# Daniel Lissing
**Daniel Lissing** (born 1981) is an Australian actor and singer-songwriter from Sydney, best known for playing Mountie Jack Thornton on the [Hallmark Channel](https://www.edgepedia.org/hallmark-channel) drama *When Calls the Heart* (2014–2018) and Lt. James King on the ABC action series *Last Resort* (2012–2013), his first American role.[1](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/daniel-lissing/) • [2](https://www.hallmarkchannel.com/single-on-the-25th/cast/daniel-lissing)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1981, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia[1](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/daniel-lissing/) |
| Signature role | Jack Thornton, Royal Canadian Mounted Police constable, *When Calls the Heart*, five seasons (2014–2018), 46 episodes[3](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2361807/) |
| First U.S. role | Lt. James King, a series regular on ABC's *Last Resort* (2012–2013, 13 episodes)[2](https://www.hallmarkchannel.com/single-on-the-25th/cast/daniel-lissing) • [3](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2361807/) |
| Australian work | Series regular on *Crownies* (2011); lead role of Ryan in the feature film *The Cure* (2014)[2](https://www.hallmarkchannel.com/single-on-the-25th/cast/daniel-lissing) |
| Guest roles | Sterling Freeman on *The Rookie* (2019–2021, 4 episodes); Brandon on *The Cleaning Lady* (2022, 2 episodes)[3](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2361807/) • [4](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/36016/daniel-lissing) |
| Recognition | Named one of *Inside Film Magazine*'s "Australia's Rising Talents" (June/July 2012); performed for Australian troops in East Timor and was formally recognized for his peacekeeping efforts by the Australian Defence Force[2](https://www.hallmarkchannel.com/single-on-the-25th/cast/daniel-lissing) |
## Early life and Australian career
Lissing was born in Sydney and grew up on its beaches, including [Bondi Beach](https://www.edgepedia.org/bondi-beach), where a 2014 Canadian Press profile described his upbringing in the harborside tourist community.[1](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/daniel-lissing/) • [5](https://ottawa.citynews.ca/2014/04/10/aussie-daniel-lissing-plays-mountie-in-wild-west-series-when-calls-the-heart/)
His Australian television credits include the crime drama *Crownies* (2011), on which he was a series regular, along with appearances on *Cops LAC* (Nine), *Out of the Blue* (Southern Star/BBC/TEN), *Packed to the Rafters* (Seven), and *Home and Away* (Seven).[2](https://www.hallmarkchannel.com/single-on-the-25th/cast/daniel-lissing) He played the lead role of Ryan in the feature film *The Cure* (2014), directed by David Gould and shot in New Zealand, and appeared in the feature *John Doe: Vigilante* (2014), directed by Kel Dolen.[2](https://www.hallmarkchannel.com/single-on-the-25th/cast/daniel-lissing)
## Last Resort
Lissing's first role in the United States was as Lt. James King, a Navy SEAL and series regular on ABC's *Last Resort* (2012–2013), an action thriller from executive producer [Shawn Ryan](https://www.edgepedia.org/shawn-ryan) (*The Shield*, *The Unit*) about a nuclear submarine crew that goes rogue.[2](https://www.hallmarkchannel.com/single-on-the-25th/cast/daniel-lissing) • [6](https://www.tvsa.co.za/actors/viewactor.aspx?actorid=15874) The role put him opposite [Andre Braugher](https://www.edgepedia.org/andre-braugher), Robert Patrick, and [Scott Speedman](https://www.edgepedia.org/scott-speedman).[2](https://www.hallmarkchannel.com/single-on-the-25th/cast/daniel-lissing) The series ran 13 episodes before ending in early 2013.[3](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2361807/)
## When Calls the Heart
While living in Los Angeles, Lissing was contacted by his agent about *When Calls the Heart*, a Hallmark family drama set in 1910 in the fictional coal town of Coal Valley, based on characters created by Alberta novelist [Janette Oke](https://www.edgepedia.org/janette-oke).[5](https://ottawa.citynews.ca/2014/04/10/aussie-daniel-lissing-plays-mountie-in-wild-west-series-when-calls-the-heart/) He played Mountie Jack Thornton, a Canadian lawman and the male lead opposite [Erin Krakow](https://www.edgepedia.org/erin-krakow)'s schoolteacher Elizabeth Thatcher, and maintained a Canadian accent for the part; he later said he knew almost nothing about the [Royal Canadian Mounted Police](https://www.edgepedia.org/royal-canadian-mounted-police) before auditioning.[5](https://ottawa.citynews.ca/2014/04/10/aussie-daniel-lissing-plays-mountie-in-wild-west-series-when-calls-the-heart/)
**Five seasons as Jack Thornton.** Lissing starred on the show from its debut in 2014 through Season 5 in 2018, appearing in 46 episodes.[3](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2361807/) His character was killed off at the end of the fifth season in 2018, dying offscreen shortly after his wedding to Elizabeth, and his exit was a noted loss for the series' fan community.[7](https://www.thelist.com/717937/daniel-lissing-reveals-what-he-learned-from-when-calls-the-heart-exclusive/) In interviews he has said he deliberately chose the role as a change of pace after *Last Resort*, wanting to play a man of duty in a period setting, and that the five seasons taught him a great deal about carrying a show as its male lead.[8](https://www.thelist.com/710599/daniel-lissing-on-when-hope-calls-and-working-with-lori-loughlin-exclusive-interview/)
**Return appearances.** In December 2021 Lissing reprised Jack Thornton in a single scene of *When Hope Calls*, the *When Calls the Heart* spinoff, appearing with [Lori Loughlin](https://www.edgepedia.org/lori-loughlin), his co-star from the original series. He said Loughlin, a friend from their five years working together, originated the idea and pitched it to him and the producers, and the scene was written to give the previously deceased character a plausible way of returning.[8](https://www.thelist.com/710599/daniel-lissing-on-when-hope-calls-and-working-with-lori-loughlin-exclusive-interview/)
## Later television and film work
After leaving *When Calls the Heart*, Lissing took guest roles in American network series, including Sterling Freeman on *The Rookie* (2019–2021, four episodes), Ty on *S.W.A.T.* (2017), [Jesse James](https://www.edgepedia.org/jesse-james) on *Timeless* (2016), and Tom Jakeman on *Blindspot* (2015), and played Brandon in two episodes of *The Cleaning Lady* (2022).[3](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2361807/) • [9](https://www.metacritic.com/person/daniel-lissing/)
Much of his subsequent screen work has been in made-for-television romantic films, a genre closely associated with his *When Calls the Heart* audience. These include *A December Bride* (2016), *Christmas in Love* (2018), *A Christmas Star* (2021), *Catering Christmas* (2022), *Christmas Keepsake* (2023), *Santa Tell Me* (2024), and *Single on the 25th* (2025), in which he played Cooper opposite [Lyndsy Fonseca](https://www.edgepedia.org/lyndsy-fonseca).[1](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/daniel-lissing/) Upcoming and recent titles list him in *Aussie at Heart* (2026), a Hallmark movie set in [Queensland](https://www.edgepedia.org/queensland) in which he plays Nate Lawson opposite [Rhiannon Fish](https://www.edgepedia.org/rhiannon-fish), plus *Christmas Under Construction* (2026) and *Love on Deck* (2026).[3](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2361807/) • [10](https://deckthehallmark.com/video/daniel-lissing-rhiannon-fish-too-good-for-this-hallmark-movie)
## Music and recognition
Lissing is also a singer-songwriter who performs around Sydney, and he has performed for Australian troops serving overseas in [East Timor](https://www.edgepedia.org/east-timor), for which he was formally recognized for his peacekeeping efforts by the [Australian Defence Force](https://www.edgepedia.org/australian-defence-force).[2](https://www.hallmarkchannel.com/single-on-the-25th/cast/daniel-lissing) *Inside Film Magazine* named him one of "Australia's Rising Talents" in its June/July 2012 issue, and *TV Week Magazine* included him in a "Australia's Sexiest Blokes on Television" feature.[2](https://www.hallmarkchannel.com/single-on-the-25th/cast/daniel-lissing)
## References
1. [Daniel Lissing, TV Insider](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/daniel-lissing/)
2. [Daniel Lissing as Cooper in Single on the 25th, Hallmark Channel cast biography](https://www.hallmarkchannel.com/single-on-the-25th/cast/daniel-lissing)
3. [Daniel Lissing, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2361807/)
4. [Daniel Lissing, TVmaze](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/36016/daniel-lissing)
5. [Aussie Daniel Lissing plays Mountie in Wild West series 'When Calls the Heart', The Canadian Press via CityNews Ottawa (April 10, 2014)](https://ottawa.citynews.ca/2014/04/10/aussie-daniel-lissing-plays-mountie-in-wild-west-series-when-calls-the-heart/)
6. [Daniel Lissing, TVSA](https://www.tvsa.co.za/actors/viewactor.aspx?actorid=15874)
7. [Daniel Lissing Reveals What He Learned From When Calls The Heart, The List (December 29, 2021)](https://www.thelist.com/717937/daniel-lissing-reveals-what-he-learned-from-when-calls-the-heart-exclusive/)
8. [Daniel Lissing On When Hope Calls And Working With Lori Loughlin, The List (December 17, 2021)](https://www.thelist.com/710599/daniel-lissing-on-when-hope-calls-and-working-with-lori-loughlin-exclusive-interview/)
9. [Daniel Lissing, Metacritic](https://www.metacritic.com/person/daniel-lissing/)
10. [Daniel Lissing & Rhiannon Fish: Too Good for This Hallmark Movie?, Deck the Hallmark](https://deckthehallmark.com/video/daniel-lissing-rhiannon-fish-too-good-for-this-hallmark-movie)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Screen people and creators › Screen actors of the Anglosphere and Europe › Australian actors › Surnames L to N*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Sep 20, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license