Chicago Med’s Ashlei Sharpe Chestnut Discusses Goodwin’s Future in Season 10
Ashlei Sharpe Chestnut as Naomi Howard, S. Epatha Merkerson as Sharon Goodwin Peter Gordon/NBC; George Burns Jr/NBC
Ashlei Sharpe Chestnut expressed her surprise at the Chicago Med season 10 midseason finale and hinted that the fate of Sharon Goodwin will be revealed in the upcoming winter premiere.
“All answers will be unveiled,” Chestnut, 32, told Us Weekly while promoting her recent holiday movie, Mistletoe & Matrimony, which debuted on December 14.
The actress, portraying Dr. Naomi Howard in Chicago Med, mentioned that audiences will indeed learn what occurs with Goodwin (S. Epatha Merkerson) when the show returns on Wednesday, January 8.
In the midseason finale that aired on November 20, Goodwin discovered her stalker’s identity while cornered in her office. During the confrontation, she was stabbed and began to bleed heavily but managed to make a last-ditch attempt to escape upon hearing Dr. Dean Archer (Steven Weber) outside her office.
As the elevator doors were closing, Archer witnessed the injured Goodwin fleeing the room, calling out for help just as her assailant approached. The episode concluded with Archer attempting to return to assist his long-time friend and boss.
“When I read the script, I was like, ‘Oh no, what’s going to happen?’” Chestnut shared with Us about Goodwin’s traumatic experience in the episode. “I was literally on the edge of my seat, asking for advanced script copies, but they were like, ‘No.’”
Though Chestnut didn’t have early access to the scripts, she revealed to Us that filming for episode 14 is already underway. “All answers will be revealed soon,” she confirmed.
The star also hinted, “We will see much more of Naomi’s involvement in upcoming events. I’m trying to keep it vague, but there is definitely more centered around Naomi.”
NBC (2) Chicago Med’s Sharon Goodwin faces many responsibilities in the emergency department, but this season, her romantic life is set to take center stage. S. Epatha Merkerson, who portrays Sharon on the NBC series, disclosed to Us Weekly that fans will “absolutely” have the opportunity to see more of the relationship between Sharon and Dr. Dennis Washington (John Earl Jelks) […]
Chestnut remained elusive about Naomi’s role in Goodwin’s storyline but did confirm that her character will receive increased screen time during the latter half of the season. (Chestnut initially joined the series as student doctor Naomi at the end of season 9 and has since evolved into a recurring role.)
“I can hint that Naomi will face some real drama involving other characters besides Dr. Archer and Dr. Lenox (Sarah Ramos),” she noted. “Those two are usually Naomi’s go-to people, but expect some action beyond that.”
Since her inclusion in the emergency department, Naomi has collaborated closely with both Archer and Lenox, who divided the responsibilities of running the ED until the midseason finale. Following that episode, Goodwin appointed Lenox (who just joined their team this year) as the sole leader.
This staffing decision prompted Archer to visit Goodwin’s office in the November episode, where he intended to resign.
Fall TV is witnessing some changes with shows like Found, Chicago Fire, and FBI: International undergoing casting adjustments. The One Chicago franchise has been in the spotlight as several cast members across the three shows have announced their departures. Dick Wolf’s Chicago universe began with Chicago Fire, which debuted in 2012, focusing on the emergency services […]
Throughout the season, Naomi has found herself caught in the middle of Lenox and Archer’s disagreements on how to best lead the ED. According to Chestnut, this tension will persist when the show resumes.
“I am still positioned between Lenox and Dr. Archer. There’s still some of that dynamic,” she clarified. “Viewers will also see a deeper exploration of the relationship between Dr. Lenox and Naomi.”
Season 10 of Chicago Med is set to return on NBC Wednesday, January 8, at 8 p.m. ET.
