Novak and Violet were just put through one of the scariest situations of their lives on Chicago Fire Season 14 Episode 18.
Yet, while they looked for a way to escape, their main focus was on their patient — which turned into two — and their trust in each other.
Fortunately, cool heads prevailed, and Hanako Greensmith and Jocelyn Hudon chatted with TV Fanatic exclusively to break down the traumatic event for their characters and what’s to come on Chicago Fire.
You were both put through the wringer during this episode! What was that like for you?
Hanako Greensmith: It was awesome!
Jocelyn Hudon: It was like a dream. If I could have come up with an episode, this is what I would have wanted.
It was my dream episode for us to do, so it was really cool that Alec just guessed that and made it happen.
HG: Yeah, it was really fun to do. I think this is one of my favorite episodes I’ve done on the show.
And Hanako, you’ve done some wonderful episodes with emotional moments.
In this one, Violet really took control, focusing first on the patient, then on the situation. What was going on in her mind as she was taking stock of the situation?
HG: It’s a really good example of what they talk about at the beginning of the episode with the Joint Duty Program.
You can be under the most intense stress of your life, but the most important thing is that you need a strong partnership, a strong bond, and trust between you and your partner.
I think it shines in the way we both care for Sarah and make sure she has this baby as safely as possible.
Also, to try to keep Dalton from bleeding out while trying to keep their own fear on the back burner. There are many elements that really highlight the importance of our first responders.
Jocelyn, Novak is sort of the baby of the team, and she is scared. I could see that in the facial expressions you had — they were perfect, by the way — so what was going through Novak’s mind?
JH: It’s a dichotomy of survival for yourself, but mostly the patients’, and then trusting our instincts — the episode title — and then knowing when to go for it.
I love that you got to show off Novak’s martial arts training.
JH: That was really fun to do. I was happy we got to do that.
HG: I was trying hard not to squeal and giggle during the stunt.
JH: Sometimes — not here, but on other projects — you have fights, and you think they’ll be awesome, but they make it really condensed. I liked how much we got to do.
This season has worked so well with these bottle episodes. Each character gets real time to shine. What was it like for the two of you to get almost the whole hour of dialogue and action?
HG: I had a phenomenal time. We’re so accustomed to the cadence of a big ensemble, so we all take our turns, so I’ve never, in my five years here, had the experience of having such a prominent storyline.
It’s so exciting to share with this person that you’ve been creating this wonderful friendship and partnership with, on and off screen, so it felt surprisingly easy.
Every moment of the script was wonderful. The people were so talented that every moment just felt organic in a way that every actor dreams about. It was a flawless experience. I loved every second.
JH: I agree. It was really fun to do.
There’s a lot of focus on trust, and the start of this Chicago Fire episode involved that wobble in the partnership, but there’s no time to really focus on it.
What’s going on through your characters’ minds as we move into the next episode or the rest of Chicago Fire Season 14?
JH: At the beginning, when Violet is talking about the Joint Duty Program and trust, Novak is having a flash of, “Do I trust you?”
She just needs to air out her thoughts that have been weighing her down and get them out so she can move on.
She does trust her partner, and she wants to make sure they’re not just work friends but friend friends.
That’s something Novak is thinking about. Their work partnership is great, but are they close in all departments? That’s what she’s testing out with Violet at the beginning.
There’s still a lot unsaid and to work through.
HG: Yes, definitely. We’re not at the end of this story, but I think we’ve hit a really important chapter in defining what’s at the core of their relationship.
Can you tease anything about what’s to come after this traumatic event?
HG: I think what’s amazing about first responders is that they undergo so much trauma on a daily basis, especially at some firehouses, so in some miraculous way, they take it all in their stride.
It’s something they learn from, and it makes them better paramedics to work in crisis-like situations.
As far as their friendship goes, it’s much more solidified.
We’ve made new ground for the way we communicate with each other, and I hope to see more of that in a successful way moving forward.
JH: It’s so true. The paramedics have to help people in these sketchy situations and then have to go back to work the next day.
Compartmentalizing at its finest!
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This interview has been edited for clarity and length.
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