Chicago Fire, as part of television’s Chicago franchise and executive produced by TV great Dick Wolf, has become a staple of NBC’s collection of fan-favorite shows. Now in its 12th season, it centers around the personal and professional lives of firefighters in the Chicago area. Having earned the role of firefighter Darren Ritter, Daniel Kyri is now enjoying his fifth year with the show, though the role was originally intended to only be around for 2 or 3 episodes. He is an out and proud actor who plays an openly gay firefighter in a typically hyper-masculine environment. Viewers of Dick Wolf shows are fervent, to say the least, and they have embraced Daniel and his character, quickly making him a fan favorite. Daniel is a native of Chicago and brings to the show the acting skills that he honed from his vibrant theater history, founded in the rich theater culture that Chicago has to offer. Did you know he also sings…amazingly?

In this episode, we chat about his growing up on the south side, his early start in the theater world and the safe space it offered, the challenge of dealing with his sexuality, his early brush with reality TV, his take on acting, the audition for Chicago Fire that almost didn’t happen, his first day of filming, and how the show has changed his life and how it taught him more about acting, his singing, what’s up ahead, and his message to the community this Pride season. Hosted by Alexander Rodriguez.

Check out Daniel's in-depth chat in the Pride Issue of Metrosource, on newsstands or at Metrosource.com