Chicago Fire’s Charlie Barnett Says Being Eliminated from the Show ‘Ruined’ Him
Joining NBC’s hit “Chicago Fire” in its first episode in 2012, Charlie Barnett’s rookie firefighter Peter Mills became a central character during the series’ first three seasons. As a firefighter candidate, his character begins his time with the role at the lowest rung of his firefighter career, where he is still proving himself worthy of becoming a full-fledged member of the team.
Following in the footsteps of his firefighter father, Mills worked hard to prove that he was capable of keeping his weight at Firehouse 51. At first assigned to Truck 81, he would eventually move on to join Central Lieutenant Kelly Severide (Taylor Kinney) and the rest of the first responders in Rescue 3. Another move sees him take on a medical role on Ambulance 61 due to a serious injury that left he was unable to perform his firefighter duties. However, he eventually returned to the Ambulance before leaving the show. Through it all, Mills demonstrated unwavering determination to become a trusted member of the team he admired so much. Additionally, he paid close attention to the film’s romantic element, with an eventual sour relationship with co-worker Gabby Dawson (Monica Raymond). So, with such an important role in Chicago Fire’s early seasons, it was probably difficult for Barnett to be cut from the cast in 2015.
Charlie Barnett admitted he was extremely sad to leave Chicago Fire
Playing Peter Mills on “Chicago Fire” for more than 60 episodes, Charlie Barnett also appeared on another One Chicago show, appearing four times on “Chicago P.D.” His long stint on both shows would make the actor one of the series’ most beloved characters and one that fans would love to see return. But despite this, Mills was written out of the series in the Season 3 episode, “You Know Where to Find Me.”
Speaking to Digital Spy after leaving the group, Barnett said he initially had no idea how successful “Chicago Fire” would be. “[The show] is a huge thing that I never really saw coming.” He later said that he was grateful to be involved in the series but that leaving it had affected him greatly. “I was really sad to leave. It made me depressed for quite a long time.”
Likewise, Barnett took to Twitter at the time to say he didn’t want to go but that he appreciated him joining the hit show, writing: “If I had my way, I would not leaving, but I could’ I can’t deny the time I had was absolutely wonderful.” And while he may not be happy to say goodbye to Chicago Fire, Barnett will soon be saying hello to roles on other popular series, including Orange Is the New Black and Russian Doll.
