In 2016, Chicago Fire fans were blindsided when Taylor Kinney and pop icon Lady Gaga ended their five-year relationship. But what most people don’t know is that the split nearly caused Taylor to walk off the show—for good.
Insiders from NBC now confirm that Kinney took an unexpected leave of absence right after filming Season 5’s emotional finale. The episode’s theme—losing someone you love—hit far too close to home.
“He showed up, did his scenes, and then disappeared. He didn’t speak to anyone on set for days,” said one production assistant. “People were told not to ask questions.”
Kinney and Gaga were engaged, with wedding plans underway. But the pressure of long-distance filming, conflicting careers, and personal sacrifice drove them apart. Privately, Kinney told a co-star that he “felt like a ghost pretending to be Severide” while living through the breakup.
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Crew members say the emotional toll was so visible, some scenes were rewritten to accommodate his silence.
What brought him back?
According to a source close to Kinney, it was advice from co-star Eamonn Walker (Chief Boden). “He told Taylor, ‘If you’re going through hell, bring the character with you.’” That line stuck.
Season 6 marked Kinney’s quiet comeback—but the heartbreak lingered. Since then, fans have noticed Severide’s emotional depth grew deeper, darker, more real. And now we know why.
