‘Chicago Fire’ Adds ‘Vagrant Queen’s Adriyan Rae as New Paramedic

Meredith Jacobs September 14, 2020, 6:15 pm

Adriyan Rae Atlanta Robbin' Season Atlanta Premiere — Paras Griffin/Getty Images

Sylvie Brett (Kara Killmer) has a new partner in Ambulance 61 in Chicago Fire Season 9.

The NBC drama has added Vagrant Queen‘s Adriyan Rae as a series regular in the role of paramedic Gianna Mackey, Deadline reports. “Mack” (the character’s nickname revealed by Rae in her Instagram post about the announcement) is “a lovable troublemaker with a twinkle in her eye,” as well as “charming, scrappy, fun, witty and good-natured.”

While Mack treats everyone like they’re family — because that’s how her community treats her working-class parents — “she’s no pushover,” the character description promises. “She’s tough and quick to defend the defenseless, isn’t afraid of a little chaos and rolls with the punches while approaching everything with a bit of wry humor.”

“I have been auditioning for the Chicago shows for almost 2 years now,” Rae wrote on social media. “It truly is a marathon; and the persistence really paid off! I’m GRATEFUL, EXCITED, OVERJOYED… (Im actually not sure I can find the exact words to express it) but I’m so freakin grateful and excited to be joining the phenomenal cast of @nbcchicagofire !! I finally get to put these medical degrees to use all while being surrounded by some of the best to ever do it!”

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[ if im grateful was a person ] from now on… call me “Mack” 🥰 Y’all… I have been auditioning for the Chicago shows for almost 2 years now. It truly is a marathon; and the persistence really paid off! I’m GRATEFUL, EXCITED, OVERJOYED… (Im actually not sure I can find the exact words to express it) but I’m so freakin grateful and excited to be joining the phenomenal cast of @nbcchicagofire !! I finally get to put these medical degrees to use all while being surrounded by some of the best to ever do it! #ChiTown here I come! Let’s get it!!! 🔥🔥🚨🚒🚑⛑⛑🔥🔥 Sending love to my whole team; y’all are fuxkin amazing and I really love every single one of you and couldn’t do this without you all! And a million “Thank You”s to casting, the producers, and everyone involved. You all have managed to make my 2020 pretty damn great ♥️🤍🖤 See ya Nov 11th! (Also we premiere 11:11 I mean!!) 🥰 with love with light -A.Rae _______________________________________________________________ #LoveandLight #AdriyanRae #ARae #ChicagoFire

A post shared by Adriyan Rae • A.Rae (@adriyanrae) on Sep 14, 2020 at 2:49pm PDT

It sounds like Firehouse 51 is in for some fun with Mack. And Brett could certainly use some lighthearted moments in the ambulance after her eighth season. Not only did she learn that her partner, Emily Foster (Annie Ilonzeh), decided to return to medical school — and Ilonzeh’s departure between seasons suggests she will have been accepted when Season 9 begins — but she also lost her birth mother (who died in childbirth) just as she was getting to know her.

“We were going to keep the pressure and the combustibility on her storyline,” showrunner Derek Haas told TV Insider of the original plans for Brett before production had to shut down early on Season 8 (due to the coronavirus pandemic). “Now, we’ll have to rethink how we’re going to handle this story in the next season.” Maybe having Mack by her side at work will help?