Chicago Fire Got a Real Firefighter Among Its Cast (And He's Still on Duty When Off-Screen)
Since his debut on Chicago Fire in 2012, Tony Ferraris has impressed viewers with his believable on-screen presence.
Over the years, many fans have wondered why the character who has appeared in nearly every episode of the long-running show, driving his Rescue Truck 3, has never been given more screen time, lines, conflicts, or subplots.
Why does he remain a supporting character when literally every single person in the firehouse plays a major role?
The answer to that question is simple: Anthony Ferraris is not actually an actor.
Chicago Fire was his first and probably only TV gig. In real life, Ferraris serves as an active-duty firefighter for the Chicago Fire Department and has years of firefighting experience behind him. That explains both his supporting role on the show and the authenticity he brings to the screen.
But how did a real-life firefighter end up on a popular NBC drama?
As it turns out, Ferraris was just in the right place at the right time. He told Wolf Entertainment that his colleague learned that a new show about firefighters was looking for extras and suggested they go to the audition together.
Ferraris managed to impress the crew, and that's how he got on the show as an extra. Later, it turned out that no one in the cast could drive a truck, so Ferraris was asked to do it. And he has been driving it for the past decade, first as an extra and then as a recurring character named after him.
Ferraris shared that acting turned out to be a tougher job than firefighting. Normally a quiet person, he had to get used to being around hundreds of people on set. Over time, he developed a strong bond with the main cast, who helped him with his acting assignments, and became a much better actor.
Ferraris also serves as an expert and valuable source of firefighting knowledge and stories on the set. He said that in the beginning, the writers even rode with him on calls. And he is always telling all the curious stories and anecdotes that happen during his shifts for the writers to use in the script.
Without a doubt, the presence of an active firefighter on set gave the show an authentic feel. Chicago Fire was lucky to find such a lovable expert and actor as Anthony Ferraris.