4 Chicago Fire Stars Who Left on Their Own Terms, and 5 Who Had No Idea

written by Virginia Singh

April 7, 2024 2:20 pm

4 Chicago Fire Stars Who Left on Their Own Terms, and 5 Who Had No Idea — Image credit: NBC

Not everyone had an option to stay.

Even though Chicago Fire was recently renewed for Season 13 on NBC, many fans are finding it hard to stay excited due to the many characters leaving the show. With some exits carefully planned and others coming as a surprise, so far there have been 9 characters who have left the show in a span of 12 years.

If you want to find out who left the One Chicago universe of their own accord and who was written off by the production team without any warning, check out the list below.

Was Written Off: Teri Reeves

The very first character to leave the show was not Leslie Shay, contrary to popular belief. The first character to be killed off the NBC procedural hit was Matthew Casey's girlfriend, Dr. Hallie Thomas, who had only been on the show for 11 episodes.

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Although it was definitely the actress' choice, her departure opened the door for another romance to develop between Casey and paramedic Gabriela Dawson. Too bad she didn't stick around for long either.

Was Written Off: Lauren German

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One of the most heartbreaking and offensive deaths was that of German actress Leslie Shay. Although some people assume that the actress left because of the filming of Lucifer, this was not the case.

Leslie Shay was deliberately chosen by the production to die because the writers wanted the exit to be impactful. And it was, but not in the way they hoped: to this day, viewers are bitter about the abrupt ending of Shay's storyline.

Was Written Off: Charlie Barnett

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Even though Charlie Barnett is now out there doing some of Netflix 's best shows, his departure from Chicago Fire came as a big surprise not only to viewers, but to the actor himself. His character, Peter Mills, has had quite an eventful run, so the writers weren't sure what to do with him next.

While some fans tend to agree with the way the character was written off, others believe that the problem was not Mills himself, but the writers' lack of imagination.

Wanted to Go: Monica Raymund

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After 6 seasons as Gabriela Dawson, Monica Raymund was ready to move on, and we don't blame her.

The actress was given a character with some pretty inconsistent choices, and while her on-screen romance with Jesse Spencer's Matt Casey is still much loved by fans, it's hard to deny that her departure was for the best. Hopefully, Dawson is now living her best life far away from Chicago.

Wanted to Go: Yuriy Sardarov

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Even though Otis' death was a total shock to the audience, who expected him to come back to life and get back to work in no time, it was a shocker done right. Unlike Lauren German's situation with Leslie Shay, Sardanov's Otis was given a solid storyline.

Also, the actor was ready to leave the firefighting show behind and change his workday with something else.

Wanted to Go: Alberto Rosende

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In season 12, viewers were prepared to say goodbye to Kara Killmer's Sylvie Brett and Jesse Spencer's Matt Casey. What they weren't expecting was the departure of Alberto Rosende's Blake Gallo, who was deeply loved by the fanbase.

Unfortunately for the viewers, it was the actor's decision to leave the show. The only good thing is that he was not killed off, so there is still a chance for Gallo's cameo in the future.

Wanted to Go: Jesse Spencer

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Not only did Jesse Spencer want to go, but his departure already happened once. After leading the show for 10 seasons, he was sent to Oregon, but had to return in season 11 to fill in for the absence of Taylor Kinney's Kelly Severide.

It was not until season 12 that Spencer left the show again, now moving out of Chicago with his new wife Sylvie Brett by his side. We can only hope that the happy couple will have a reason to return in future seasons, but for now their arc is over.

Was Written Off: Kara Killmer

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Much like Peter Mills, Sylvie Brett's storyline has come to a natural conclusion. Throughout the years, viewers have followed her journey of gaining confidence and becoming a stronger person, and it paid off with a beautiful wedding and a new chapter for her character off-screen.

Knowing how willing Chicago Fire is to kill off its characters, fans are just happy to see her thrive. But the decision to leave wasn't Killmer's to make.

Was Written Off: Rome Flynn

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Unfortunately, Rome Flynn's character Jake Gibson was another unexpected loss of season 12. His character was written off after only 6 episodes on screen, leaving everyone, including the actor himself, extremely sad and confused.

Many fans saw a lot of potential in him, even though his storyline was very similar to that of Kelly Severide in season 1 of the show. But now we'll never know how things would have turned out for Gibson.