Taylor Kinney returning to ‘Chicago Fire’
Back to the firehouse: Actor Taylor Kinney is reportedly heading back to Firehouse 51 following a months-long leave of absence from “Chicago Fire.”
Kinney — or rather, Kinney’s character, Lt. Kelly Severide — had been a staple on the NBC firefighter drama since 2012. In addition to plenty of guest spots on other shows within the One Chicago franchise, Kinney appeared in 231 consecutive episodes of “Chicago Fire” before his sudden departure midway through Season 11 earlier this year.
Kinney reportedly stepped away to deal with a personal matter and his last appearance was in the 14th episode.when “Chicago Fire” returned in March, viewers were told that his character had left town to attend an arson investigation training program, though his eventual return was implied.
Indeed, Kinney’s return has been the subject of much speculation. Many were hoping for an appearance in the May 24 finale, but Jesse Spencer, who played Matt Casey for 10 seasons before bowing out in 2021, stepped in as a guest star instead.
The speculation has now shifted to what lies ahead for Severide and his relationship with Stella Kidd (played by Miranda Rae Mayo) now that Kinney is confirmed for Season 12.
Severide is back, but is he here to stay? According to Variety, his return will happen early in the season since the character is included in the first batch of scripts. It’s not clear if he’ll be in more episodes beyond that, but Deadline indicated that Kinney “is expected to be full-time.”
‘Bear’ in mind: Coming as a surprise to no one, the Fx/hulu series “The Bear” has been renewed for a third season and will return in 2024.
The behind-the-scenes story of a Chicago restaurant and its staff, “The Bear’s” first season earned 13 Emmy nominations, including nods for stars Jeremy Allen White, ayo Edebiri and Ebon Moss-bachrach. Named AFI TV Program of the Year, “The Bear” has also collected a number of trophies — including WGA, PGA and Film Independent Spirit awards — and its second season, which premiered this summer, boasts a 99% critical rating and a 92% score from viewers on Rotten Tomatoes.
“‘The Bear,’ which wowed audiences in its first season only to achieve even greater heights in Season 2, has become a cultural phenomenon,” FX Entertainment president Nick Grad said in a statement. “We’re so proud to partner with Christopher Storer, Joanna Calo, Josh Senior and the rest of the creative team, as well as the brilliant cast led by Jeremy Allen White, ayo Edebiri and Ebon Moss-bachrach. what they and the crew have done is truly remarkable, and we and our partners at Hulu join fans in looking forward to the next chapter in the story of ‘The Bear.’”