Chicago Fire actor Taylor Kinney shocked fans recently when it was confirmed that he would be taking a leave of absence from the show, particularly due to being a long-standing character on the firefighter drama since the beginning.
In an unearthed interview, the TV star previously opened up about auditioning for the role of Kelly Severide back in 2012, something he described as "decent". Taylor was clearly not fazed by the scale of the prospective role, but instead took his confidence and used it to his advantage.
© NBCTaylor is taking a leave of absence from Chicago Fire
He recalled to NBC: "I was in the circuit of auditioning a lot, so I was decent at it. I remember never having any anxiety." Taylor continued: "I was excited about it, and then you kind of leave it up to the powers that be."
Taylor has played the role of Kelly ever since he was lucky enough to land the part, but now, according to Deadline, he'll be taking some time away from the series. The 41-year-old has not yet spoken out publicly about the move but the outlet states that he has taken a leave of absence in order to deal with "an undisclosed personal matter."
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© NBCFans have been sharing their concern for the star
The cast and crew were informed of Taylor's leave on Friday, and that it is likely that future scripts will have to be rewritten to accommodate his absence. It has not been confirmed how long Taylor will be absent or indeed how his character will be written as MIA in upcoming episodes. Meanwhile, viewers will be gutted to not have Stellaride on their screens for the time being. Take a look at the video below to see an "unhinged" moment from an episode that aired in 2022.
WATCH: Take a look back at an 'unhinged' Stellaride moment from Chicago Fire
Fans have naturally been sharing their concern for the star. One person wrote on Twitter when the news broke in January: "I miss Taylor Kinney a lot come back soon! But please at the same time take all the time you need we are waiting for you #taylorkinney #chicagofire."
Meanwhile, others took to the comments section of his last Instagram post, which was shared in December 2022, to express their sadness.
"Hope that Taylor is ok and will return at least during the season finale or when season 12 starts," commented a fan, adding: "Won't be the same without him. Been there since the beginning and 11 seasons later will be hard not to see him. I hope it's a short hiatus." A third wrote: "I can't watch Chicago Fire without you, so please hurry back, we'll surely miss you."
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