Third time really was the charm for Taylor Kinney. Long before he became one of Chicago Fire’s most recognizable faces, Kinney struck out on a pair of auditions for other Dick Wolf shows.
That’s right, prior to booking the role of Kelly Severide on Chicago Fire, Kinney tried two times to break into the Wolf Entertainment camp by going out for two high-profile Law & Order roles. During an interview with Access Hollywood back in the early days of the One Chicago franchise, Kinney revealed that he had auditioned for two Law & Order roles, including a role on Law & Order: SVU designed to replace Chris Meloni, who had just exited the show after 12 seasons playing Detective Elliot Stabler.
“My first was when Chris Meloni left and they were recasting. I think I had gotten the material either the night before or the morning of. I went in and was really excited and went in and had a decent read, but they were moving so quickly; I didn’t get it. I don’t know if that was before or after, but they had a go at Law & Order: Los Angeles. I remember auditioning and going in and seeing every actor in Hollywood that wasn’t busy busy at the time. You just kind of grasp that, wow, it would be incredible to work on one of [Dick Wolf’s] shows,” Kinney told Access Hollywood.
Rather than getting discouraged by losing out to the two Law & Order roles, Kinney kept pursuing the opportunity to work with Wolf, as he knew that booking a job with Wolf Entertainment could lead to a real shot at longevity.
“Early 2012, Chicago Fire came up, and it just felt like a perfect role and perfect fit. I would imagine actors say that all the time, but it ended up working out, so I think I was onto something. I remember just getting really excited about it and knowing at that point you get a part of his camp and you really have a shot at some longevity and to get your teeth into a character and have a long run.”
Kinney was certainly correct about his excitement in booking a role with the Wolf Entertainment team leading to a long run. Fast forward to today, and he’s led the show for 14 seasons, with a fifteenth on the way this fall, appearing in nearly 300 episodes of the show. Chicago Fire has become a career-defining role for Kinney, which is something that neither Law & Order show likely would have provided.
The role he went out for on Law & Order: SVU would eventually go to Danny Pino, who joined the show following Meloni’s departure as Detective Nick Amaro. Pino would remain on the show for just four seasons before exiting. Meanwhile, Law & Order: LA was canceled after just one season—a season that failed to leave much of an impression, with many forgetting the spin-off ever happened.
Thankfully for Chicago Fire fans, everything really did work out in the end, as those failed Law & Order auditions resulted in Kinney booking the role of Severide. We truly cannot imagine anyone else in the role of Severide, and there is no denying the impact Kinney has had on the success of the entire One Chicago franchise!
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