When fans think of Taylor Kinney, they immediately picture him in uniform as Lieutenant Kelly Severide on Chicago Fire, a role that has not only defined his career but also cemented him as one of the most iconic figures in the entire One Chicago universe. What many viewers don’t realize, however, is just how close Kinney came to missing out on the opportunity altogether — and how his unexpected casting journey is now the stuff of Hollywood legend, tied in part to the gritty world of Chicago P.D. and the larger vision of Dick Wolf.
According to casting insiders, Kinney was not the obvious first choice when producers were putting together the blueprint for what would become Chicago Fire and eventually its sibling series Chicago P.D.. At the time, Kinney was known for roles in The Vampire Diaries and guest spots on shows like Castle, but he wasn’t yet a household name. When the auditions began, the team was reportedly torn between finding a seasoned actor who embodied the rugged Chicago spirit and someone fresh who could grow with the series. Kinney, who walked into the audition with a quiet confidence and a gravelly authenticity, quickly became the dark horse.
One story that has circulated among the casting crew describes how Kinney nearly didn’t make it to the audition at all. A scheduling mix-up and his initial doubts about playing yet another procedural role almost kept him from stepping into the room. But when he finally sat down with the producers and read for Severide — a character originally conceived as a hard-nosed firefighter with a troubled streak — the energy in the room shifted. “It was one of those rare moments,” a casting director later revealed. “We knew instantly that he wasn’t just reading lines. He was Severide. He had the grit, the charm, and the pain written all over his face.”
The connection to Chicago P.D. came later, as the world of Firehouse 51 expanded and Dick Wolf realized he had struck gold with a cast that could carry not just one show but an entire franchise. Kinney’s natural chemistry with the ensemble, including those who would cross over into P.D., made him a cornerstone of the shared universe. Jason Beghe, who plays Hank Voight, reportedly bonded with Kinney during early table reads, praising his ability to bring a “raw, unpolished honesty” to every scene. It was those qualities that helped solidify the tone of both shows — the brotherhood, the moral ambiguity, and the humanity beneath the badge and the bunker gear.
Fans now look back on Kinney’s casting as inevitable, but the reality is that it was anything but. Had he skipped that audition, or had the producers gone with another name, the One Chicago franchise might look completely different today. Severide has not only become a fan favorite but also a character whose storylines bleed into Chicago P.D. with a depth that few other crossovers manage to achieve. His bond with Voight, his clashes with detectives, and his role in the greater Chicago narrative have made Kinney’s presence indispensable.
Kinney himself has spoken humbly about his journey, admitting in interviews that he didn’t anticipate the role would become such a defining part of his career. “I thought it might last a season or two,” he once confessed, “but the way people connected to Severide was something I never could have predicted.” That connection is now woven into the very DNA of Chicago Fire and Chicago P.D., and it all started with a near-miss casting story that could have ended very differently.
In Hollywood, careers often turn on a single audition, a single moment, or even a single decision to show up. For Taylor Kinney, that decision brought him into a family of shows that changed his life and gave fans a character they couldn’t imagine losing. And while Chicago P.D. may not be his home base, the fingerprints of his casting journey can be felt across the entire franchise — proof that sometimes, the roles we’re almost too hesitant to take are the ones that define us the most
