{
  "id": 8300977,
  "title": "Before Chicago Fire, Jocelyn Hudon Starred In A Popular Hallmark Channel Series",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/18/before-chicago-fire-jocelyn-hudon-starred-in-a-popular-hallmark",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-09-18T20:12:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "TVLine",
    "slug": "tvline",
    "url": "https://www.tvline.com/2259974/chicago-fire-jocelyn-hudon-hallmark-channel-series-when-hope-calls/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Jocelyn Hudon, best known for her role as paramedic Lyla Novak in the hit TV series Chicago Fire, began her acting career on a different platform before finding success in this long-running drama. Before joining Chicago Fire, Hudon starred in the first spin-off of Hallmark's most popular show, When Calls the Heart. This first installment, a Christmas special, aired in 2018 and served as a backdoor pilot for the subsequent series, When Hope Calls. In this spin-off, Hudon played the lead role of Lillian and later Grace, two sisters who reunite in Hope Valley to run an orphanage and reconnect with their past. While When Calls the Heart aired on Hallmark's cable network, When Hope Calls debuted on Hallmark Movies Now, which later became Hallmark+. When Hope Calls eventually moved to Hallmark's cable channel due to financial reasons, but was subsequently acquired by Great American Family for its second season. Despite this, Hudon's character Grace moved to London off-screen at the end of Season 1. When Hope Calls ended after its first season, most of the original cast had moved on to other projects, so Hudon's character was written out. Since leaving, Hudon has appeared in a variety of shows, including 9-1-1 and Dave, but Chicago Fire remains her longest-stayed role.",
  "summary": "Before joining the cast of Chicago Fire, Jocelyn Hudon starred in the first spinoff of Hallmark's most beloved series, and her exit was unexpected.",
  "key_points": [
    "Jocelyn Hudon starred in Hallmark's When Calls the Heart.",
    "Played lead roles of Lillian and Grace in Christmas special.",
    "Moved to Hallmark+ after original network change."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}