One of the Windy City’s finest just gave his final goodbye.
It’s official: Daniel Kyri has filmed his last Chicago Fire scene — and in an August 2025 Instagram post, the man who’s brought Darren Ritter to life since Season 7 peeled back the curtain and penned a lengthy post about his time on the show.
Kyri’s entire post is a must-read for any One Chicago fan, as he thanked everybody from the fans to the cast to the production crew. Here are just a few highlights:
“Yesterday, I filmed my last scenes as Ritter & I’m still so amazed that my first-ever TV gig—a role that was originally meant for just three episodes—turned into seven incredible years (SEVEN?!?!! Whatttt???!) and spanned eight seasons of this iconic show!” Kyri wrote. “While I know I may never find another cast and crew as amazing as this one, I intend to carry what I’ve learned from you to every set in the future.”
It’s clear how passionate Kyri has been in crafting Ritter into someone millions of fans could look up to.
“Chicago Fire changed my life,” he wrote. “Bringing Darren Ritter to the screen has transformed & healed me in equal measure. He is a man who embodies empathy, humility, compassion, and unwavering bravery to save lives. His heroism is further fortified by the way he navigates the world—a gay Black firefighter who is proud, fierce, loyal, & whole—a possibility I never got to see onscreen in my childhood but desperately craved…”
“I am so humbled & proud to have portrayed you,” Kyri continued. “I’m thrilled that my inner child would have looked at you each week in awe of everything you represent. You made history. Thank you so much, Darren Ritter. And goodbye.”
Kyri, who identifies as queer, was part of history during the Fire Season 8 episode “A Real Shot in the Arm,” when Ritter came out to his fellow firefighters in Firehouse 51. It was a pivotal moment for the character — and for Kyri himself.
In an October 2019 interview with Chicago-based People’s World, Kyri spoke about the gravity of Ritter coming out and the importance of queer representation on the show.
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“Watching the scene felt personal because it felt like I was the one coming out to the world on national television,” he explained. “The way it was written was so simple and such a non-issue; it brought actual tears to my eyes.”
The moment was just as powerful for the actor as it was for the character.
“I can’t say I had very many examples of Black queer people growing up,” Kyri revealed. “I spent a lot of my youth lost at sea, reconciling with my sexuality.”
