To say that Chicago Fire power couple Kelly Severide (Taylor Kinney) and Stella Kidd (Miranda Rae Mayo) have navigated a rollercoaster parenting saga is an understatement. The bright side? Amidst it all, Mayo tells NBC Insider that she’s had a blast with her new co-star, Hero Hunter, who’s recently joined the drama as an important part of Stellaride’s ongoing journey.
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What began as a turbulent adoption process eventually led to a delightful pregnancy discovery, but after Stella was revealed to have miscarried in the Season 14 premiere, the couple thought their chances of becoming parents were slim. But after learning that a teenage foster child named Isaiah, played by Hunter, needed a home, the 51 firefighters wasted no time opening their doors, exploring a new chapter as foster parents.
In an exclusive interview, Mayo opened up about exploring the storyline with Hunter and Kinney throughout Season 14. Confessing that her young Chicago Fire co-star has “the most iconic name,” the actress gushed over how much of a delight it’s been to work with the One Chicago newcomer.
“He’s so smart, he’s witty, he cracks jokes. He belongs on a set,” Mayo told NBC Insider. “I’m so excited to follow up and see all of the inevitable success that he creates for himself. But he has great instincts. He’s a joy to be around.”
Stella Kidd (Miranda Rae Mayo) speaks with Isaiah (Hero Hunter) next to a fruit bowl on Chicago Fire Episode 1404.
Stella Kidd (Miranda Rae Mayo) and Isaiah (Hero Hunter) appear on Chicago Fire Season 14 Episode 4 “Mercy”.
Photo: Peter Gordon/NBC
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As it turns out, acting runs in the family. Hunter’s father, Emmett Hunter, has had guest roles in Criminal Minds, Better Call Saul, Fear the Walking Dead: Dead in the Water, Atlanta, and more.
Fans may recognize the younger Hunter from his roles in Lessons in Chemistry, Destination Heaven, and a five-year run on Young Dylan. The child star has also lent his voice to animated series Marvel’s Spidey and Iron Man: Avengers Team Up!, Iron Man and His Awesome Friends, and The Wonderfully Weird World of Gumball.
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Miranda Rae Mayo breaks down Stellaride’s “whirlwind” parenting journey on Chicago Fire
While Stellaride has been thriving as foster parents, it came right after a troubling development in their relationship with the loss of their baby. The couple has navigated a truly whiplash-inducing chain of events.
“She was definitely not looking to be a foster parent, and so it all happened kind of in this whirlwind way,” Mayo told us. “But Stella being who she is, and Kelly being who he is, this kid needed somewhere to go. And they met him, and he was wonderful, and so they said, ‘Come on in.'”
Mayo added, “That’s just the kind of people they are. When somebody needs help, they’re there. And that’s just the overall theme of our show, and everybody at Firehouse 51.”
Isaiah (Hero Hunter) speaks with Kelly Severide (Taylor Kinney) next to a fire truck on Chicago Fire Episode 1404.
Isaiah (Hero Hunter) and Kelly Severide (Taylor Kinney) appear on Chicago Fire Season 14 Episode 4 “Mercy”.
Photo: Peter Gordon/NBC
Isaiah has been settling in quite nicely at the Stellaride household, connecting over video games with Severide and slowly but surely opening up more to Stella with time. Meanwhile, Stella is doing her best to be present and in the moment despite feeling the pressure of losing the baby.
“I think there’s a bit of a disassociation with her. I don’t think we’ve fully seen her fully process all of the grief and disappointment that came with that,” Mayo explained. “We saw a little peek. But then she jumped right into fostering. And I think in episodes coming up, we’ll see her and we’ll see more intimately how this whole journey has affected her.”
Watch Chicago Fire on Wednesdays at 9/8c on NBC and the next day on Peacock.
Reporting by Stephanie Gomulka
