For years, fans have seen him as the rock of Chicago Fire—loyal, strong, unshakable. But behind the scenes, Taylor Kinney, who plays Kelly Severide, nearly walked away from it all after a personal tragedy struck mid-season.
In early 2024, Kinney quietly left filming without a public explanation. Many speculated it was health-related. But insiders now reveal that he lost a close friend in a real-life fire accident—and the grief became too heavy to carry on set.
“It hit too close to home,” a crew member shared. “There was a day when he just walked off set after a fire scene. He couldn’t do it.”
Kinney reportedly called showrunner Derek Haas the next morning and told him he might not return.
But something shifted. After two weeks in Pennsylvania with family, Kinney came back—and filmed one of his most emotionally raw scenes to date.
“That performance wasn’t acting,” said co-star David Eigenberg. “It was real heartbreak.”
The moment added a new depth to Severide’s character—and to the man who plays him
