Jocelyn Hudon

The Discipline of Ballet on Set

Jocelyn Hudon didn't break into acting the usual way, through the acting schools in Toronto.

Her original training was in classical ballet at the National Ballet School of Canada.

That rigorous discipline became the engine of a career that moved from the stage to the screen with unusual speed. In 2015, she landed a minor role in the movie Pixels, which helped her understand how a big-budget production works from the inside.

Most of her work, however, came through Canadian and American television. She appeared in series such as Lost Girl or The Strain before finding a steady place in the romantic productions that fill weekend afternoons.

And the gamble paid off.

A Haven in Episodic Television

The industry soon typecast her in sweet characters and rural settings. In 2019, she starred in When Hope Calls, playing Grace Bennett.

That shoot was her first long-running leading role and required her to move to rural areas to film period dramas. Many actors avoid TV movies for fear of being typecast in a genre, but Hudon used them to build up countless hours in front of the camera.

Broadcast television doesn't forgive mistakes in delivery deadlines. So Hudon had to adapt her way of working to the pace of American productions.

From Romance to Action Drama

Her most noticeable change of pace came when she decided to move away from predictable romance scripts. In 2024, she joined the cast of Chicago Fire to play Lyla Novak.

Joining a franchise with millions of viewers demanded a physical work pace reminiscent of her years in ballet. She signed a contract as a series regular after making brief appearances in other police dramas such as The Rookie or 9-1-1.

He keeps a low profile about his private life in Los Angeles.

She married actor Jake Manley in 2021 in a ceremony in Las Vegas. Her education includes communications studies, which she completed before devoting herself fully to professional acting.

Filming The Fall in 2024 confirmed her interest in psychological suspense. The production had a tight budget and was shot entirely on location in the state of Georgia.