looks: think plenty of flowing dresses, soft colors, and traditional patterns. The photo above was taken in 2021, and it perfectly embodies the actor's appreciation of romantic, vintage-inspired fashion. It seems she was at least a little inspired by her "When Calls the Heart" wardrobe.

After spending a few years experimenting with different cuts and colors on her hair, Erin Krakow eventually decided to lighten things up. Throughout 2022 and 2023, Krakow ditched her dark brunette tresses for a highlighted caramel color, and the resulting look is seen in a number of her social media pics. Among them is this car selfie posted on Instagram in June 2023, when Krakow let her natural curls take center stage. Everything about this pic, from Krakow's bouncy curls to the pop of color in her highlights, made this selfie total hair goals.

After she shared the news of her pregnancy on social media in late 2025, Erin Krakow seemed to be leaning into her natural look more than ever. An increasing number of her Instagram snaps at the time showed the actor embracing her naturally coily hair rather than sticking to the smooth and loosely-curled locks viewers were used to seeing her with on "When Calls the Heart." She posted the above photo to Instagram in January 2026, snapping a selfie as she watched the sunrise from the beach and showed off her natural hair, makeup-free face, and undeniable pregnancy glow.

In the midst of embracing her natural beauty and sharing many makeup-free social media photos, Erin Krakow still had some glamorous moments throughout her pregnancy, including a red-carpet outing in March 2026. Attending a celebratory Hollywood event for "When Calls the Heart" and the spinoff prequel series "Hope Valley: 1874," Krakow stepped out with her curly tresses on full display, marking one of her only red-carpet appearances with her natural hair. She also sported a soft-glam makeup look, and wore a vibrant, figure-hugging magenta dress that showed off her baby bump at the time.

Erin Krakow welcomed her daughter in April 2026, and just a few months later, the actor was seen wearing a very special new accessory: a baby carrier! A few months later, Krakow snapped some candid photos with her family in the airport where her little one was strapped to her body in a cozy blue carrier. The sweet pics, which were posted to Instagram in July 2026, feature little to no makeup and are Krakow's first official social media selfies as a mom. Ultimately, they demonstrate just how happy she looked to be entering this joyful new phase of her life.