Those who love Heartland (2007- ) will know this quiet but defiant little girl who’s the only biological child of Lou and Peter. She was born with the help of Amy and Ty in Season 4 Episode 18 “Passages”.
Ziya Matheson is a Canadian actress who played Katie Fleming Morris in 17 episodes of Heartland. She was born in Ottawa and took over the role of Katie from British Columbian actress Julia Maren Baker.
To the best of our knowledge, Katie was Matheson’s only acting role so far. According to her IMDb profile, the young actress hasn’t been in any movies or TV series other than Heartland.
However, that’s not to say that Matheson didn’t do a brilliant job bringing Lou’s daughter to life on the show.
Although her screen time on Heartland was limited, this enthusiastic actress gave the character justice 100% of the time.
Why Did They Wwitch Katie on Heartland?
Unlike other core characters, Katie Fleming Morris has been played by several actresses on Heartland.
Even though the face of Katie changed every few years, that didn’t take away from the charm of the character we so adore.
They switched Katie on Heartland because the actresses could no longer stay on the show. Julia Baker had to leave for personal reasons, while Ziya Matheson made up her own mind about leaving.
Also read: 7 Interesting Facts & FAQs About Spartan from Heartland
When Katie was still an infant through seasons 5 to 7, she was portrayed by twin sisters Kiera and Jordan Habart, according to UPS. From Season 8 onwards, the role was given to Julia Maren Baker for four seasons.
Unfortunately, the young actress was unable to appear for much of Season 11 for reasons that are not health-related. And so, for seasons 12-14, Ziya Matheson had the pleasure of playing Katie.
Why Did Ziya Matheson Leave Heartland?
According to Cowgirl Magazine, Ziya Matheson left Heartland to follow new dreams and passions in her life. While the Heartland cast and crew were sad to see her go, they respected Matheson’s choice and wished her well.
We will all miss seeing Ziya’s cheerful face on the show, who has committed three years of her young life to portraying Katie. Fingers crossed she will embrace her talent and pursue her passion for acting in the future.
You can follow Ziya Matheson here on Instagram.
Also read: Why Did Graham Wardle Leave Heartland?
How Old is Katie on Heartland Season 15?
Just like her best friend Parker, Katie is also 12 years old in Heartland Season 15. In fact, she is the same age as Canadian actress Baye McPherson who currently portrays her on the show.
Although Katie was in the background for most of her time on Heartland, she’s gained considerably more screen time in Season 15. We can see her character shine as she goes on adventures with Parker and expresses her feelings about her mom and dad’s relationship.
Baye McPherson, the new face of Katie, is a delightful young lady with a background in acting, dancing, and music. She’s also a huge fan of all animals, as you would expect from a Heartland actress.
We hope she will be playing Katie for years to come and bring an end to the frequent changes in casting.
