Kevin McGarry Reveals Why Nathan Didn’t Try to Kiss Elizabeth on WCTH

The cast members of Hallmark’s When Calls the Heart often enjoy chatting with fans on Twitter, especially while a new episode is airing. One fan said that they really just wanted Nathan to kiss Elizabeth (played by Erin Krakow) during that final scene of Season 8 Episode 2, but Kevin McGarry shared a funny reason why his character didn’t do that.

This article has spoilers for Season 8 Episode 2 of When Calls the Heart. 

He Joked that COVID Restrictions Made a Kiss Not Plausible

McGarry is known for joking around on Twitter and his sense of humor is fun to watch. So when a fan talked about how Nathan should have just kissed Elizabeth when he proclaimed his love to her, McGarry had a quick response.

I thought about it – but with Covid – I figured the paperwork would’ve been too daunting.

— Kevin Mcgarry (@kevin_mcGarry) March 1, 2021

Fan “Ray of sunshine” wrote: “Did anyone else just want him to grab her cheeks and kiss her??? #Hearties @hallmarkchannel”

McGarry responded: “I thought about it – but with Covid – I figured the paperwork would’ve been too daunting.”

Obviously, he was joking, since it would have been out of character for Nathan to try to kiss Elizabeth right after she tells him that she can’t be with him because losing him would be too hard. She has the right to her choice, and Nathan is not the type of character who would force a kiss on her. Still, McGarry’s comment was funny, considering that there are some pretty strict COVID protocols in place for Hallmark productions’ kissing scenes.

McGarry also tweeted a fun GIF about Nathan’s reaction to that whole scene with Elizabeth.

Nathan S8 episode 2 59:34 pic.twitter.com/CLxxVFOZEI

— Kevin Mcgarry (@kevin_mcGarry) March 1, 2021

The week before, he joked about how long it was taking Elizabeth to make her choice.

Has Elizabeth chosen yet? Jeeezzzz! #hearties

— Kevin Mcgarry (@kevin_mcGarry) February 22, 2021

Hallmark Has Strict COVID-19 Protocols for Kissing Scenes

When Calls the Heart follows COVID-19 protocols, like all Hallmark productions. And when it comes to kissing scenes, those can be pretty strict.

In an interview with ZORA, Holly Robinson Peete shared that kissing is especially awkward in Hallmark movies now that COVID restrictions are in place.

Peete told ZORA:

They’re very strict on set in Canada. [That’s] one of the reasons why they have so few cases. We had strict protocols on set. … Already kissing scenes are not romantic to make anyway, but it’s like rinse [your mouth]… get sprayed in the face with alcohol, and now be in love and have a passionate kiss…

Jesse Metcalfe told Variety about the rigorous safety protocols for kissing in his film.

We both got COVID tested again. And then, we’re using a topical spray on our faces that I guess kills the virus. And we’re also using a special mouthwash after the kissing scene. Everyone can have their own opinion about that and the effectiveness of that, but there’s definitely quite a protocol surrounding intimacy while filming.

Michelle Vicary, executive vice president of Hallmark programming, gave WebMD the inside scoop about those kissing scenes, and how protocols for different “zones” dictate what’s done.

Well there’s a lot of ways that you make it happen. One was just following protocols to the letter and making sure that our actors and our crew — there’s sort of zones where, if you are in the A Zone, you are tested several times a week. And you are the people that are closest to the actors. And then as it goes out, the protocols dictate that kind of thing… So the kissing– there is plexiglass involved. There is using your spouse as a stunt double. There is…

In other words, they do have a lot of “red tape” to go through before having a kissing scene, but it’s all done very safely. But we definitely won’t be seeing the cast do an impromptu kissing scene. If there is one at any point during the series, it will have to be in the script, following strict protocols.

Hallmark’s Schedule of New Movies for March 2021