‘Heartland’ Twins Who Play Lyndy Borden Talk Nathan, Growing Up on Show & What’s Next

Ruby and Emmanuella Spencer have grown up before the eyes of Heartland fans over nine seasons. The two nine-year-olds share the role of Lyndy Marion Borden, the daughter of Amber Marshall’s Amy Fleming. Over that time Lyndy endured some heavy stuff including the death of her father Ty Borden (Graham Wardle) in Season 14. This tragedy continues to have ripple effects even going into Season 19, which has begun airing on UPtv. 

During the premiere, when Amy goes into a fire to save a pregnant mare Queenie, it triggers something within Lyndy. She thinks about losing her dad. These feelings only intensify as Amy tries to keep her blossoming relationship with Nathan Pryce Jr. (Spencer Lord) under wraps. It’s another layer in the deep-rooted relationship between mother and daughter. One that the Spencer twins, who started on set at nine months, have cherished building onscreen. We caught up with the young sisters as they reflected on their almost decade on the beloved show. 

Heartland

Here we are in Season 19. How has it been growing up onscreen?

Ruby Spencer: It’s really fun. I just like acting in the same show because I just know what’s going on and stuff. 

What age do you think you started to understand what you were doing? 

Emmanuella Spencer: When I was five, I was old enough to then understand it. 

Ruby: At first we couldn’t read, so our mom would read to us. Now we are older and can read, so that’s a bit easier. 

Emmanuella: Also, with the action scripts where we had to learn actions, I could understand those more now. 

What do you love about your character? How is it playing the same part? 

Ruby: I like being bubbly. 

Emmanuella: Same, but sometimes she is also sometimes cheeky, sometimes not. So playing all of that.

How is it building the bond with Amber through the years? 

Ruby: We really like her and know her well. She has been really nice to us. 

Do you have a favorite scene you’ve done?  

Ruby: I like the scene in Season 19 where we take the horse into the elevator, which was really cool because it was a real horse. 

How does the character compare to who you are? 

Emmanualla: We’re both bubbly. I like animals and stuff like that as well. 

Ruby: I don’t like when animals get extinct. I’m sure she cares about animals too. We’re also different because I don’t live on a farm. I live in a normal house.

One thing that makes Heartland so special is that the cast feels like a real family. 

Emmanulla: I feel happy because I get to act. It makes me happy to act in front of those people. I really love them. 

Ruby: They do feel like real family, even as really close friends. 

How is it being recognized?

Ruby: Sometimes they would ask for photos. We’d do an appearance with Amber and sit down and thousands of people would come, and we would autograph paper that said Heartland. It’s fun.

Emmanulla: We were on a ski trip and everyone recognized us with all our gear on. 

Ruby: We were surprised because we had our helmet on, goggles, snow suit, and someone came over to us and said, “Are you the Heartland twins?” That surprised me so much. 

What do you love about the show? 

Ruby: I really love that it has horses and stuff like that. I love the people. 

Emmanuella: It’s also a family. It’s not a show where just some people can watch. It’s not like a horror thing where some people like it. Anyone can like it 

Ruby: It’s not just for kids. Or it’s not just for adults and is a scary show. It’s for everyone. 

Do you watch yourselves back? 

Emmanuella: We do. When I was younger, I thought it was a bit weird. I wasn’t really interested. 

Ruby: I used to not care. I’d just go upstairs and watch My Little Pony. 

Emmanuella: I’d just look at the screen and see who looked like us and was like, “What in the world?”

Ruby: And I still can’t tell who is up there acting when I’m watching. Like, “Is that me or is that Emmy?”

Heartland

What is the best piece of advice you’ve gotten from Amber or anyone on set? 

Ruby: Just to act it out and feel. Don’t think about the next line you have. Just process what you’re hearing and don’t be like, “Here comes my line.” Then when someone else is talking, you won’t have the right emotion on your face. If they are saying something that is sad, you won’t have that emotion on your face if you’re just thinking about what is next. 

Emmanualla: Also, when you’re hearing the other people speak, you don’t want to just stand still. Try to move around. Like if it’s a dinner scene, try to drink or eat and move around. 

Your family has been really supportive. How is having them there for you? 

Ruby: It’s really nice because if we didn’t have a family who would help us with this sort of stuff, we’d kind of be stuck all the time. We now know what to do. Our mom helped run lines and highlight the actions on the script with what we needed to do. That really helps. 

Emmanulla: We also have a younger brother and an older sister. They also act. 

Ruby: So when Emmy and I are running we read it over a couple of times, test each other, and see what we need to work on. 

Heartland

How would you describe what Lyndy is going through at the start of the season? 

Emmanuella: She didn’t like Nathan because she didn’t want him to be there. She wanted her actual dad to be there. She didn’t want things to change. 

Ruby: She didn’t like Nathan. She was like, “Nathan bad.” Then we see it change toward the end of the month. 

Emmanuella: We were also friends with [Graham], so we were sad when he wasn’t on the show anymore. 

Ruby: We called Graham Papa. 

Where do you see your acting future? Is there a dream role? 

Emmanuella: We made up this funny story we wanted where both of us on camera. There is a real Lyndy and a ghost Lyndy. 

Ruby: Lyndy  would wake up and see another Lyndy. She’d scream, and then they’d get along. We thought that would be a fun story to do….I want to be acting on set and onscreen with Emmy. Not just watching her and waiting for my turn, but being together. Like one we are together acting. 

How exciting to be on a show that has been on for so long? 

Ruby: We just know everyone so well that when we go back for the next season, we’re excited to see them again. We give everyone hugs. 

Heartland Season 19, Thursdays, 8/7c, UPtv