Kinney’s meteoric rise to fame on Chicago Fire came after an esteemed portfolio of projects.
There’s no denying Chicago Fire fans carry a torch for the beloved Severide Kelly, and that’s partially thanks to Taylor Kinney’s dynamite portrayal of the Windy City firefighter.
Below, check out Kinney’s most beloved television and film roles to see how far the One Chicago star has come.
Taylor Kinney’s Early Television Roles: Fashion House to The Vampire Diaries
Before his days of jumping on firetrucks, Kinney got his breakout role in 2006 in the soap opera Fashion House as the artist Luke Gianni.
After guest starring in an episode of What About Brian in 2007 and an episode of Bones in 2008, Kinney landed a lead, as rookie EMT Glenn Morrison in the NBC medical seriesTrauma.
In 2010, Kinney guest starred in nine action-packed episodes of The Vampire Diaries as the troubled werewolf Mason Lockwood. Kinney appeared in Season 2 and Season 3 as Mason, in a thrilling plotline surrounding a group targeting a werewolf bloodline. After Mason was tragically murdered, the lycan heartthrob returned briefly as a ghost, marking yet another grand slam performance from Kinney.
In 2011, Kinney guest starred in a high-stakes episode of CSI: NY, appearard in the crime drama Rizzoli & Isles as Jesse Wade and scored two guest appearances in Castle and Breakout Kings. He also landed a guest role in the Chicago-based dramedy series Shameless as Fiona’s high school crush, Craig Heisner, then starred in Dating Rules for My Future Self as Dave.
Taylor Kinney in Lady Gaga’s “You and I” Music Video
2011 was a big year for Kinney for several reasons: While he was skyrocketing to fame as a television star, he also appeared in Lady Gaga’s iconic music video to her Born This Way ballad, “You and I.”
Kinney played Gaga’s primary love interest and a mad scientist in the Americana-influenced music video depicting star-crossed lovers. As a sonic love letter to a Nebraska-born relationship, Kinney and Gaga’s captivating performances combined with the breathtaking visuals made for one of Gaga’s most celebrated music videos within her legendary videography.
Taylor Kinney’s Film Credits: Furnace to Here and Now
While Kinney’s expansive television portfolio cemented him as a primetime star, his film work is equally vast.
Kinney made his film debut in 2007 with a small role in the film White Air and the horror flick Furnace. In 2012, Kinney appeared in Least Among Saints, Stairs in Shorts, and Kathryn Bigelow’s action biopic Zero Dark Thirty. In 2014, Kinney starred alongside Kate Hudson and Cameron Diaz in the romantic comedy The Other Woman. Kinney landed two roles in 2015, in the films Consumed and Rock the Kasbah.
One of Kinney’s biggest film credits was in 2016’s The Forest as an inquisitive reporter named Aiden. The supernatural horror film centers around Japan’s infamous Aokigahara forest.
He flexed his film chops again in 2018 alongside Sarah Jessica Parker in the romantic drama Here and Now.
Taylor Kinney on Chicago Fire
“It’s never lost on me how special it is to be a part of something with the longevity this has,” Kinney told Us Weekly in May 2022. “It’s a testament to [show creator] Dick Wolf and the team of people he puts together.”
From Severide’s swoon-worthy relationship with his wife, Stella Kidd (Miranda Rae Mayo) to his heartwarming bond with his Firehouse 51 colleagues, fans never tire of Kinney’s electrifying performances.
