Chicago Fire sees two actors leave after season thirteen

Two actors will not return to NBC's Chicago Fire if the series is renewed for a 14th season. The decision comes amid rumors of budget cuts at Wolf Entertainment's NBC series ahead of their likely renewals for next season. In an effort to cut costs, the Chicago and Law & Order series cut the number of episodes for most regular cast members two years ago. It's unclear whether the budget cuts will result in further episode reductions this time around, but it's a possibility.

©Deadline - Parrish Lewis/NBC

The actors who will not be returning are Daniel Kyri (pictured, left) and Jake Lockett (pictured, right). Kyri has played the role of Darren Ritter on the popular firefighter drama for seven seasons, while Lockett has played the role of Sam Carver for three seasons.

Kyri and Lockett's departures are reportedly part of an effort to trim Chicago Fire's budget, which is also in negotiations with many of the show's veteran cast members whose contracts are expiring, sources said. As actor deals are renegotiated and renewal talks between NBC and producing studio Universal Television continue for the network's five Wolf Entertainment series, more departures could be on the horizon for all five series.

Sources close to the production reveal that Chicago Fire is continuing to film, meaning Darren and Sam could be getting a happy ending for their characters. Thirteen seasons later, the One Chicago series remains one of NBC’s top-performing shows on both linear and streaming.

Representatives for NBC, Universal TV and Wolf Entertainment declined to comment.

Kyri joined Chicago Fire in season seven as firefighter Darren Ritter in a recurring role, before being promoted to the main cast two seasons later. Darren is well-liked and respected among his peers, and has come a long way since he was a firefighter candidate. Lately, the character has been more focused on his love life, with seasons 12 and 13 delving deeper into his relationship with Officer Dwayne Monroe. The pair broke up because Darren wasn't ready to move in with Dwayne.

Lockett has played the role of firefighter Sam Carver since season eleven. He also started out on the show in a recurring role, but was moved up to the main cast two seasons later. His storyline seemed to fizzle out after his relationship with Violet ended, which led him back to the destructive behavior he had worked so hard to overcome. He also ended up in the arms of an ex-girlfriend who, as a party animal, was probably not the best choice for a sober person to rekindle a relationship with. He eventually relapsed and went through a 12-step program and rehab. Since then, Sam has been working hard on his recovery, both at the firehouse and with Violet, who have since renewed their friendship.