Chicago Fire Season 12’s Latest Departing Cast Member Opens Up About Exit

The latest actor to exit Chicago Fire opens up about his abrupt departure and hints that it wasn’t his idea to leave the One Chicago franchise.
One Chicago loses another cast member, and they break their silence about their unexpected Chicago Fire season 12 exit. Ensemble procedural shows on network TV are used to having a revolving roster of actors, but Dick Wolf’s One Chicago has particularly been at the end of many departures in the last couple of years, with Chicago Fire losing Sylvie Brett after her marriage to Matt Casey. Not long after that, Firehouse 51 once again bids goodbye to another member, although this time, their exit is more intriguing.

As he previously confirmed, Rome Flynn is ending his stint as Derrick Gibson in Chicago Fire season 12. He didn’t give any context for his exit, but in a new interview with Variety, the actor offers more details about the matter, including a hint that it wasn’t his decision to wrap up his time as Firehouse 51’s newest recruit. Read his full quote below:
Chicago Fire season 12 has seen three cast members exiting this season — Alberto Rosende’s Blake Gallo, Kara Killmer’s Sylvie Brett, and Rome Flynn as Derrick Gibson.

Why Flynn’s Exit As Gibson In Chicago Fire Season 12 Is So Surprising

Flynn’s Gibson Has Only Appeared In Six Chicago Fire Season 12 Episodes.
It was Stella Kidd who saw the potential in Gibson after Firehouse 51 had to work on a scene with them coincidentally. Since she was on the lookout for Gallo’s replacement, she brought him in to fill the vacant spot. As with almost every newcomer to Chief Boden’s squad, Gibson struggled, but thanks to Sam Carver, who knew what it felt like to join a tight-knit team, it seemed like he was starting to get comfortable with his role in Firehouse 51. So, it was shocking when he revealed his plans to leave so that he could deal with personal issues.

Gibson and Carver were the perfect Chicago Fire Kelly Severide and Casey replacements. Despite his character’s struggles to assimilate, Flynn had great chemistry with the ensemble. The actor was great in the role and Gibson was interesting enough to join the diverse roster. Considering Flynn’s insinuation that it wasn’t his decision to exit One Chicago, it’s curious why he was let go in the middle of the season. At the very least, Chicago Fire season 12 could have kept Gibson until the end of the shortened year, which is fast approaching.

Now, Chicago Fire is forcing Firehouse 51 to once again function undermanned. They may be planning on bringing in someone new to replace Gibson, but at this point in the year, it may be better to save it for next season. As for the possibility of Flynn returning to One Chicago, the way his character exited leaves the door open for a comeback, but historically, the chances of him reclaiming his series regular spot are very low.