Taylor Kinney Starred In An Oscar-Winning Movie Right After His Chicago Fire Debut

"Chicago Fire" fans are used to seeing Taylor Kinney on one of their favorite shows. His presence as Lieutenant Kelly Severide in the hit NBC series is the picture of stability these days. But did you know that Kinney starred in an Oscar-nominated film around the same time that he put on his Rescue Squad 3 uniform? Fans may recognize him from a small part in "Zero Dark Thirty," which drew acclaim from all corners in 2012 and was nominated for five Academy Awards (winning one for Best Sound Editing) after a whirlwind run in theaters.

Right before his call-up to play Jared in "Zero Dark Thirty," Kinney was deep in the role of Mason Lockwood on "The Vampire Diaries." Back during that show's second season, he was a fan favorite that probably launched a good number of Tumblr posts within the "Vampire Diaries" fanbase. But after Lockwood bit the dust, director Kathryn Bigelow came calling, and the rest is history.

2012 ended up being a massive year for Kinney, between his roles as Jared in "Zero Dark Thirty" and Lieutenant Severide on "Chicago Fire," the latter of which carried the actor throughout the rest of the decade. As the "One Chicago" universe continues to draw in fans, it's interesting to see where its stars hailed from around the time the NBC shared universe was born.

In "Zero Dark Thirty," Taylor Kinney plays Jared, a United States Naval Special Warfare Development Group member who helps complete the mission to take out Osama Bin Laden. While that's a clear departure from his work as a fireman, Kinney welcomed "Zero Dark Thirty's" challenges. "I spent two months overseas shooting a film, 'Zero Dark Thirty,' the experience was amazing," Kinney told People Magazine. "Getting to work with the likes of Kathryn Bigelow, Mark Boal, and some of the other actors. (...) It was an amazing experience; I'm at a loss for words."

There are a lot of moving parts in "Zero Dark Thirty" — which is a bit closer to "SEAL Team" than "Chicago Fire" — but Kinney makes the most of his time on screen. He doesn't pop-up a ton and is often in the background talking to other soldiers, but, when it's time for the main mission, he gets a big spotlight moment. Not as big as his "Chicago Fire" spotlight, to be sure, but big enough to make an impact. Ever since, Kinney has been a staple on the NBC series and helped make "Chicago Fire" into a network drama worth watching.