Chicago Fire Stars Have Gone Radio Silent On Instagram
"One Chicago" fans will have to wait a little longer before "Chicago Fire" Season 12 rolls around. As a result of the ongoing WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes, Season 12 is currently set to premiere sometime in 2024 as opposed to the fall of 2023. Viewers may think they can tide themselves over by staying up-to-date with their favorite fake firefighters on Instagram, but something odd is happening on social media, too.
Many of the main cast members of "Chicago Fire" haven't posted on Instagram in months, as of this writing. Joe Minoso's last post was on June 17, consisting of a slideshow featuring items from the store Willow & Birch. Kara Killmer blasted a photo dump featuring behind-the-scenes images of her and her "Chicago Fire" team on June 11. And those are nothing compared to David Eigenberg, who last uploaded a shadow puppet on November 6, 2022.
To be fair, some of the newer members of the "Chicago Fire" family have continued posting normally, like Daniel Kyri. On August 22, he posted a photo of himself on a scenic street. But when it comes to people who have been on the show for years, there hasn't been anything for months. Is a conspiracy afoot, or is something far more harmless at play?
Are Chicago Fire actors playing it safe amid the SAG-AFTRA strike?
A stipulation for actors part of the SAG-AFTRA strike is not to promote any struck material on social media. That means even though "Chicago Fire" isn't airing new episodes at the moment, actors could still get in trouble if they posted anything about their work, including behind-the-scenes pictures. Some actors have already gotten in hot water for breaking the rule, like Selena Gomez, who published (then deleted) an Instagram post about the new season of "Only Murders in the Building." Actors can post about other topics or show what else they're up to in life, but it's feasible some don't want to risk anything and are laying low just to be safe.
On the other hand, it could be entirely a coincidence that several "Chicago Fire" actors have taken a break from Instagram. Maybe they're enjoying this reprieve from filming and don't want to be bothered with posting on social media all the time. One topic 100% allowed via SAG-AFTRA rules is posting on social media in solidarity with the strikes. Many members of the "One Chicago" family, including Jesse Lee Soffer and Tracy Spiridakos of "Chicago P.D.," were spotted on the picket lines not too long ago.
Again, there may be no real reasoning behind the lack of Instagram posts from "Chicago Fire" actors in recent months. But fans wanting updates on Season 12 will have to look elsewhere.