Whatever Happened To Annie Ilonzeh After Leaving Chicago Fire?
As easy as it is to love the "One Chicago" franchise, it's not so easy to say goodbye to our favorite cast members when they leave any of the shows. In its unabashed celebration of the culture and community of the Illinois city, the "One Chicago" world has crafted its fair share of characters who best represent Chicago's strength and determination. And amongst these lovable names is Emily Foster (Annie Ilonzeh), whose appearance on "Chicago Fire" certainly left a good impression.
Appearing on Seasons 7 and 8 of the first "One Chicago" show, Emily was brought onto the Firehouse 51 squadron to take the place of Gabriela Dawson (Monica Raymund). While it takes a while for some of the crew to warm up to the Pennsylvania native, her boldness makes Emily a more-than-capable addition to the team, even if she can occasionally overstep her boundaries. So when she left to further her medical education by the end of Season 8, it was a shock, to say the least, as it felt like the show had barely scratched the surface of what could be done with the character. But fortunately, her actress, Annie Ilonzeh, has more than enough steam in her engine to make up for it.
Ilozenh has had some very famous co-stars
Annie Ilonzeh, who starred as Emily Foster in "Chicago Fire," left the beloved series in 2020. But since then, the actress has been far from inactive.
Following her exit from the show, Ilonzeh joined the main cast of the mystery comedy podcast series "The Lower Bottoms." The series, which began in 2021 and has currently been running for two seasons, centers on the conflict within a gentrified Oakland community following a series of mysterious vandalizations and crimes. In the show, Ilonzeh stars as Beulah Rhodes, joining a cast of such performers as Kelsey Grammer and "Sons of Anarchy" actor Theo Rossi.
The following year, Ilonzeh starred as Visser in the action thriller "Agent Game" alongside Barkhad Abdi, Jason Isaacs, Katie Cassidy and Mel Gibson. The film follows a CIA Agent (Dermot Mulroney) whose mission goes askew when he is scapegoated for the death of a detainee. Released by Saban Films in April 2022, the film received largely negative reviews, holding a Tomatometer score of 21%.
Ilonzeh's latest cinematic venture came in the form of the 2023 horror film "Fear," where she starred as the character Bianca. Helmed by "Meet the Blacks" director Deon Taylor with the likes of Andrew Bachelor, Iddo Goldberg, and T.I. making up the cast, "Fear" follows a group of friends whose getaway vacation takes a turn when they each must confront their worst fears. The film was a critical miss, garnering a 22% Tomatometer score on Rotten Tomatoes.