Hudon Understood Novak More

During an interview with D’Idees Magazine, Hudon opened up about her journey to becoming an actress and her time on Chicago Fire. Hudon honed in on the first scene she ever filmed for the show, which really shaped how she progressed as Novak throughout the series. The scene in question was a young boy who had accidentally shot his brother and was now holding Novak and Violet at gunpoint. Luckily, Novak thought on her feet and successfully persuaded him to give her the weapon.

The first scene I filmed was like, ‘Yeah, I slept with an instructor.’ And I thought, wow. That really shows how impulsive she can be. But then there’s the scene with the gun and the child… and that’s when you understand: she works hard, she has a lot of fun. That juxtaposition helped me fully understand the character.

This scene really humanized Novak not only for Hudon but always for the audience. Novak showed she is able to remain composed under pressure and has an empathetic nature about her. Despite her personal background as a “homewrecker,” Novak’s work as a paramedic proves how her job is a large part of her identity.