Miranda Rae Mayo Calls ‘Chicago Fire’ Season Premiere a ‘Firework Show,’ Talks Severide’s Brother
Chicago Fire season 12 ended with multiple cliffhangers — and according to Miranda Rae Mayo, the drama will continue into season 13.
“We have a crazy call that the ambo women have to investigate,” Mayo, 34, exclusively told Us Weekly of the premiere episode, which airs on Wednesday, September 25. “The ambo women have to investigate to find out what really happened on the call because there’s some speculation and the speculation is dark.”
The actress, who plays Lieutenant Stella Kidd, teased a “rough” start to season 13, revealing the ambo call made her “gasp audibly” while reading the script.
While paramedic in charge Violet Mikami (Hanako Greensmith) and her new partner, Lyla Novak (Jocelyn Hudon), will have their work cut out for them in the premiere, Mayo said the residuals of last season will also be front and center.
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During the season 12 finale, which aired in May, Firehouse 51 said goodbye to Chief Wallace Boden (Eammon Walker) as their supervisor after he became Deputy Commissioner. Come season 13, Chief Dom Pascal (Dermot Mulroney) will be in charge — and he “bristles” with Kidd, according to Mayo.
“It’s a bit of a firework show,” Mayo teased of the “first time that we get to see Pascal in action.”
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She revealed, “He’s a tough one to read and he is also very confident in his way forward. He’s very no nonsense.” Mayo pointed out that for Kidd and her longtime Firehouse 51 coworkers, “There’s this pride in the firehouse,” which Pascal threatens.
One of Mayo’s favorite season 13 story lines, however, involves Kidd’s husband, Kelly Severide (Taylor Kinney), and his newfound brother, Jack Damon (Michael Bradway). Last season, Damon dropped a bombshell when he revealed he’s Severide’s half-brother and the secret child of their late father, Benny (Treat Williams).
“We see throughout the first few episodes of the season, Kelly kind of navigating this information,” Mayo told Us. “We see Kelly learn, but then he’s gotta tell Stella and it’s like, ‘How does she process and deal with the fact that this guy has not been honest consistently with her?’”
In addition to gaining a brother-in-law, Kidd has to figure out where she and Damon stand as boss and employee as Damon is part of her Truck 81 crew.
“As an audience you can understand why [he kept the secret], but as someone who is leading a truck and leading a group in the circumstances and in the occupation that they do, like, trust is everything,” Mayo explained of Kidd’s dilemma. “And if she can’t trust you, she can’t have you on the team. So it’s this kind of back and forth of, like, how are we going to navigate this completely.”
The NBC star noted that even with the complicated dynamics for Kidd and Damon, “This has been one of my favorite story lines to play because it’s so juicy, it’s so touchy.”
Kidd added, “Navigating all of those layers, all of those things. I’m excited to see it. I’m excited to see how it all comes together.”
