Chicago Fire Star Reveals How He Wants His Character To Return After 11 Years

Published Oct 24, 2026, 10:51 PM EDT

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One of Chicago Fire's beloved characters would like to make a comeback.

Chicago Fire star Charlie Barnett is interested in returning to the long-running NBC drama series more than a decade after his departure. And the actor already has an idea about how his character could make his return. Barnett, who portrayed firefighter Peter Mills in the show's first three seasons, has opened up about his hopes of reprising the role and how he would like to see his character's story continue.

In a recent interview with a recent interview with TV Insider, Barnett said that he would be more than happy to revisit Chicago Fire and his character. However, the actor is currently uncertain about whether it will ever happen. Barnett also admitted that he was disappointed with how Peter's story concluded.

Barnett joined Chicago Fire when the series premiered in 2012. Throughout his time on the series, Mills worked as both a firefighter and a paramedic before departing in season 3. His final storyline saw him leave Chicago for North Carolina, where he planned to help his family with their restaurant.

Although Mills has not appeared on the series since 2015, Barnett believes his character's story could continue. The actor said that his ideal scenario would be for Mills to return to his career as a firefighter while living in North Carolina, potentially creating an opportunity for him to get his old job back in Chicago.

Barnett also believes that Mills' family history could play an important role in his potential comeback. His father died while working as a firefighter, leaving the character with a personal connection to the profession. He explains how that could eventually motivate him to embrace firefighting again after spending years working in an entirely different field.

I was super frustrated to leave the show. I’ve said that very publicly. I did not want to go. I wanted to stay there. I was very excited to be a part of that crew and that community. But when I left, when they wrote me out, I was even more frustrated that Peter Mills wasn’t going out in a blaze of glory. Literally, I wanted him to throw a baby out the window and burn in the… You know what I mean? I wanted it to be epic, like Peter Mills is a god. And they were like, ‘No, you’re just going to go to North Carolina and start working with your mom in a diner.

I look at that, and I’m like, ‘Well, shoot, Peter Mills is still working at that diner, so when is he going to get the itch again?’ I’m imagining, and I want this validation of him being like, ‘I’m called again. This was my father’s…’ Peter Mills’ dad was lost in [a fire], and that’s why his mom is trying to pull him away. It’s a deeper connection for him,” Barnett explained. “It’s a deeper responsibility that he’s been away from for so long. I kind of envision him having, in North Carolina, already joined a force down there and he’s doing his own work, and somehow it’s going to bring him back up somehow.

The actor's current outlook is very different from how he initially felt about his departure. Barnett previously expressed frustration about being written out of Chicago Fire, explaining that he had wanted to remain with the series. He also revealed that he originally envisioned a much more dramatic ending for Mills, potentially involving the character sacrificing his life while rescuing someone else.

However, Barnett's interview suggests that he has changed his mind about wanting his character to suffer a tragic demise. The character surviving leaves the door open for him to return and would allow the series to explore what happened to him after leaving Firehouse 51, should the creative team choose to do so.

Chicago Fire releases new episodes on Wednesdays at 9:00 PM ET and 6:00 PM PT on NBC.

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