1. From Mennonite High School to Hollywood Fame
You know Taylor Kinney as Chicago Fire’s smoldering Lieutenant Kelly Severide, but long before he was saving lives on screen, he was growing up in Amish country, attending Lancaster Mennonite School in Pennsylvania. Despite what you’d expect from a future heartthrob, Kinney never stepped foot on a stage in high school. Instead, he excelled in volleyball, leading his team to the district playoffs and becoming something of a local legend.
It wasn’t until college that Kinney stumbled into acting—literally. A theater elective at West Virginia University changed his life, sparking a passion that would eventually lead him away from religious studies and into the chaotic world of Hollywood.
2. Boxing and Building: Kinney’s Early Grit
While at WVU, Kinney didn’t just discover acting—he also stepped into the ring. Inspired by his boxing-loving grandfather, he began training and quickly realized the brutal endurance the sport demands. He’s often drawn comparisons between firefighting and boxing, telling Assignment X that the exhaustion of a three-minute round mirrors the physical toll of being on set in full gear.
After leaving college before graduating, Kinney chased a different kind of adventure in Hawaii, where he surfed, skydived, and made ends meet by framing houses and roofing. That experience with tools and heights? It came in handy later when NBC asked him to climb rooftops and dangle from buildings as Severide.
3. He Does His Own Stunts—Up to 20 Stories High
While many actors leave the daring work to the pros, Kinney insists on doing as many of his own stunts as NBC’s insurance policies allow. From rappelling into icy lakes to balancing on burning rooftops, the star says he enjoys the physicality—especially when it mirrors his construction past.
In fact, his fearless attitude toward heights stems from years spent climbing ladders on job sites. “I like to sweat. I like to use my hands,” he once said. His only real complaint? Chicago winters. As he confessed to Entertainment Tonight, it’s the freezing temperatures, not the stunts, that challenge him the most.
4. Crossword Nerd Meets Adrenaline Junkie
Kinney might be an adrenaline-seeker with a surfboard and a stunt reel, but don’t let that fool you—he’s also a crossword puzzle enthusiast. Between filming scenes and riding motorcycles, he often unwinds with a pencil and puzzle, proving that he’s a man of many contradictions.
Whether boxing, acting, or battling blazes, Taylor Kinney continues to surprise fans—on-screen and off.
