After debuting in 2012, NBC’s Chicago Fire is currently gearing up for its 14th season of sooty firefights, white-knuckle rescue missions, and steamy romances.
Only a handful of the original cast members are still around, but that’s inevitable for a show that’s been on the air as long as Chicago Fire. After all, it’s better to burn out than to fade away.
The show’s seen a particularly high departure rate following the season 13 finale, with cast members Daniel Kyri, Jake Lockett, and Michael Bradway all hanging up their hoses.
A new class of firefighters and paramedics will no doubt rise in their place, but for now, let’s honor the series’ heroes on their way out the door. Here’s a look back at the main cast members who left Chicago Fire — and what they’ve been up to since.
Teri Reeves as Dr. Hallie Thomas (season 1)
Teri Reeves was a main cast member in Chicago Fire season 1 as Dr. Hallie Thomas. A physician and the ex-fiancée of Lieutenant Matt Casey, Reeves’ Hallie dies in episode 22, “Leaders Lead,” after a fire erupts at the clinic where she works.
It turned out, however, that it wasn’t the fire that killed her, but rather a strike to the head from a criminal named Timothy Campbell (James Anthony Zoccoli), who was using the clinic to traffic drugs.
Since leaving Chicago Fire, Reeves has guested on some of TV’s most popular shows, including NCIS (2013), Grey’s Anatomy (2015), and Lucifer (2021). She also had recurring roles on Once Upon a Time (2016) and The Punisher (2019), the former of which found her playing The Wizard of Oz‘s Dorothy Gale.
Lauren German as Leslie Shay (seasons 1-2)
Lauren German helped lead the cast of Chicago Fire‘s first two seasons as paramedic Leslie Shay, but died in the season 3 premiere’s opening moments.
At the time, executive producer Matt Olmstead told Entertainment Weekly that the decision to kill Shay was motivated by a desire to up the emotional stakes.
“The conversation came up, ‘What about killing one of the characters?’ Not too far-fetched, because it’s one of the most dangerous jobs in America, working as a firefighter,” he said. “That started to gain traction because you invariably get a lot of material from the emotional ramifications.”
He continued, “We started to map out what it would look like, who it would involve, and at a certain point we all looked around and said this is the way to go. Some people are going to be pissed off. Hopefully people are emotionally affected by the storyline.”
German went on to help lead Fox’s Lucifer (2016–2021) as Detective Chloe Decker, appearing in all 93 episodes of the hit series.
Charlie Barnett as Peter Mills (seasons 1-3)
Charlie Barnett played firefighter Peter Mills in the first three seasons of Chicago Fire. His last appearance was in “You Know Where to Find Me,” the 20th episode of season 3, with Mills torn between work and family. In the end, he chose to move to North Carolina with his family to open a restaurant.
“It felt like the character had really completed a whole journey,” Olmstead told EW of the decision to bid Mills farewell. “We realized that also on the show, as in a firehouse, there are so many guys and two women on the show, that we [had] exhausted all the permutations of romantic entanglements.”
Barnett has been busy since departing Chicago Fire a decade ago, with leading roles on Tales of the City (2019), Russian Doll (2019–2022), and the Star Wars series The Acolyte (2024).
Monica Raymund as Gabriela Dawson (seasons 1-6)
After six seasons playing paramedic Gabriela Dawson, Monica Raymund announced her departure from Chicago Fire in May 2018.
“It has been an honor to play Dawson on Chicago Fire and one of the most meaningful experiences of my life,” she wrote on social media. “I am so thankful for the journey and especially to all of you for watching, but I have made the decision that it’s time for me to move on to the next chapter in life.”
Season 6 ended with Dawson choosing to join relief efforts in Puerto Rico, and she popped up in the season 7 premiere to reveal she’d taken a full-time job there. She asked Casey to join her, but he opted to stay in Chicago.
Raymund reprised the character in the season 8 finale, resulting in a queasy reunion for her and Casey — or “Dawsey,” as some fans called them.
Over the last several years, Raymund produced and starred in three seasons of Starz’s Hightown (2021–2024), on which she also occasionally directed. She appeared in Nicholas Stoller’s Bros (2022) and William Friedkin’s final film, The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial (2023).
Yuri Sardarov as Otis Zvonecek (seasons 1-8)
After appearing in season 1 of Chicago Fire, Yuri Sardarov’s firefighter Otis Zvonecek was promoted to a main cast member in season 2. He stuck with the series until season 8, when his character died in an explosion at a mattress factory.
After the episode aired, Sardarov took to social media with a poem for his departed character:
“A fond farewell to Otis
he’ll forever be my friend
And to all of you that knew him
and loved him to the end
He had a bushy mustache
and a soul patch to boot
It’s never really over
he’ll always love you too.”
Since leaving the show, Sardarov guested on series such as The Rookie (2022) and FBI: International (2023), and appeared opposite Aaron Paul and Jeff Daniels in the 2020 film Adam.
Jesse Spencer as Matthew Casey (seasons 1-10)
Jesse Spencer led the first 10 seasons of Chicago Fire as Lieutenant Matthew Casey, departing in the show’s 200th episode. The character moved from Chicago to the West Coast to care for the abandoned sons of his late colleague and best friend, Andy Darden (Corey Sorenson).
Spencer returned for the season 10 finale, and again for a season 11 episode.
In 2022, the Australian actor discussed his decision to move on from the series in an interview with Us Weekly. “I realized I’ve been doing TV for a long time,” he said. “It was a difficult decision because I’ve loved the show from the start, but there are other things that I would like to do in the future, and there’s some family that I need to take care of.”
Since leaving Chicago Fire behind, Spencer has led the cast of Disney+’s Last Days of the Space Age (2024).
Spencer got married to Kali Woodruff Carr, a research scientist at the Boston Children’s Hospital, the year after leaving Chicago Fire. In 2022, they welcomed their first child.
Eamonn Walker as Wallace Boden (seasons 1-12)
Jesse Spencer led the first 10 seasons of Chicago Fire as Lieutenant Matthew Casey, departing in the show’s 200th episode. The character moved from Chicago to the West Coast to care for the abandoned sons of his late colleague and best friend, Andy Darden (Corey Sorenson).
Spencer returned for the season 10 finale, and again for a season 11 episode.
In 2022, the Australian actor discussed his decision to move on from the series in an interview with Us Weekly. “I realized I’ve been doing TV for a long time,” he said. “It was a difficult decision because I’ve loved the show from the start, but there are other things that I would like to do in the future, and there’s some family that I need to take care of.”
Since leaving Chicago Fire behind, Spencer has led the cast of Disney+’s Last Days of the Space Age (2024).
Spencer got married to Kali Woodruff Carr, a research scientist at the Boston Children’s Hospital, the year after leaving Chicago Fire. In 2022, they welcomed their first child.
Eamonn Walker as Wallace Boden (seasons 1-12)
Kara Killmer joined Chicago Fire in season 3 as EMT Sylvie Brett, a replacement for German’s Leslie Shay. After more than 190 episodes, she departed the series in season 12, wrapping her storyline with her marriage to Spencer’s Matt Casey.
“I’m selfishly delighted that she started her journey in Chicago when she was left at the altar by her high school boyfriend, and I love that she ends up across the aisle from the love of her life and the most eligible bachelor in Chicago and Portland,” she told EW. “It’s very much the natural end for the arc of her character. So she does wind up with everything that she always wanted.”
Dora Madison as Jessica ‘Chili’ Chilton (seasons 3-4)
Dora Madison, who also sometimes performs as Madison Burge, debuted in season 3 of Chicago Fire as paramedic Jessica “Chili” Chilton before being promoted to a main cast member in season 4. It was a surprise, then, when Chili was fired halfway through the season after her work was compromised by her relapse into alcoholism.
“You can’t just save up the big moments and departures and entrances for characters at episode one and episode 22,” Olmstead told The Hollywood Reporter of the decision to write Chili off the show. “It got us some good stuff midway through the season as opposed as to waiting for a finale to have the character exit.”
Madison went on to appear in films from Richard Linklater (Everybody Wants Some!!) and Terrence Malick (Song to Song). She also starred in three movies from filmmaker Joe Begos: Bliss (2019), VFW (2019), and Christmas Bloody Christmas (2022).
Steven R. McQueen as Jimmy Borelli (seasons 4-5)
Steven R. McQueen was fresh off of six seasons of The Vampire Diaries when he joined Chicago Fire in 2015, though he wouldn’t last nearly so long on the series. As Truck 81 candidate Jimmy Borelli, McQueen debuted in the season 4 premiere before a petrol explosion partially blinded him in season 5, ending his stint on the show.
“There are times when people get injured, or really bad things happen to them, and we don’t follow through on that, and sometimes we feel like we have to pull the trigger on certain things,” executive producer Michael Brandt told TVLine of the decision to write McQueen’s Jimmy off the show.
McQueen guested on The CW’s Legacies (2018) after leaving Chicago Fire, and made appearances in the Hallmark Channel’s Home By Spring and an episode of the Netflix anthology Medal of Honor, both in 2018.
Annie Ilonzeh as Emily Foster (seasons 7-8)
Annie Ilonzeh’s Emily Foster was a paramedic brought on to replace Raymund’s Gabriela Dawson. But her character left the series unceremoniously following season 8.
Ilonzeh has stayed busy since leaving Chicago Fire, appearing in films such as Fear, Ruined, and Soul Mates, all released in 2023. She also joined the CBS series S.W.A.T. (2024–2025) for its final season, playing new recruit Devin Gamble.
Daniel Kyri as Darren Ritter (seasons 7-13)
Daniel Kyri only recently announced he was leaving Chicago Fire after starring as firefighter Daniel Ritter for seven seasons, five of which as a main cast member.
“I’ll miss this character, and it’s time to move on,” Kyri wrote on his Instagram Stories in April (via E! News). “Thank you to the cast, crew & the awesome fans.”
Currently, Kyri is focused on his music career. He released an EP, Childish Games, on July 18.
Alberto Rosende as Blake Gallo (seasons 8-12)
Alberto Rosende starred as firefighter Blake Gallo on four seasons of Chicago Fire, departing in the season 12 premiere when Blake decided to move to Detroit to care for his aunt.
“When I decided to end my time with Chicago, it wasn’t easy,” the actor wrote in an Instagram Story, per Deadline. “The people I’ve met were truly special, the friendships I’ve made will last a lifetime, and the story I got to tell was one that made me proud.”
Adriyan Rae as Gianna Mackey (season 9)
Adriyan Rae played paramedic Gianna Mackey on season 9 of Chicago Fire, but left the show for “private reasons,” per creator and executive producer Derek Haas.
“To hear that as a showrunner, you absolutely respect what an actor needs,” he told EW at the time. “All I can say is we love her and I know she’s going to be great on some other series. And she left 51 on great terms, so there’s a chance we could check in on her. We’re always looking for something to boost up a crossover! I don’t think we’ve seen the last of Mackey in Firehouse 51.”
In 2021, the same year she left Chicago Fire, Rae scored a leading role on Paramount+ series The Game (2021–2023), which she starred in for two seasons. She last appeared on Netflix’s Forever (2025), which is executive produced by Oscar winner Regina King.
Jake Lockett as Sam Carver (seasons 11-13)
Jake Lockett recurred on seasons 11 and 12 of Chicago Fire as firefighter Sam Carver before becoming a main cast member in season 13. However, by that season’s end, the character announced he was transferring to a firehouse in Denver amid struggles with alcohol.
“While I don’t exactly know what the future looks like, I do know that it won’t be exactly what it was and I am going to miss the hell out of that,” Lockett wrote in an April Instagram post. “It’s been an honor bringing Sam to life and to every one of you, thank you for the love and support over the past three years.”
Earlier this year, the actor eloped to Hawaii with actress Dominique Domingo (The Accountant 2).
Michael Bradway as Jack Damon (seasons 12-13)
The latest cast member to leave Firehouse 51 is Michael Bradway’s Jack Damon, the half-brother of Taylor Kinney’s Kelly Severide. As recently reported by EW, Damon’s departure boiled down to scheduling conflicts.
Bradway is slated to star as Charlie Florek in Amazon Prime Video’s upcoming adaptation of Every Summer After, the bestselling romantic novel from author Carley Fortune.
