Taylor Kinney's 'Chicago Fire' Exit Shocks Fans

The actor is 'taking a leave of absence' from the series, which he's helmed since 2012.

The One Chicago universe will have to say goodbye to yet another main character.

On Friday, Deadline broke the news that Taylor Kinney is exiting Chicago Fire after 11 seasons.

The outlet reports that the actor is taking a "leave of absence" to deal with a personal matter. No information was provided about what the situation entails, and it’s unclear how long his leave will last or whether it's temporary or permanent.

It appears that the cast and crew of the Dick Wolf procedural were just as blindsided by the news as fans, with the outlet noting that they were told about Kinney’s decision on Friday, shortly before the news was made public.

The writing staff will likely have to revise scripts, which might change up the storyline for the remainder of the season. It’s unclear how they will explain and address his absence in the coming episodes.

Production has confirmed the news to Variety.

Kinney has been the face of the show since its debut in 2012.

Fans expressed their shock on Twitter, with the Meet Us at Molly’s podcast channel—the podcast for all three shows in the Chicago universe—echoing what we're all feeling: “Well there’s a plot twist we definitely didn’t see coming.”

In the whirlwind of emotions, other fans sent Kinney well wishes, with one fan stating, “Great wishes to #TaylorKinney as he takes a leave of absence from @NBC’s #ChicagoFire. A very good guy, as I’ve been lucky to experience firsthand.”

The Chicago shows have seen many longtime stars exiting their respective shows this season, including Jesse Lee Soffer (Jay Halstead) on Chicago PD and Brian Tee (Ethan Choi) on Chicago Med.