Exclusive Interview: Jordan Doww Talks ‘The Way Home’ Season 3, Colton’s Journey, and That Emotional Finale

Jordan Doww is delivering one of the most layered and emotionally resonant performances on television as young Colton Landry in the critically acclaimed Hallmark series The Way Home. Joining the cast in its third season, he quite literally jumps into a beloved story—pun very much intended—with a natural comfort and emotional honesty that immediately draw viewers in. He brings charm, depth, and vulnerability to every scene. Through his portrayal, Jordan brings to life a part of Colton’s journey we’ve only ever heard about but never seen—capturing the best and worst summer of his life with heartbreaking sincerity.

In his first major recurring television role, Jordan shines with a presence that’s both captivating and deeply grounded. The Way Home follows three generations of Landry women—Del, Kat, and Alice—as they navigate love, loss, and self-discovery, connected across time by a mysterious pond that allows them to revisit the past. As the family’s late patriarch, Colton has always been a meaningful presence in their story, and through Jordan’s portrayal, viewers are finally able to witness the formative years that shaped him. Tasked with portraying a younger version of Colton—originally played by Jefferson Brown—Jordan not only honors what’s come before but expands on it in thoughtful and emotionally rich ways. Whether mourning the loss of his best friend or falling for Del, he captures the weight and wonder of a young man on the brink of becoming the person his family would remember.

Pop Culturalist caught up with Jordan to talk all things The Way Home—from how a last-minute audition led to the role of a lifetime to what it was like recording songs before he even saw a script. He opens up about stepping into Colton’s shoes, the powerful connection he shares with co-star Sadie Laflamme-Snow, and the joy (and chaos) of diving into fan theories. He also reflects on why Episode 8 holds a special place in his heart and shares the one moment on set that nearly made him break character.

PC: What’s so compelling about your portrayal of Colton is that you’re playing him during both the best and worst summer of his life. You do such a brilliant job capturing that contrast—showing the emotional toll of losing Rick while also falling in love with Del. How did you approach balancing those extremes in your performance? And how different was the preparation between those arcs?
Jordan: I really wanted to bring heart, depth, and soul to Colton because up until now, we’ve mostly seen him as this cool, sly guy. But I also wanted to make sure you saw his grief—especially in the group therapy scenes. Those were the ones I focused on the most. I actually downloaded—I think it was Episode 9 from Season 1—and watched it on repeat, over and over. It’s the only episode I studied that closely, even though I’ve watched the full series five times. I locked in on that one because I wanted to make sure I captured the vulnerable side of him, which is something I naturally enjoy bringing to the characters I play. So I think I got a little lucky there—I like to lean into the dramatic. [laughs]

It was really cool because he does have this duality about him, and the preparation for each side was different. Like you said, it’s the worst and best time of his life. It was an honor to play both of those sides and show where it all stemmed from. We all have our first traumas and first heartbreaks. I like to think this was the start of Colton becoming the complex character he is. It was an honor and a dream.

I also studied Jefferson Brown’s performance in Episode 9. He’s such a phenomenal actor—it was a joy to learn from him and find inspiration in what he brought to the role.

PC: That’s such a defining moment in Colton’s life. You always bring vulnerability to all facets of your career. You actually answered my next question, but it’s so rare to have two actors portraying the same character—and you had two seasons of material to draw from. How did Jefferson’s interpretation of Colton influence or impact your own take on the role?
Jordan: I’m playing not only the younger version of Colton, but also the younger version of Jefferson Brown. Whatever he brought to Colton, I had to add to my own book of who Colton is. It was cool, too, because I got to explore my own version of him—we didn’t get to see how the love story began or that duality before he became a middle-aged father. But Jefferson’s Colton impacted me a lot. He was my main source of inspiration. I love how he’s so cool and fun—he’s the golden retriever dad. [laughs] That was in my head the whole time.

I even remember when I first landed in Toronto. I walked onto set, did my fitting and everything, and we got a chance to talk. He said, “Del’s the dream.” And that was so funny because that’s exactly what I said in Episode 8. He was like, “Del is the dream. When she’s in front of you, that’s all you want.” I really carried that with me. It’s sad because it ends up being the downfall of Evelyn, but when Del’s in the room, that’s where my eyes are. It was really special to fall in love with Julia [Tomasone] onscreen and to show how Jefferson’s Colton fell in love.

PC: What’s also cool about this show is that if it gets picked up for a fourth season—which it undoubtedly will—Jefferson will be able to take elements of your performance and let that influence his own.
Jordan: I just got chills. I hadn’t even thought about that!

PC: I can’t say enough about this cast and the close connection they have to these characters. The performances feel so lived-in.
Jordan: I will say, it’s been very cool—this is my first TV show, and it’s been amazing to see the fan reactions and have them validate the work I’ve put in. Even this discussion—it’s such a pinch-me moment galore. I feel like I got so lucky with the casting. It was a very last-minute audition that I did on a whim. And even when I met him, I felt like we had the same vibe.

But acting is still acting. I still had to do the research and make sure my portrayal was done right. It’s just really cool to see people connect with it and love it. That’s been so surreal.

PC: You’ve talked in the past about how nervous you were with this being your first TV show, but it must give you so much confidence—the reassurance the fans have given you throughout the season—especially heading into a potential Season 4, where you can really trust all the work you’ve done and your instincts. This is the longest you’ve lived with a character in a series, and in television, you’re often discovering more about your character while you’re filming. But then there’s that major reveal with Colton—that he’s also a time traveler. Was that something you knew ahead of time?
Jordan: I had no idea! We film two episodes at a time in blocks. So Block 1 is Episodes 1 and 2, Block 2 is Episodes 3 and 4, and so on. While we were filming Episodes 3 and 4, we didn’t know what Episodes 5 or 6 were yet. We’d do the table reads while still filming the prior block.

It’s funny—sometimes the creative team would be a little hesitant about what they’d share with us. There were so many moments where I was like, “I had no idea that was going to happen!” [laughs] For example, there’s a scene where I’m so frantic coming out of the pond in Episode 3. I truly didn’t understand the full gravity of what would happen with the fire later on. I had no clue when I shot that take. But that’s what’s so cool—you’re basically going on this journey as a viewer, too. Because what if I did know and gave too much away? So we’re learning with everyone else—just a little earlier.

I did know Colton would be somewhat “time travel-ish” by Episode 3, but I didn’t realize the full weight of it until Episode 7. That’s when I started to get a little suspicious of Alice. I was like, “What do you know?” [laughs] And then the fire happened. Getting to go to the 1800s on the show was a dream come true as a fan of the series. Traveling through the pond is super cool—but those are hard days!

PC: What was your reaction when you saw the song lyrics in Episode 308?
Jordan: Oh, by then, I knew about the time travel. The whole idea of the song is rooted in that. I love reading fan theories. There’s a line where I’m completely trying to sidetrack Alice, and I say, “This song is about me taking a boat down the coast to visit Del.” And in that moment, as Jordan, I’m thinking, “Stop lying. That’s a lie.” [laughs]

It is a song about Del, but it’s also about Rick. It’s about time travel, the 1800s, Rick, the Landrys, past mistakes, the fire—everything.

PC: That’s got to be so fun for you as an actor too, because the social engagement for this series is wild—and you’re someone who loves to read them. What’s the craziest thing you’ve come across?
Jordan: They’re all really crazy! If I can touch on that for a moment—I love the social engagement part of this show. I love how into it everyone is. We’ve had so much fun playing with that and teasing things. We’ve made a bunch of TikToks to keep people on the edge of their seats. It’s so fun—it’s something I really enjoy doing.

The fans are so loyal that they theorize everything. The craziest ones are when they zoom in on a footprint in the mud and go, “Whose shoe is that? That has to be Thomas’ shoe.” And I’m just like, “No, I’m pretty sure that’s a crew member’s shoe—or mine.” [laughs]

PC: I find it really funny that you manifested this role for yourself. There’s such a natural comfortability that’s so captivating to watch—especially in that studio scene in Episode 308, when you feel so in your element. How do Colton’s musical ties allow you to connect with him on a deeper level? What was your reaction when you finally read that scene, knowing you recorded those songs at the start of the season?
Jordan: I was just texting a friend about this not too long ago. First of all, getting to do music on this show is a dream come true. I actually didn’t even know it would be so music-heavy. When I got the audition, the sides said I’d be serenading Del on a dock singing “Waterloo.” I didn’t really know how to play guitar, so I played my one chord and sang. I leaned into it a little jokey because it’s a public dock—we’re in a park. [laughs]

When I booked the role, the first thing we did after I landed in Toronto was head straight to the studio. I was like, “What the heck? This is so cool.”

Like you said, I felt so comfortable—especially with this being my first big series. Sitting in a studio and being hands-on with the music side of this show and this character helped me feel grounded. It really let me sink into Colton. It’s such a dream come true. It honestly feels like a match made in heaven.

Singing the duet with Sadie [Laflamme-Snow], who plays Alice, was such a full-circle moment—not just because I was a fan of the show, but also because I got to sing “Everything I Wanted,” the secret song for Del, which is one of my favorites. Episode 8 is probably my favorite for a reason—it’s why we said, “Let’s wait until that episode for this interview.”

PC: It’s going to be a standout moment this season. Credit to the writers—they really play to the strengths of their cast, and so many of you are so musically inclined. It feels like Sadie steps out of character in that moment and is just watching you perform. It’s a really powerful scene. Every season, there are a couple of moments that stick with me, and that’ll be one of them. There’s also this emotional connection that comes from seeing these characters at different stages in their lives in such a visceral way. If you could explore another generation of a character you’ve played in the past—whether in their past or future—who would it be, and what time period would you explore?
Jordan: If anyone has seen my film Ganymede, I’d love to revisit my character in that, Lee Fletcher, and see what his future looks like. That movie puts him through the wringer—he really goes through it to figure out who he is. At the end of the film, we do get a glimpse of his future. It’s a happy ending, which a lot of queer films don’t always get. But I’d love to see where he ends up—if he’s able to fully heal the wounds he has with his family. They say time doesn’t heal all wounds, but I feel like… maybe it does.

And going back to your point about the recording booth scene—I couldn’t even look at Sadie during the “Everything I Wanted” solo. Like you said, it really felt like I was watching Sadie break down, not just Alice. I knew that if I looked at her, I was going to start bawling my eyes out. But Colton doesn’t know why she’s crying, so I had to stay in it. I was literally thinking, I can’t look at you right now or I’m going to break down.

PC: Isn’t that so fun for you too? Colton, in this time period, doesn’t know his relationship with Alice—but Alice does. So all of these moments are so much more complex for audience members watching.
Jordan: It’s tricky, because we know, but you just hope you’re playing it like you don’t. Episode 10 is such a treat.

PC: That’s actually the last question I had for you. What can you tease about what audiences can expect—outside of having tissues ready and available?
Jordan: I feel like I say that in every interview, so I’m going to try to give you something different. I will say this is my favorite episode of the entire series because you’re finally going to get so many answers you’ve been waiting for. Things really come full circle after three whole seasons—but it also poses new questions that will leave you wanting more. So hopefully, we get renewed. There’s actually a petition going around—I even signed it. My family signed it. [laughs]

I feel like I can say this because Hallmark posted a photo—but there’s a wedding.

PC: That’s saying a lot coming from someone who’s watched the show five times over.
Jordan: Yeah, I feel like I can confidently say that—and I think it’ll be a lot of people’s favorite too.

To keep up with Jordan, follow him on X, Instagram, and TikTok. Season 3 of The Way Home is available on Peacock.

Photo Credit: Luke Fontana