The Chicago Fire, Chicago Med, and Chicago P.D. family gathered at the Museum of Science and Industry last Thursday in support of a vital cause. The event was aimed to raise awareness about the consequences of plastic pollution on the world’s largest ecosystem, taking visitors beneath the ocean’s surface via an immersive pop-up exhibit called “The Blue Paradox.”
The exhibit is a collaborative effort between SC Johnson and Conservation International.
In attendance were Kara Killmer and Joe Minoso of Chicago Fire, Marina Squerciati and Patrick John Flueger of Chicago P.D., and former Chicago Med stars Torrey DeVitto and Nick Gehlfuss.
DeVitto, known for her role as Dr. Natalie Manning, shared photos of the event on Instagram, expressing her inspiration and urging collective efforts to reduce plastic waste.
“Good Friends + A Good Cause = An Evening at The Blue Paradox. I hope you can visit Chicago and see the exhibit and do a deep dive into the impact of plastic pollution in our oceans. There are actions (big and small!) that we can make. I’ll be honest, sometimes I get overwhelmed by the planet crisis, but this exhibit made me feel inspired; like I could do some good here,” Squerciati captioned the post.
Also passionate about the cause, DeVitto posted:
“Feeling inspired after visiting #TheBlueParadox at @msichicago last night! 🌊 Let’s lower our plastic footprint, together. This immersive and educational exhibit created by @scj in partnership with @conservationorg 🌍 needs to be seen to believe!”
Most of the actors present at the gathering were original cast members in the One Chicago family. Joe Minoso has portrayed veteran firefighter Joe Cruz on Fire since the show’s inception in 2012. Squerciati and Flueger have played Officers Kim Burgess and Adam Ruzek on P.D. since its debut in 2014, while Kara Killmer has portrayed the beloved paramedic Sylvie Brett on Fire since 2014. DeVitto, who left Med in 2021, returned for Gehlfuss’s final episode as Dr. Will Halstead earlier in the year.
The group was not there to represent the One Chicago franchise. While the SAG strike continues the actors are not allowed to film or promote the shows.
The Writers Guild of America (WGA) resolved their strike allowing the showrunners and writers to return to work in early October. The One Chicago production offices are now open with a small group of essential staff members. The construction crews are scheduled to return to work on November 1, a date that could be delayed if the SAG-AFTRA strike is not resolved. The talks with the major studios stalled last week but they are scheduled to resume bargaining on Tuesday.
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