Jessy Schram Was 'Completely Surprised' By Hannah's Return To Chicago Med - Exclusive
When Dr. Hannah Asher went away to rehab during the Season 6 premiere of "Chicago Med," actress Jessy Schram had to say her goodbyes to the series. However, she had a hunch that she would one day return to the set. "In the beginning when I was on the show, there were a lot of talks about continuing the storyline," Schram recently revealed during an exclusive interview with The List.
Even the crew was expecting Hannah to eventually make a surprise appearance, in true "One Chicago" franchise fashion. "The crew on my last day of filming was like, 'Hey, you're not dying. We'll see you again one day,'" Schram added.
But once the world began to change due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the medical drama's plot completely changed along with it. At that moment, Schram knew that her character was no longer at the forefront of the writers' minds. "When the show had come back after a slight pause that everybody took, I wrote it off as, 'What an amazing journey,'" the actress admitted, and she moved on.
Following her final emotional episode, Schram went on to star in something new instead: feel-good Hallmark holiday films. Fast forward two years, and Schram received an unexpected phone call asking her to return to the medical drama for the following season. "I was completely surprised," she said.
She 'had anxiety' about portraying Hannah's recovery properly
Stepping into Dr. Hannah Asher's shoes for a second time was exciting. It was also extremely nerve-wracking for the actress to navigate what the character was like after Hannah's life-changing decision to stop using drugs. "To be honest, I had anxiety about how I was going to approach Hannah coming back," Jessy Schram admitted to The List.
While Schram said returning to the medical drama was like "coming home," she also knew that playing Dr. Asher would be a completely different experience this time around. Just like her character, Schram now needed a fresh outlook to explore what Hannah's new life looked like after successfully completing rehab. "And to also not lose the essence of somebody that is still working through something," Schram explained. "Because addiction never actually goes away when you're in recovery."
Though a lot has changed since fans were first introduced to Dr. Asher, the impact that the character has had on audiences has had everlasting effects. "I still am constantly blown away," Schram said. "The people that I meet randomly walking down the street or at the airport — so many people are telling me their stories of how the character has affected their life, whether it be that they know somebody that has an issue with opioids or whether they themselves are somebody that has turned the corner and are continuing to build in their life."
If you or anyone you know is struggling with addiction issues, help is available. Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website or contact SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).
Season 8 of "Chicago Med" premieres Wednesday, September 21 at 8:00 p.m. ET (7:00 p.m. CT) on NBC.