We collectively experienced a punch to the gut when we learned that Daniel Kyri and Jake Lockett would be leaving Chicago Fire. It was not the news we wanted to hear as we waited on a season 14 renewal, and based on the statements both actors made in the aftermath of this announcement, it isn't the news they wanted to hear either.
Look, we've heard and read several exit statements over the years. We've seen dozens of One Chicago stars pack up and leave, whether it be Jesse Spencer and Kara Killmer on Chicago Fire or Jesse Lee Soffer and Tracy Spiridakos on Chicago PD. The thing that makes their statements a bit different from Kyri and Lockett's, however, is the acknowledgment that it was their decision.
Daniel Kyri admitted he'll "miss" playing Ritter
Daniel Kyri was the first actor to address his upcoming Chicago Fire exit, and he took to Instagram to write: "I'll miss this character, it's time to move on." There was no additional explanation as to why he's moving on, or why he was compelled to leave a series he'd been a part of for seven seasons. Stars like Spencer or even Alberto Rosende, who shared countless scenes with Ritter during his time on the show, clarified that while difficult, leaving Chicago Fire was ultimately what they wanted.
There's no inkling of that in Kyri's statement. "Thank you to the cast, crew, & the awesome fans," the actor concluded. Jake Lockett provided a more detailed post when he eventually decided to speak on the matter, but he was similarly, primarily, focused on how much he was going to miss appearing in the show.
Lockett considered it an "honor" to play Carver
"While I don’t exactly know what the future looks like, I do know that it won’t be exactly what it was and I am going to miss the hell out of that," the actor asserted. "So much pride in this journey." Lockett felt it was an "honor" to bring Carver to the screen, and he made it clear that he considers the other Fire actors to be part of his family.
Lockett, like Kyri, did not include a justification for his exit, or a tacit acknowledgment that it was a "difficult" decision to leave the show. If anything, he admitted uncertainty over what the future of his character and his career will look like. It's one thing to part ways with an actor when they decide its a good time for them, but it's sad to see it take place when they clearly felt they had a lot more to offer the show moving forward.
Enjoy Kyri and Lockett's presences on Chicago Fire while you still can.