When Miranda Rae Mayo debuted on NBC’s Chicago Fire in February 2016, she never could have imagined the love fans would have for her character, Lt. Stella Kidd, 10 years later. Or what a massive, movie-like undertaking a three-show One Chicago crossover — like the one airing on Wednesday, March 4 — would be.
But, even on the coldest winter day in the Windy City, she’s filled with gratitude.
“This is really incredible in a multitude of ways, and I just feel really blessed,” she tells PEOPLE. “I’ve lived in Chicago and been in community with this cast and crew, and I just feel really lucky that I landed here. The entertainment industry can be a precarious, dicey place depending on where you land. I was really, really fortunate to land in an incubator of love.”
Below, the actress, 35, looks back on her first days on the set of Chicago Fire, gears up for the upcoming crossover and shares some of the lessons she’s learned in between.
PEOPLE: What an arc Stella’s had over 10 years. I suspect she’s inspired a lot of people. My parents even text me, “You got this, Stella Kidd,” if I’m nervous about something!
MIRANDA RAE MAYO: That makes my heart swell. There are a lot of people who really love and appreciate this character, and it’s kind of overwhelming in a beautiful, wonderful way. She really is such a wonderful character.
Are there things you’ve learned from her or been inspired by that she has taught you?
I have learned more about commitment and sacrifice and duty from her and from this cast and crew of people, I think, than from anyone in my life.
When Stella joined Firehouse 51, she was already friends with Gabby Dawson (Monica Raymund) from their time in the fire academy. Do you think that helped fans adjust to her?
I remember talking to Derek Haas [the showrunner at the time] on the phone, and he was like, “Yeah, we’ve noticed if we bring in characters that are already connected in a positive way to our regulars, it ends up turning out better.” So, I had the connection with Dawson, and they loved each other, so I really was very fortunate to be set up in a really good way.
