Chicago Fire Star Jocelyn Hudon Was On A Hallmark Channel Hit Before Her Network TV Debut

Fans of the hit "One Chicago" TV franchise, and "Chicago Fire" in particular, have grown used to new faces joining the team throughout the show's many seasons. So when Jocelyn Hudon joined the cast in 2024 as Lyla "Lizzy" Novak in Season 12, she was welcomed with open arms. Since then, she's grown to become a permanent fixture at Firehouse 51, with her bubbly personality always bringing up the mood. But behind her constant smiles and overwhelming charm, Novak has just as much trauma as the rest of the crew, which has slowly been revealed on the show.

While Novak has become a fan favorite on "Chicago Fire," it's not the first popular series that Hudon has starred in. In fact, the actor appeared on a beloved series on another well-known TV network, Hallmark, playing Grace Bennett on "When Hope Calls." The character first made her debut on the show "When Calls the Heart," a drama that follows the residents of a town called Hope Valley in the early 1900s. In 2019, Hudon and her character jumped over to the spinoff, "When Hope Calls," which is also where Lori Loughlin returned to TV after her jail stint. 

The show focuses on Hudon's character, Grace, and her sister, Lillian, played by Morgan Kohan. The two were orphans separated when they were kids who reunited as adults. Hoping to help children in situations just like theirs, they founded a local orphanage and worked hard to manage it. The series is currently still ongoing, but after Season 1, it joined the exodus of Hallmark stars to Great American Family.

Jocelyn Hudon quickly had fans of the "When Calls the Heart" franchise falling in love with her character on "When Hope Calls," but she was initially a little worried about joining the popular TV universe. Thankfully, Hearties were very accepting and excited about the show. Hudon spoke about the pressure in a 2019 interview with Pop Culture Principle, recalling what it was like acting in the original series. Calling it "amazing," she said, " The first thing that stood out to me was the makeup trailer, actually. It was one of the most welcoming, bright and decorated trailers I've ever been in. ... The town itself is epic and the whole production is a very well-oiled machine. The cast was very kind and welcoming as well." 

While Season 1 of "When Hope Calls" seemed popular with fans, it took quite a long time for Season 2 to come together. Great American Family picked the show up, and the second season finally went into production in late 2024, premiering in spring of 2025. When excited fans got the news that the show was coming back, it was a little bittersweet, as Hudon was nowhere to be found on the cast list. She didn't return to the show and hasn't commented on the reason why. But by the time "When Hope Calls" was renewed and started filming Season 2, Hudon had moved on to other things, with her "Chicago Fire" character making her first appearance in April 2024. Two months later, the actor was promoted to a series regular, which has likely made her schedule too packed to accommodate another TV show. Such exits are something Hearties are used to, as many stars have left "When Calls the Heart" over the years.