NBC's Chicago Fire may be back for Season 12, but some of the show's main characters and actors won't be.
Coming from the mind of Dick Wolf, who was also behind the creation of the other Chicago TV shows as well as the Law & Order franchise, Chicago Fire follows a group of firefighters in the Windy City.
Season 12 officially premiered on NBC on Wednesday, January 18, and new episodes are expected to air each Wednesday. For fans that aren't able to catch it on NBC, the show's new episodes air every Thursday on Peacock, one day after their release on NBC.
Every Major Character Leaving Chicago Fire
Chicago Fire includes a large group of characters, some new and others that have been around since Season 1.
But with some major changes to the roster, here is every main character and their respective actor that won't be a part of the series moving forward:
Alberto Rosende - Blake Gallo
Alberto Rosende's Blake Gallo was first introduced to fans in Chicago Fire's Season 8 as a firefighter assigned to Truck 81 at Firehouse 51.
Although he was a major actor in Chicago Fire, Rosende officially left the show after the Season 12 premiere episode titled "Barely Gone."
That episode confirmed that Blake was moving to Detroit, Michigan to be with his aunt, and it was also revealed that he wants to continue being a firefighter after he moves there.
As shared by Deadline, Rosende looked back on his Chicago Fire tenure with a post via his Instagram Story. The actor stated that leaving "wasn't easy," and that his time with the show "made [him] proud:"
"When I decided to end my time with 'Chicago,' it wasn’t easy. The people I’ve met were truly special, the friendships I’ve made will last a lifetime, and the story I got to tell was one that made me proud. Can’t wait to see what else is in store and I wish everyone the best in shooting the rest of the season."
Kara Killmer - Sylvie Brett
Like Rosende, Kara Killmer also officially left Chicago Fire in the Season 12 premiere episode. Her character, Sylvie Brett, was a paramedic assigned to Ambulance 61.
Killmer first joined the cast of Chicago Fire during Season 3, meaning that she was one of the show's longest-running actors.
Killmer also took to Instagram to offer her thanks to the Chicago Fire team, as well as the city of Chicago itself. She called the real-life members of the Chicago Fire Department "some of the best firefighters in the country," while also revealing that she was in a "love affair" with the city:
"These are the very first few pictures I took, or was tagged in, when I first came to 'Chicago.' Going up in the Squad 1 basket was my first exposure to the CFD—some of the best firefighters in the country! The view from my very first apartment was absolutely stunning and the beginning of a love affair with the gorgeous city of Chicago!"
Killmer's character left the series in Season 12 after she accepted a marriage proposal from Matthew Casey.
However, it is important to note that Killmer could potentially appear in at least one more episode. In an interview with Variety, co-executive producer Andrea Newman teased that her exit will be a bit of "a journey," and will span "a chunk of this season:"
"I’ll say that we have a shortened season and she’s in a chunk of this season. She’s got a journey of her own to take before we let her go."
Jesse Spencer - Matthew Casey
Jesse Spencer hasn't been a series regular on Chicago Fire since Season 9 but has made sporadic special appearances in both Seasons 10 and 11.
Spencer's character, Matthew Casey, was a captain with the Chicago Fire Department before moving to Portland and becoming a captain there.
The Season 12 premiere didn't feature Spencer, but it was revealed that his character proposed to Kara Killmer's Sylvie Brett and that the two would be moving to Portland together.
However, co-executive producer Andrea Newman told Variety in the same interview mentioned above that the actor will appear in at least one Season 12 episode:
"Jesse Spencer will be back — our beloved Matt Casey. We can’t live without him. He’s truly the best."
Although Spencer hasn't been a series regular in the past couple of installments, Season 12 will likely be his last hurrah as part of the Chicago Fire cast.
Julia Brett
Julia Brett (whose actor is unknown) is the adopted daughter of Sylvie Brett in Chicago Fire, and will also no longer be a part of the show moving forward once Sylvie officially moves to Oregon to be with her fiance, Matthew.
Julia is just a baby, but she did appear in three episodes of Season 11 and was part of an important plotline involving Sylvie.
Fans will likely see Julia at least one more time in Season 12, but she will officially be leaving the show sometime soon.
Is Cruz Leaving Chicago Fire?
Chicago Fire released a teaser following the Season 12 premiere episode of what fans can expect to see in the upcoming second episode.
One aspect of the sneak peek that viewers instantly noticed is that Joe Minoso's Joe Cruz threatened to leave the Chicago Fire Department's Firehouse 51, leaving many to question if he will be yet another actor to depart from the series.
Minoso is one of the only original actors to still be cast in Chicago Fire, so if he were to leave, it would not only be a massive blow in terms of losing a major cast member, but it would also mean that yet another major character will soon be gone.
Minoso's character is debating on leaving in the Season 12 Episode 2 teaser due to a conflict between Cruz and Taylor Kinney's Kelly Severide.
Even though his departure was teased, Cruz will likely work out his issues with Severide in the coming episodes and remain a vital piece to Firehouse 51.
Chicago Fire is already set to lose so many major actors and characters during Season 12, so it would be a bit of an overkill to write off yet another.
While anything is possible, Cruz leaving is more than likely just another plotline that Chicago Fire will explore during Season 12.
[ Cast of Chicago Fire 2024 - Season 12 Main Characters & Actors (Photos) ]
Chicago Fire is currently airing new episodes every Wednesday on NBC, and on Peacock every Thursday.
