One Chicago Day Preview: Chicago Fire Cast & Showrunners Talk Stellaride Wedding, Hawkami and Chief Boden

One Chicago Day is almost here! And in celebration of the day, and of the One Chicago Franchise, Fangirlish had the opportunity to participate in a roundtable interview with Chicago Fire actors Eamonn Walker and Hanako Greensmith, as well as showrunners Derek Haas and Andrea Newman. Of course, there was a lot of talk about ships (Stellaride! Hawkami!), but there was also some good information about an upcoming Boden-centric episode and, as always happens when these people come together, a lot of great fun.

The first question, posed by TV Insider, was about Stellaride — and not just that, the Stellaride wedding. It was also the first question on my list, but having someone else ask it meant I could ask about Hawkami. So, teamwork makes the dream work.

Haas started in his usual way by teasing the end of the season, promising that “we’re headed towards a finale that is going to be very memorable.” So, wedding? He wouldn’t confirm, but he added that “the Kidd/Severide buildup has been a long time coming” before warning of that this is Chicago Fire, so “if you think it’s going to be one thing, it might not exactly happen the way all the characters have it in mind to happen.”

Newman added, “I love the journey these two characters have been on and the fact that they love each other so much,” while confirming that “they’re engaged, that’s the plan, they’re going to get married.” Is there a but coming? Of course, there is. “But they also both have this kind of dark history with marriage and relationships. Kidd had the previous marriage that was abusive and horrible, and Severide has this role model of his dad and his mom’s marriage, which was terrible and also somewhat abusive. They both carry a big burden into this. And the question is, when push comes to shove, can they take that leap? And there’s all sorts of complications we’re throwing their way, but they’re amazing together and we love them. We love that journey they’re on.”

As much as it’s a joy to talk to both Derek Haas and Andrea Newman, we’d love some straight answers at some point.

Then, of course there’s the question of what roles Boden and Violet — since Eamonn Walker and Hanako Greensmith were present — might play in the wedding. And Greensmith was clear that it really depended on “what kind of wedding Stella sees for herself. Does she want this, like, big bachelorette moment, maid of honor moment, bridesmaids, or does she want it to be kind of intimate and just her close-knit family circle?” Though, either way, she’d “love to see Violet get to help her through any of that in any way because it’s always nice seeing the women of 51 come together.”

Walker, too, had a very clear desire for Boden during the Stellaride wedding. “I would just like, because I’ve taken on Kidd as my kind of surrogate daughter, I would really appreciate giving her away,” he told us. And I think I speak for the fandom when I say, yes, please. We’d love that.

Then, there’s the Hawkami question, which I had to ask because …we’re all kind of obsessed with Hawkami these days. And though Walker joked about Boden’s reaction being “what are you guys doing?” the real reveal of this question was Andrea Newman sharing that they “loved Violet and Gallo together, and Hawkins was going to be a smaller part of that arc.” And then, chemistry or fate intervened.

“When we saw these two actors, and the chemistry between them, and the way they popped together on screen, we really did some rejiggering and extended that relationship. And it’s just getting stronger and stronger as it goes because these guys are so great together.”

But it’s not all roses, of course, because though Newman shared that it’s really fun to write them, she also told us that “there’s all sorts of problems in their way, which is fun to navigate,” and that they are “really excited about the way Gallo plays into it as well.”

Greensmith, on the other hand, told us that she was “definitely surprised” by the reaction to Hawkami, confessing that she “didn’t think the audience” would “take to it quite as strongly as they did.” But she also shared that she is “very happy that they did, because that means that it’s working, and it’s believable, and people are invested.”

Plus, and this is important, she shared that she has “so much fun working with Jimmy. He’s such a goofball. I mean, so am I.” Which means she’s “enjoyed every minute of it.”

But Greensmith was clear that she also loves Alberto and Gallo, not before joking that Violet could have it all and date both. And, though we all laughed at the joke, I think everyone has a clear preference in this regard.

We also had a moment to look ahead to next week’s episode, thanks to Marisa Roffman’s question, an episode which the EPs shared was a Boden specific episode. Last year, it was Herrmann and Cruz on an elevator; this year, it’s Walker “having to navigate a really intense personal drama unfolding in front of him and how he can influence that.”

For Walker, “it was a fantastically written episode,” where “everybody gave 150% of their energy and their time, regardless of the size of role,” and one he truly enjoyed filming because he felt that “the horse was allowed to gallop.”

We’re truly excited for both upcoming episodes and for the rest of the season of Chicago Fire. Don’t forget to tune in to One Chicago Day this Wednesday and to new episodes of Chicago Fire at 9/8c on NBC.