Charlie Barnett has opened up about being written out of Chicago Fire. Playing firefighter and paramedic Peter Mills, the 34-year-old featured in the NBC series for three seasons. The long-running show is currently airing its season 10, with plenty of anticipation surrounding the Chicago Fire finale and the possible return of Jesse Spencer as Matt Casey.
Departing the series in 2015 after his character left Chicago in order to care for relatives in North Carolina, Barnett’s exit was credited as a purely creative decision by the writers. Only five castmates from the original Chicago Fire season 1 ensemble currently remain in the series, with the likes of Lauren German, Monica Raymund and Yuri Sardarov among those who exited the show in later seasons. Since moving on from Chicago Fire, Barnett has featured in the likes of acclaimed Netflix shows such as Orange is the New Black, Russian Doll and You, as well as The CW series’ Valor and Arrow.
Now in an interview with Digital Spy, Barnett reflected on his time in Chicago Fire and his feelings about being written out of the show. Describing his exit as a “blessing in disguise,” Barnett added that while it “broke” him for a long time, in hindsight he could appreciate the decision and was “thankful” to be a part of the show. Read his comments below:
“You never see the bad moments becoming the good ... It wouldn’t be what it was, I think, if you did recognise it for what it is in the moment.”
Covering the lives of emergency service personnel in the Chicago Fire Department, the success of Chicago Fire helped to launch Dick Wolf's larger Chicago franchise (including Chicago PD and Chicago Med) and continues to enjoy an average viewership of around seven million. Helping to nurture a number of acting careers in the process and serving as a home for its more long-standing castmates, Chicago Fire has seemingly maintained good relations with its former stars and committed to story-driven departures for their characters while providing avenues for their potential return, in cases such as Spencer's. Expressing gratitude for his part in the series which he described as a “behemoth,” Barnett indicated that he would remain forever connected to Chicago Fire through his friends and former co-stars.
Though almost seven years have passed since his time on Chicago Fire, the series has undoubtedly left its mark on Barnett’s career and life as a whole. As with similar shows spanning several years, cast members are known to form close friendships and foster a familial atmosphere, which undoubtedly contributed to Barnett’s initial sadness in leaving Chicago Fire. Despite this, the sensitivity in which his departure was handled has evidently helped to create Barnett's continued fondness for the show, particularly as his career continues to blossom in Netflix’s Russian Doll season 2.
Source: Digital Spy