Find out what your favorite actors look like with (and without) their fire-safe apparel.
No one will deny that firefighting is a hot business, but the Chicago Fire cast in particular never fails to turn up the heat.
Dozens of dazzling stars have made their way to the Chicago Fire set, many of which have blazed their way into Chi-Hard hearts for good.
Between blazing infernos and steamy One Chicago romances, the dedicated firefighters of Firehouse 51 always have their hands full, keeping Chi-Hards on the edge of their seats with every twist and turn. It’s easy to fall for someone in a uniform, and the Chicago Fire cast stokes that flame every episode.
Now get ready to turn on a fan — it’s getting hot in here.
Kelly Severide played by Taylor Kinney
Taylor Kinney stars in Chicago Fire as the tenacious firefighter Kelly Severide, the leader of countless rescue missions and the extinguisher of every fire that comes his way. Since the show’s 2012 debut, Kinney has starred in over 200 episodes of Chicago Fire (and counting), leading to several steamy One Chicago romances and nail-biting plot lines.
“My first audition for Chicago Fire? I was in the circuit of auditioning a lot, so I was decent at it,” Kinney explained in a 2022 NBC Insider interview. “I remember never having any anxiety. I was excited about it, and then you kind of leave it up to the powers that be.”
“It went well, and 10 years later, I’m still here bugging you through your televisions while you fold laundry,” Kinney teased.
“It’s never lost on me how special it is to be a part of something with the longevity this has,” Kinney told Us Weekly in May 2022. “It’s a testament to Dick Wolf and the team of people he puts together.”
Stella Kidd played by Miranda Rae Mayo
Miranda Rae Mayo never disappoints as Chicago Fire’s Stella Kidd, one of the most dedicated firefighters at Firehouse 51. Stella’s One Chicago journey has been a whirlwind after she joined 51 in Season 4, Episode 15 (“Bad For the Soul”). She has since become one of the hardest-working firefighters Chief Wallace Boden (Eamonn Walker) has ever seen.
And, while she shines as a first responder, Stella glows when making up half of the beloved married One Chicago couple “Stellaride.”
“[Kinney is] a really beautiful human, and I’ve loved working with him…” Mayo told the Chicago Tribune in 2018 while exploring Stella and Severide’s explosive chemistry. “He’s one of the most compassionate and talented men I’ve ever worked with. I learn so much from him all the time, even just in how to not be so cerebral. Just feel. That’s been a really valuable experience for me.”
“One of the things that I love about Stella is she is courageous, not only in her profession but in her relationships,” Mayo told Essence in 2022. “Stella has been an incredible vehicle for me to explore many different sides of myself.”
Randall “Mouch” McHolland played by Christian Stolte
Christian Stolte has been rocking it as Randall “Mouch” McHolland since Chicago Fire’s Season 1 premiere, becoming a certified fan favorite. With a nickname inspired by his love for loafing on the couch between calls, the “half-man, half-couch” is often the source of comedic relief amid the nail-biting Chicago Fire pandemonium.
Plus, Chi-Hards swoon anytime they get to see him with his wife, Chicago P.D.’s Trudy Platt (Amy Morton).
While honoring the show’s 200th episode in an interview with TV Meg, Stolte was asked to name his favorite memory from the set. “Take any moment in the back of that truck, where we’re laughing until tears come out of our eyes, and that’s my favorite moment,” Stolte said.
“As far as the actual acting part, a lot of the cool rescues and stuff we did, those are hard-won moments,” Stolte continued. “They take a lot of hard work from a lot of people to make those things happen, and they are rewarding in their own way.”
Violet Mikami played by Hanako Greensmith
Every firefighter needs a swift paramedic to have their back — which is the role of Violet Mikami (Hanako Greensmith). Since her introduction in Season 8, Episode 10 (“Hold Our Ground”), she has kept her cool during countless intense rescue missions.
Violet is a perfectionist with a huge heart, a powerhouse combo for several compelling Fire romances. And, she looks adorable both in her uniform and dolled up for a red carpet.
Sam Carver played by Jake Lockett
Speaking of Chicago Fire romances, Jake Lockett turned up the heat as Sam Carver after his introduction in the Season 11 premiere (“Hold On Tight”). When the firefighter isn’t flirting or flaunting that mischievous smirk of his, Carver is a thoughtful and calculated first responder, the makings for a Firehouse 51 M.V.P.
In a 2022 interview with TVLine, Chicago Fire co-showrunners Andrea Newman and Derek Haas explored Carver’s character, which Newman described as a “real mystery” before Haas quipped, “What’s not a mystery is he’s a great firefighter, which is valuable to any rig in our group.”
“We’re just huge fans of [Lockett]. He brings a lot of presence and gravitas to the role, and he’s also funny,” Newman gushed. “It’s that rare lightning-in-a-bottle thing we look for on this show because we cross so many different genres, and so if you can do it all, that’s gold.”
Christopher Herrmann played by David Eigenberg
David Eigenberg always turns in a dynamite performance as Chicago Fire’s Christopher Herrmann, the no-nonsense veteran firefighter and co-owner of Molly’s. When he isn’t slinging pints or putting out fires, Herrmann is likely helping out one of his 51 colleagues, a testament to his huge heart and love for his crew.
Many viewers first know Eigenberg as Sex and the City’s Steve Brady, the on-again, off-again partner of Miranda Hobbes (Law & Order: SVU guest star Cynthia Nixon).
“We’ve had a festivity of fantastic actors and wonderful people come through the show and they have brought amazing gifts…” Eigenberg told The Hollywood Reporter. “It’s been a great show. But it’s a show that changes, and it morphs, and it has to morph. I’m incredibly grateful for every day I’m there, and I will be grateful up until whenever my last day is.”
Sylvie Bret played by Kara Killmer
As soon as Kara Killmer joined the One Chicago universe in the Season 3 premiere of Chicago Fire (“Always”), the charming Sylvie Brett was stealing hearts at every twist and turn. The upbeat and honorable paramedic never faltered when under pressure — and also dateed several hunky firefighters throughout her tenure. Sylvie’s effortless magnetism eventually led her to accept a proposal from her former colleague Matthew Casey (Jesse Spencer), after which they rode off into the sunset together.
“I love Sylvie because I think that she’s very resilient, and I feel like I’m very fortunate in that I get to play a character who sort of gets to play both sides,” Killmer told Fort Worth Magazine in 2021. “She gets to do really heavy, dramatic stuff, but she also gets to do some of the more lighthearted humor stuff, and not all the characters get to do that…”
“I feel fortunate that I get to have a very versatile character and that I can kind of mingle with any of the groups and any of the other characters in the story,” Killmer continued.
Joe Cruz played by Joe Minoso
The beloved Joe Miñoso has become the beating heart of Chicago Fire as Joe Cruz, a cherished 51 firefighter who never fails to rise to action. He’s been on the frontlines for dozens of white-knuckling missions since Season 1, and is a bona fide favorite amongst Chi-Hards and his 51 colleagues.
Cruz is always there for his fellow firefighters when a call goes awry, and 51 wouldn’t be the same without him.
“It’s incredible to believe that the [Chicago Fire] audience is stronger than ever,” Minoso told NBC’s WTHR before showing his respect for the real-life first responders who inspired the series. “You talk about superheroes, they are almost superhuman in how they’re able to set aside themselves at the expense of saving someone’s life. They deserve every bit of credit that they get, they are incredible people, and we owe them all a huge set of gratitude.”
Watch Chicago Fire Wednesdays at 9/8c on NBC and the next day on Peacock.
