Kara Killmer – Chicago Fire

By starrymag | November 25, 2020

By: Kemberlie Spivey

 

 

Q) Sylvie has come a long way and we can see that now she is more self-secure and taking charge in intense situations. Why do you think Brett is so brave and courageous in handling herself in difficult situations?

 

A) She’s been at 51 for six years and I think she kind of settled into knowing what she is doing. She feels confident about being a PIC and obviously she has had a lot of partners. I think it’s starting to feel like very much second nature to her. I think someone did a tally that I saw where they were like “How many times Sylvie Brett has held at gunpoint” and it was like threatened at gunpoint maybe three or four times. Then, she was in a mass shooting and had a knife to her throat. I was like, “I guess that’s true.” She has had some pretty harling experiences and lived to tell the tale. I think our paramedic technician, Michelle Martinez – she’s the one who legitimizes what we do basically. That’s who she is. She has got some moxie. She can’t be bothered when someone is acting like a lunatic. We are definitely just trying to paint a picture that some paramedics in the CFD are actually like.

 

Q) “Chicago Fire” has welcomed a new paramedic Gianna Mackey played by Adriyan Rae. What is like working with Adriyan and what can we expect from them this season? 

 

A) It has been a blast getting to work with Adriyan. She fits right in with our cast and has an excellent sense of humor which is vital. Even with that, we had worked…Obviously we had done episode 1. We were working through episode 2 and the day we were shooting being in the ambulance sideways. There was so much that went into making that happen. I had to climb in and get strapped in. Then, Adriyan had to climb in through the windshield and situate herself down into her chair. They dumped fake grass on us, popped these twigs that had smoke in them and they had to screw the windshield back on. It was raining that day and the windows were open. I was like, “Adriyan, this is your first day on ‘Fire.’ This is what it is really about.” She did not complain and was all for it. I was like, “Okay, yeah you are made of the tough stuff, you can do this”’ It has been a delight to work with her and so beautiful to watch on camera. Her performance is amazing. I think as far as their relationship it will be interesting this year. I think we have seen Brett be best friends with her partner enough and I think the writers do want to see it be more a mentor/mentee relationship. This is like her first big gig at Firehouse 51. I think that will be more of our relationship probably similar to at least how it started out with Dawson (Monica Raymund) and Brett. Brett was really green and Dawson had to show her the ropes. We will see where that goes. I think her major relationships will be more with Joe Cruz (Joe Minoso) and maybe with Gallo (Alberto Rosende). We don’t know where that’s going to go but she is doing a great job.

 

Q) It’s been a long wait, but Casey and Brett finally made some major progress. Why do think Brett is unsure about taking that leap with Casey?

 

A) I do think that Brett is so overwhelmingly aware that this is my former best friend’s ex-husband and girl code. They have a professional relationship and such a beautiful friendship, but mostly it feels like I don’t want to violate something sacred with having a romance with this guy. I think she is very aware of that. I think I saw a lot of comments from fans that they are glad she asked that question about Gabby. She needs to stand up for herself and I do think we have seen Brett have a big personal journey in her romantic life. She is such a hopeless romantic and has done the mental gymnastics to try to like mold herself to whomever she is with. She will set her needs aside because she wants love so much. I think we saw a little bit of progress going ahead and telling the chaplain that she can’t marry you. And with Casey (Jesse Spencer), I think she does feel like “I don’t want to be second in your mind and we have such a strong connection I don’t even want to mess with it if it can’t be real or exclusive.” I also think she cares about him so much and knows his history. So, I think there is a great deal just trying to care for him, care for herself and priorities for herself. I have no idea where all of that is going. They won’t tell me anything.

 

Q) What do you admire most about Casey’s and Brett’s relationship? Talk about working with Jesse Spencer.

 

A) I love working with Jesse. He is a total dork and so fun to be around. People have asked do I like that they are in a romance and what do I think about that. If them being in a romantic relationship means if I get to work with Jesse more than great.  If them staying friends means I get to work with Jesse more than that’s what I want. Whatever scenario allows me to get to work with Jesse that’s what I want. He’s a proper mate, so funny to be around, and is so good. His performances are so good. I am having to up my game to do these scenes with him. As far as their relationship, I think Brett and Casey are very similar people. I think at their core they are very loyal, beautiful, self-sacrificing and they tend to wax optimistic. I think it is cool to see two people who are like that kind of in the relationship they have and they both prioritize the other people a lot. I think neither one of them has had a lot of experiences with relationships like that where someone is like, “Are you taken care of? Are you okay? What can I do for you?” I think it is really sweet. I have made it my personal goal to try and make him laugh or smile as much as possible because I feel like his character can be so rigid. He has to be because he is in a leadership position and because he takes the brunt a lot of the high stress and trauma in all of these incidents. He is compartmentalized and very focused. I admire that, but it also annoys me. I just made it my personal goal to be like I am going to make him laugh as much as I can. I feel like that has happened quite a bit and it pleases me so much.

 

Q) With such intense storylines, how do you shake off a long day of filming?

 

A) I love yoga. I’ll do some yoga obviously in the middle of a pandemic that means I am doing it at home in front of my computer. I am really into arts and crafts so I have a pile of things that I am painting or sewing. That’s kind of how I decompress in the middle of everything. No one has the luxury of let’s go out right now.

 

Q) What are some episodes fans should look out for this season?

 

A) I wish I knew the answer to that. The writers have been completely tightlipped with what the rest of the season will look like. I really only know what the next episode is. I know there is going to be some major progress with some romance. I think we are going to see some pretty interesting things evolve with Stella (Miranda Rae Mayo) and Severide (Taylor Kinney), so people need to stay tuned in for that. I think it is so cool for the storyline with Stella taking her Lieutenant test and all of the “Girls on Fire” stuff. I think it is like the coolest storyline and I am really excited to see progress for her character. We will have to wait and see about what happens with Brett and Casey. I have no idea.

 

Q) Brett was helping Stella with “Girls on Fire” last season. Will she help Stella out more and maybe become a mentor? 

 

A) I hope so. It seems like in this last episode they were doing more firefighter stuff. I feel like Sylvie likes that, too. I hope all of the women stay more involved with that. It is definitely Stella’s thing like it’s her baby. I loved the scene from last year where we all had our own stations. I really enjoyed that and I think it is such a cool program idea and so much fun working with Katelynn [Shennett] who plays Kylie on the show. It has been fun getting to work with other young women on the show as well.

 

Q) What have been some of your most memorable moments from filming “Chicago Fire” throughout the seasons?

 

A) I have long since said that my favorite episode was Season 3 episode 11, which is when Brett and Mills (Charlie Barnett) get taken hostage by these two guys. It’s an episode called Let Him Die and we shoot that in an old soak factory or something that was stingy and dirty. It was the most fun I ever had, the two guys playing the mobsters were a delight to work with. So, it was like me, Charlie Bennett and these guys hanging out all day covered in blood just having a good old time. It was such a fun storyline to finally be a little bit gritty and that was so much fun. I think the episode last year where Brett and Foster (Annie Ilonzeh) are stuck out in the middle of nowhere with the hockey team where their bus gets into a crash with the tractor. That was a lot of fun. I was cold, but it was just so much fun. Those are the two that kind of stands out in my mind right now. Every day I go to work and can’t believe this is my job. It is so much fun, all of the things that firefighters do. It’s so broad all of the things the writer writes for us. All kinds of mischief that we get into on this show. It’s amazing after eight seasons to see what you are going to do to us now. When they told me that they were going to crush the ambo, I was like “Yes! Awesome! Finally!” Those are some highlights.

 

Q) After six seasons, what makes Brett still so exciting for you to play?

 

A) Sylvie does get to go back and forth between being kinda silly and adorkable. She has a charming neurotic sorta of vibes sometimes but like comedic. But when she gets into a serious situation she can really get down to business. It is fun to be able to play both sides of that. She is not one or the other. She is really both. I feel like no matter what she goes because she has been through so much tragedy losing her birth mom and Foster leaves. Even amidst the world of COVID, I have been looking forward to a bigger story with her baby sister, but we can’t do that right now out of abundance of caution. They don’t want to have a baby around, which totally makes sense. But I am like, “Oh no!” That’s in the story; she can’t really visit with her sister right now because it is not safe. She just had a lot of tragedy and I always appreciate that she finds a way to still be positive and optimistic. It hasn’t gotten her down so far down yet that she hasn’t recovered. I admire that about her.

 

Q) What would you like to say to everyone who is a fan and supporter of you and the work that you do?

 

A) Thank you. Thanks for watching. Thanks for the support. I am grateful that people like my character and they like the way that the writers have written her. It means a lot to me. I am so grateful.