'Little House on the Prairie' Star Joins the Cast of 'When Calls the Heart'

Whenever we see a well-known star on our favorite series, we might think it's stunt casting to increase ratings and gain more viewers. For Hallmark Channel's longest running series, When Calls the Heart, it was more than that—a bit of luck and two childhood friends reconnecting that led to the latest guest star on the series.

At the Hearties Family Reunion (think Comic-Con for fans of When Calls the Heart ) this weekend, producer Michael Landon Jr. took to the stage to announce a new guest star for Season 12 of the show, which is currently filming. He announced that Melissa Gilbert would be joining the cast. As Gilbert took the stage, Hearties cheered with delight. Landon Jr. and Gilbert would go on to talk about their childhood days playing together on the set of Little House on the Prairie , where Gilbert starred as Laura Ingalls Wilder . The show, based on Wilder's children's books about life as a settler and pioneer, ran for nine seasons and was produced by and starred Michael Landon .

In Season 12, Gilbert will guest star in a two-episode arc on When Calls the Heart. She'll take on the role of Georgie McGill, who shares a surprising past with one special Hope Valley resident, though Gilbert already spilled that most of her scenes were with Jack Wagner , who plays Judge Bill Avery on the show.

Related: Little House on the Prairie Star Melissa Gilbert Reveals 'Isolating' Disorder

The opportunity to join the show came when Landon Jr. and Gilbert reconnected at the Little House on the Prairie 50th Anniversary Cast Reunion and Festival held earlier this year.

“When Calls the Heart has long drawn comparisons to Little House on the Prairie , for its charming and compelling stories of hope, human connection and frontier survival,” said Kelly Garrett , VP, Programming, Hallmark Media. “It was only fitting that the first people to hear this special news were the Hearties – devoted fans who have celebrated the show year after year and made it such a success. The energy being here with them to share this news is electric and we cannot wait for them to meet Georgie next year.”

Related: Little House on the Prairie Cast: Where Are They Now?

After starring on Little House on the Prairie , Gilbert starred in The Miracle Worker and The Diary of Anne Frank . She would later serve as the president of the Screen Actors Guild and is the co-founder of Modern Prairie , a lifestyle brand. She is also a NY Times bestselling author.

Watch the announcement below.

Next, Everything You Need to Know About Season 12 of When Calls the Heart !