Before Miranda Rae Mayo joined Chicago Fire as the fearless Stella Kidd, her career was on the verge of collapse. After several small roles that didn’t lead to big breaks, she started doubting herself—and considered leaving acting altogether.
“I was waiting tables, going to auditions, and hearing ‘no’ way more than ‘yes,’” she shared in a rare interview. “I thought maybe it just wasn’t for me.”
But then came a late-night email from her agent: a last-minute audition for Chicago Fire. She almost didn’t go. She was tired, broke, and emotionally drained. But she showed up anyway—and booked it the next day.
That moment changed everything. Since joining the show, she’s become a fan favorite and a symbol of strength for young women in uniform. “I almost gave up right before my breakthrough,” Mayo says now. “That lesson follows me every day.”
