“The Walking Dead” actress Laurie Holden exited “Chicago Med” before the series even began production. Holden played trauma surgeon Dr. Hannah Tramble in “Chicago Fire” Season 3, Episode 19, which served as a backdoor pilot for “Chicago Med” in 2015. She was expected to return in a recurring role on the new series, but later that year, she stepped away from the project.
Following her departure, Holden released a statement explaining her decision. “I am so grateful to Dick Wolf, my fellow castmembers, NBC and the entire ‘Chicago Med’ team for their understanding,” she wrote, per The Hollywood Reporter. “Sometimes we must make tough choices and, for family reasons, not doing ‘Chicago Med’ is one of those for me at this time. I know the show is going to be a huge success and I’ll be watching.”
“Chicago Med” did not recast the role of Dr. Tramble, nor did it ever provide a reason for the character’s absence. Although her time in NBC’s “One Chicago” universe was brief, Holden was already well known to TV audiences for playing Andrea Harrison on “The Walking Dead” from 2010 to 2013, appearing in the first three seasons of the AMC zombie TV show.
After leaving Chicago Med, Laurie Holden continued building her TV career
Laurie Holden never publicly addressed her “Chicago Med” exit, and the series ultimately moved forward with other characters at Gaffney Chicago Medical Center. Following her departure, Holden continued landing notable television roles.
In 2017 — just two years after she quit “Chicago Med” – Holden joined the cast of FX’s acclaimed spy drama “The Americans.” She played Stan Beeman’s (Noah Emmerich) second wife, Renee, in Seasons 5 and 6. In 2022, Holden took a small role on Prime Video’s “The Boys,” appearing as the villainous supe Crimson Countess in Season 3.
Although Crimson Countess only appeared in a handful of episodes, the role still required extensive stunt work. Speaking with CBR, Holden reflected on filming the character’s action scenes. “I did a lot of running. I did a lot of my own stunts,” she explained. “I have made a career out of this kind of thing. I am very athletic, so I love being physically active. So, when I can have a character that is very physical, I just feel alive.”
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