Charlie Barnett was a scene-stealer on Chicago Fire, and he continued the trend following his One Chicago tenure.
Many dedicated firefighters have come and gone on Chicago Fire, but Firehouse 51 was forever changed when Charlie Barnett’s Peter Mills bid farewell.
Between his faultless heroism and unbridled dedication, Mills was the shining example of what it takes to succeed at Firehouse 51, which is why his eventual exit was such a blow to Chi-Hards. Luckily, fans of Peter Mills have been in no shortage of Barnett screentime as the former Fire star continues to trailblaze within the industry. Since leaving Chicago Fire, Barnett has continued to deliver powerhouse performances in everything he’s touched.
Mills was an unforgettable member of the Fire squad, which is why we’re checking in on Barnett since his incredible One Chicago tenure.
Charlie Barnett’s TV and Film Roles
Barnett left Chicago Fire in 2015 after spearheading three incredible seasons as the beloved Peter Mills, but that wasn’t the first action-packed project he starred in. Barnett made his television debut in Law & Order: Special Victims Unit in Season 12, Episode 9 (“Gray”), later guest starring in Law & Order: Criminal Intent in 2011. That same year, Barnett landed his first big film role in Private Romeo, a military-set adaptation of Romeo and Juliet. While starring in Chicago Fire, Barnett also appeared in the 2012 films Gayby and Men in Black 3, where he starred opposite Will Smith, Tommy Lee Jones, and Josh Brolin.
After departing the One Chicago universe, Barnett appeared in thrilling film projects like 2020’s The Stand In and the 2024 drama Dreams in Nightmares. Barnett also stole the show in several television projects, landing the starring role of Patrick Warner in Season 2 of the mystery anthology Secret and Lies and guest starring in a 2017 episode of Orange Is the New Black.
Barnett joined the main cast of the military drama Valor in 2017 as Ian Porter, an intelligence officer with the 186th Special Operations Aviation Regiment. In 2019, Barnett scored another exciting role in the miniseries Tales of the City as Ben Marshall, starring alongside Laura Linney and Elliot Page.Barnett had another big year in 2019; he scored a recurring role in Season 8 of the action series Arrow as John Diggle Jr. and also joined the Season 2 cast of the romantic thriller You.
Many may also know Barnett from his role as Alan Zaveri in the mystery series Russian Doll, where he starred alongside Natasha Lyonne from 2019 to 2022. During this time, Barnett also appeared in Special and joined the main cast of Ordinary Joe as Eric Payne. Most recently, Barnett made waves for his captivating performance as Yord Fandar in the smash sci-fi series Star Wars: The Acolyte, where he played an orderly Jedi.
Behind Charlie Barnett’s Iconic Peter Mills on Chicago Fire
Barnett’s Peter Mills was a member of Firehouse 51 at the start of the series, helping save Windy City civilians for the first three seasons of Chicago Fire. For each of his 66 episodes, Mills was an absolute scene-stealer with his faultless charm and fearless dedication, leading him to become a One Chicago fan favorite. While at Firehouse 51, Mills formed several dynamite friendships and even explored a short-lived 51 romance with 51 paramedic Gabby Dawson (Monica Raymund).
As the son of a firefighter, he instantly set out to prove himself within the CFD. In Season 1 of Chicago Fire, Mills was a firefighter candidate with 51, where he showed impressive skills on Truck 81 before his eventual transfer to Rescue Squad 3. Mills crushed it as a firefighter, but after passing out during a call in Season 3, Episode 4 (“Just Drive the Truck”), Mills visited the doctor and learned that he was ill and unfit to be a firefighter with his symptoms.
Mills was devastated by the news, but after learning about a paramedic position becoming available on Ambulance 61, he happily took the gig. While on ambulance, Mills became good friends with fellow paramedic Sylvie Brett (Kara Killmer) as they administered care on calls together. Later in the season, Mills visited and took a grueling medical exam to see if he’d be cleared to return to squad. Mills was apprehensive that he would pass, but he did so and was subsequently allowed to return to Squad 3.
When did Charlie Barnett’s Peter Mills leave Firehouse 51?
While awaiting his medical test results, Mills received a visit from his sister, who informed him that their late grandfather left them a restaurant in North Carolina. Having recently dealt with their Chicago restaurant burning down by a serial arsonist, his sister and mother wanted to move to North Carolina to run the restaurant with him.
Mills was initially hesitant about the idea, feeling that if he passed the medical exam, he wanted to continue as a firefighter. Understanding Mills’ decision, his mother and sister moved to run the restaurant in North Carolina. During his first shift back on Squad 3, Mills overheard a colleague talking about the importance of family, leading him to contemplate that he’d been chasing his father’s ghost within the CFD, not spending time with his actual family.
Mills then decided to move to North Carolina with his family, shocking his 51 friends. They tried to convince him to stay, but Mills stuck to his choice, leading Firehouse 51 to throw him a goodbye party at Molly’s to thank him for his years of service in Season 3, Episode 20 (“You Know Where to Find Me”). After leaving the Windy City, Mills sent treats and pictures of him and his family in front of their newly opened restaurant, delighting his 51 friends.
“I got so much from the show, the connections, the family we created,” Barnett told the Sarasota Herald-Tribune, according to Looper. “It is beyond special and will never go away. I learned so much about myself as an actor, about the business, and what direction I want to go in, so it will always be a part of my backbone.”
Watch Chicago Fire on Wednesdays at 9/8c on NBC.
