Jocelyn Hudon is a Canadian actress and former professional ballerina who rose to national prominence through her leading role as Grace Bennett on the Hallmark series When Hope Calls. She is now widely recognized for playing paramedic Lizzie Novak on NBC’s long-running drama Chicago Fire, where she became a series regular in Season 13. Born and raised in Toronto, Ontario, Hudon transitioned from an elite ballet career to television stardom, earning a loyal fan base across North America. She is married to fellow Canadian actor Jake Manley.
Jocelyn Hudon Biography
| Field | Details |
| Full name | Jocelyn Hudon |
| Gender | Female |
| Date of birth | November 18, 1994 |
| Age | 31 years old (as of 2026) |
| Place of birth | Toronto, Ontario, Canada |
| Current residence | Los Angeles, California, USA |
| Nationality | Canadian |
| Ethnicity | White |
| Zodiac sign | Scorpio |
| Religion | Not publicly disclosed |
| Sexual orientation | Straight |
| Height | 5 ft 6 in (1.68 m) |
| Weight | Approximately 123–128 lbs (56–58 kg) |
| Hair colour | Brown |
| Eye colour | Hazel |
| Marital status | Married |
| Spouse | Jake Manley (m. October 31, 2021) |
| Children | None publicly confirmed |
| Alma mater | National Ballet School of Canada; Etobicoke School of the Arts; Communications degree; Post-graduate diploma in PR |
| Profession | Actress, former professional ballerina |
| Net worth | Approximately $1.5–$2 million (estimated) |
Who is Jocelyn Hudon?
Jocelyn Hudon is a Canadian actress best known for her role as paramedic Lizzie Novak on the NBC drama Chicago Fire.
She began performing at age three as a ballerina and spent her childhood training at one of Canada’s most prestigious dance institutions.
After leaving ballet at 17, she pursued academics before discovering her true calling in front of the camera.
She made her on-screen debut in 2015 and steadily built her resume through a mix of genre television, independent films, and Hallmark Channel movies.
Her leading role in When Hope Calls cemented her status as a recognizable face on North American television.
Since joining Chicago Fire in Season 12 and earning a series regular promotion in Season 13, she has become one of the most talked-about new faces in primetime drama.
How Old Is Jocelyn Hudon? Age and Birthday
Jocelyn Hudon is 31 years old as of 2026. She was born on November 18, 1994, in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Her birth date places her under the Scorpio zodiac sign, known for intensity, determination, and passion — qualities her colleagues and fans often associate with her on-screen presence.
Jocelyn Hudon’s Height, Weight, and Body Measurements
Jocelyn Hudon stands approximately 5 feet 6 inches (1.68 m) tall, according to her IMDb profile. Some sources list her height at around 5 feet 7 inches (170 cm), which is the figure her former model agency used in her listing. Her weight is estimated at around 123 to 128 pounds (56–58 kg).
Her body measurements are approximately 34–25–34 inches, with an estimated bra size of 32B. Her dress size is listed as a US size 4.
Hudon’s athletic build stems from years of professional ballet training that began in early childhood.
Jocelyn Hudon’s Early Life and Education
Jocelyn Hudon grew up in Toronto, Ontario, where she discovered her love of performance at a very young age.
She began ballet training at just three years old and enrolled at the National Ballet School of Canada at age 11, one of the most respected ballet training programs in the world. She trained and performed there until the age of 17.
After leaving ballet, she attended Etobicoke School of the Arts in Toronto. She went on to earn a degree in Communications, followed by a post-graduate diploma in Public Relations.
She described her academic years as a time when she knew she was on the wrong path and eventually made the leap to acting.
According to a 2025 interview, she recalls simply saying out loud, “I’m going to be an actor,” and then pursuing it relentlessly from that moment.
Between her teenage years and her acting breakthrough, Hudon had an adventurous youth. At 16, she moved to Quebec on her own and worked for the city sweeping sidewalks.
At 17, she worked as a rock climbing instructor at Algonquin Provincial Park. These early experiences reflect the independence and physical confidence she later brought to action-oriented television roles.
Jocelyn Hudon’s Career
Early Steps (2015–2018)
Jocelyn Hudon launched her acting career in 2015 with a small but visible role as Cyber Chick in the Adam Sandler blockbuster Pixels.
She followed that with guest appearances on shows including Good Witch, Lost Girl, and Single Ladies. These early credits helped her build her resume in a Toronto market where, as she later admitted, the biggest challenge was the classic “chicken and egg” dilemma — she needed a resume to get an agent, but needed an agent to get work.
Her most notable early recurring role came in Season 4 of Guillermo del Toro’s FX horror series The Strain in 2017, where she played Abby across five episodes.
That same year, she starred as Becka Jolie in the Canadian soccer drama 21 Thunder for six episodes and played Kelsey in the Hallmark movie Christmas Wedding Planner in a starring capacity.
In 2018, she joined the cast of the A&E crime drama Ice as Willow for a full 10-episode run, giving her her first sustained television role.
These years were marked by consistent work across multiple genres — horror, crime, romance — that prepared her for larger opportunities.
Hallmark Stardom and When Hope Calls (2018–2022)
Jocelyn Hudon’s breakthrough into leading-lady territory came through the Hallmark universe. She first appeared as Grace Bennett on When Calls the Heart in three episodes between 2018 and 2019.
That character then became the centerpiece of the spinoff series When Hope Calls, in which Hudon co-starred as Grace Bennett across all 10 episodes of Season 1 in 2019. The show gave her national exposure and a devoted Hallmark audience.
During this period, she also starred in several Hallmark and Great American Family films including From Friend to Fiancé (2019), Eat, Drink & Be Married (2019), One of a Kind Love (2021, alongside her now-husband Jake Manley), and Love in the Maldives (2023). Her on-screen chemistry and warm screen presence made her a go-to lead for the network.
She also worked outside the Hallmark world during this period, taking on the starring role in the pandemic thriller Safer at Home (2021) and the action film V for Vengeance (2022).
Chicago Fire and Mainstream Breakthrough (2023–Present)
Jocelyn Hudon’s biggest career milestone came in 2023 when she was cast in the recurring role of Paramedic Lizzie Novak on NBC’s Chicago Fire, starting in Season 12.
The character was introduced as a replacement for the beloved Sylvie Brett, played by Kara Killmer. Hudon quickly won fans over with what NBC described as Novak’s “sharp wit, confidence, and compassionate heart.”
In June 2024, Deadline exclusively reported that Hudon had been promoted to series regular beginning Season 13.
This promotion cemented her place as one of the central characters of Firehouse 51. She continues in that role through Season 14 as of 2026.
She has described working on Chicago Fire as a “unicorn job,” citing its combination of action, physicality, comedy, and ensemble storytelling as everything she had been looking for in a role.
She also starred in the horror-thriller The Sound (2025) alongside William Fichtner, playing Dana Watkins — a role that drew on her real-life rock climbing skills. The film followed a group of climbers who gain access to a mysterious, long-forbidden wall.
Awards and Recognition
In 2024, Hudon received her first formal acting nomination — a Best Actress nomination at the Mammoth Film Festival for the romantic drama The Fall.
The film itself took home the Audience Award for Best Feature at the same festival, marking her first significant festival recognition.
What is Jocelyn Hudon’s Net Worth and Salary?
As of 2026, Jocelyn Hudon’s net worth is estimated at approximately $1.5 million to $2 million. Some entertainment websites place her net worth as high as $5 million, though more conservative and widely cited estimates range between $1.5 million and $2 million. Her wealth has been built steadily through nearly a decade of continuous television and film work.
Primary Income Sources
Her primary income source is her salary as a series regular on Chicago Fire, one of NBC’s highest-rated primetime dramas. Series regulars on major network shows typically earn between $40,000 and $100,000 per episode, and with Chicago Fire running 22 episodes per season, this represents a substantial annual income.
Beyond her television salary, Hudon earns through:
- Hallmark and Great American Family movies, where she has starred in more than a dozen productions
- Independent film projects, including starring roles in theatrical and streaming releases
- Brand partnerships and endorsements tied to her growing social media platform
- Past modeling work during her early career years before acting took over
She has not publicly disclosed her exact salary figures, which is standard practice for working actors in the industry.
Is Jocelyn Hudon Married? Husband, Relationship, and Dating History
How Jocelyn Hudon and Jake Manley Met
Jocelyn Hudon is married to Canadian actor Jake Manley. The two met in 2015 through a mutual self-tape coach — the professional who films actors’ audition tapes — and also shared the same acting agent in Toronto. They first became closer when they drove together to their agent’s summer party.
“At the party, I got cold, so he brought me a sweater from his trunk. It smelled so good and fresh and I was like, ‘This is from your trunk!?’” Hudon recalled in an interview. “I liked him instantly after that.” The two began dating shortly after.
The Engagement
Jake Manley proposed to Jocelyn Hudon on August 26, 2020, in a proposal inspired by the television show Gilmore Girls.
He arranged 1,000 red roses on the rooftop terrace of their Montreal Airbnb — a reference to an episode of Gilmore Girls in which a character receives 1,000 of her favorite flowers.
Hudon initially thought the roses were a mistake from a production company before Manley got down on one knee.
The Halloween Wedding
The couple married on October 31, 2021 — Halloween — at A Little White Wedding Chapel in Las Vegas, Nevada. True to their personalities, the wedding was anything but conventional.
A zombie Elvis Presley officiated the ceremony, and Hudon wore a black dress purchased from an Etsy seller in Ukraine rather than a traditional white gown.
She walked down the aisle with her father. Guests were invited by text just days before, yet a number of people flew in last minute.
The couple celebrated afterward at The Velveteen Rabbit venue with five mini cakes from Milk Bar. Hudon called the day “perfect” and “low maintenance.”
Who is Jake Manley?
Jake Manley is a Canadian actor born on August 23, 1991, in Oakville, Ontario. He is best known for playing Jack Morton, the lead role in the Netflix fantasy series The Order (2019).
His other notable credits include the war film Midway (2019), the crime thriller Infamous (2020), and the television series Heroes Reborn.
Manley and Hudon co-starred on The Order and later appeared together in the Hallmark movie Love in the Maldives (2023).
Do Jocelyn Hudon and Jake Manley Have Children?
As of 2026, Jocelyn Hudon and Jake Manley have no publicly confirmed children. The couple has not made any announcements regarding children.
Jocelyn Hudon’s Social Media Presence
As of early 2026, Jocelyn Hudon has 213,000 followers on Instagram under the handle@jocelynhudon, where she shares a mix of behind-the-scenes content from Chicago Fire, personal lifestyle photos, and promotional posts for her film projects. She ranks among the most-followed cast members on the show.
Her most-shared recent posts include her January 2026 return-to-set announcement for Chicago Fire, which received 35,000 likes and 478 comments.
She actively reads fan commentary on Reddit, Twitter, and dedicated podcasts, and has described the Chicago Fire fanbase as “smart as hell.”
Jocelyn Hudon Fast Facts
- She started training in ballet at age three and attended the National Ballet School of Canada from age 11 to 17.
- She once had purple dreadlocks — a far cry from her current polished television image.
- At age 16, she moved to Quebec on her own and worked sweeping sidewalks for the city.
- At age 17, she worked as a rock climbing instructor at Algonquin Provincial Park in Ontario.
- She is a certified scuba diver who has dived in locations around the world.
- She grew up spending summers sailing Georgian Bay on her parents’ sailboat.
- She is fluent in French, a skill developed during her time living in Quebec.
- She plays the flute.
- Her favorite film is The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King.
- She trained at Second City and The Groundlings in Los Angeles after failing an improv-heavy audition for the comedy series Dave.
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Wrapping Up
Jocelyn Hudon’s story is one of discipline, reinvention, and patience. A professional ballerina turned communications graduate turned working actress, she spent years building her craft across dozens of television and film credits before landing the role that truly defined her career — paramedic Lizzie Novak on Chicago Fire.
Married to her longtime partner Jake Manley and with an ever-growing following on social media, Hudon stands as one of Canada’s most quietly consistent acting exports in the current television era.
With Chicago Fire continuing into 2026 and film projects adding to her resume annually, her trajectory remains firmly upward.
References
- Wikipedia. “Jocelyn Hudon”.
- IMDb. “Jocelyn Hudon – Biography”.
- Deadline. “Chicago Fire’s Jocelyn Hudon Upped To Series Regular”.
- NBC Insider. “Jocelyn Hudon Met Her Husband in the Cutest, Most Unexpected Way”.
- Entertainment Tonight. “Inside The Order Co-Stars Jocelyn Hudon and Jake Manley’s Halloween Wedding”.
- Just Jared. “Meet The Strain’s Jocelyn Hudon with These 10 Fun Facts!”.
- NBC. “Why Jocelyn Hudon Calls Working on Chicago Fire ‘A Unicorn Job’”.
- Yahoo Canada / Toronto Star. “Chicago Fire star Jocelyn Hudon on heartbreak, hustle and finally getting the yes that mattered”.
- The City Celeb. “Jocelyn Hudon Biography: Age, Husband, Parents, Net Worth, Movies, TV Shows”.
- IMDb Awards. “Jocelyn Hudon – Awards”.
- CelebHeights. “Jocelyn Hudon Height”.
- The Movie Database. “Jocelyn Hudon”.
- Instagram. “@jocelynhudon”.
- Hallmark Channel. “Jocelyn Hudon as Grace Bennett on When Hope Calls”.
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