What Chicago Fire Gets Wrong About Firefighting
The cast of “Chicago Fire” trained with the real Chicago Fire Department to make things as accurate as possible. A member of the Chicago Fire Department shared about the experience, telling Entertainment Tonight, “People don’t really get to see what we do, and this show, and keeping it real, gives viewers a chance to see what real firefighters do for a living.”
What’s impressive is that they use real fire, according to Showbiz CheatSheet. “I know when I ran into most of those buildings, it was hot and there was a real fire in front of me—it wasn’t CGI,” actor Charlie Bennett shared, adding, “All the tools were real and that’s largely thanks to [executive producer] Dick Wolf; he made sure we had everything we could to make it real—the tools, the trucks, the equipment, everyone in the background was real firefighters.” However, some firefighters objected to the fire scenes.
There wasn’t enough smoke in the scenes, apparently. “[Smoke was] the only exception,” former firefighter Steve “Chik” Chikerotis told AV Club. “[K]he was 90 percent less smoke than in a real incident. If you close your eyes right now, that’s our visibility in an average fire.”
Grey’s Anatomy is one of those shows that many of us can’t stop watching. In 2019, ABC renewed the series for a hugely impressive 16th and 17th seasons (via TV Line). Even before the renewal, the show was already the network’s longest-running primetime scripted show. It’s easy to see why so many viewers are absolutely obsessed. With characters like McSteamy and McDreamy making on-screen appearances and memorable moments like Meredith’s “pick me, choose me, love me” speech (via Metro), it’s no wonder the show has built up a truly loyal following over the years.
Grey’s Anatomy has quite the impressive roster of alumni, including familiar names like Ellen Pompeo, Patrick Dempsey, and Katherine Heigl. For many of the series’ stars, the Shonda Rhimes-created show marked their first big break. But where were these actors before they found fame on Grey’s Anatomy? Here’s a look at the biggest Grey’s Anatomy stars before they became celebrities.
Ellen Pompeo is perhaps the most recognizable actor on Grey’s Anatomy. Pompeo has played Meredith Grey, the show’s main character who has been involved in many of Grey’s Anatomy’s most heartbreaking moments, since the very first episode. Since the show began, Pompeo has become a household name. She received a Golden Globe nomination for her role on the show, and she even started her own production company, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
However, Pompeo didn’t always think she would pursue an acting career. She first became interested in the industry as a child, when she was taken to see the Rockettes at Radio City Music Hall. She recounted the experience to Allure, saying, “After that, I stood up and said, ‘That’s what I want to be. They’re alive. That’s what I want to do.’” Despite her love of the entertainment industry from a young age, her shyness almost won out. “I was very sad and introverted as a kid, and I would never, ever have the confidence or outgoing nature to be in a school play,” she said. Pompeo, however, pursued her dream. She landed several big film roles before finally landing her career-defining role as Meredith Grey on Grey’s Anatomy. The rest, of course, is history.
