Chicago Fire
Season 7 e.tv (*194) 20:30 Action
Annie Ilonzeh is the “new kid” on the block in Chicago Fire (2012-now), having joined the action series at the start of season 7 as paramedic Emily Foster. She is taking over from Gabriela Dawson (Monica Raymund, who left the show to play Jackie on drama series Hightown, 2020-now). “They are huge shoes to fill, but I think Emily does that because she adds her personal drama to what’s already an intense job,” explains Annie, who’s a fan of action-centric roles – she played Joanna De La Vega from 2012 to 2014 in sci-fi series Arrow (2012-2020), as well as spy Kate Prince in the reboot of action show Charlie’s Angels (2011).
The 37-year-old is a feminist and 1 says while she accepted her first four movie roles, each credited as “beautiful girl”, she wasn’t happy. “I was young with no experience. If that was my starting point, the only way is up,” says the women’s rights activist.
2 She didn’t need any physical training to lug around a heavy medical kit – Annie hikes, boats, runs, skis, does CrossFit and cycles to stay fit.
Annie swapped agents in 2020 and 3 her new reps reportedly weren’t happy with her contract, so they turned it down. But while her character leaves as season 8 ends, Annie is hopeful “that we can find an arrangement and make it work and bring Emily back later”. She’s a basketball fan 4 and was rumoured to be dating basketball icon Shaquille O’Neal in 2019. They were just having lunch as friends, says the actress.