CHICAGO—Wednesday night starts another explosive season for the men and women of Chicago Fire, Chicago Med and Chicago PD.
TODAY'S TMJ4 got an all-access look to see how these three dramas come to life week after week at the Cinespace film studios in Chicago.
Actor Colin Donnell, who plays Dr. Connor Rhodes on Chicago Med, led us around the ER set which resembles Rush Hospital in downtown Chicago. Donnell is also very quick to show off the hospital's ambulance bay.
"Which is amazing we have it indoors because it keeps us from going outdoors in the dead of winter like the other two shows have to do. We have it made," Donnell said.
Playing a doctor in a Dick Wolf drama is far from child's play. Medical consultants are constantly brought on set to help the actors through each scene.
"We call them expert extras they know what they are doing they have taught us a lot of the times," said actor, Nick Gehlfuss.
In this fast-paced, drama screenwriters put out a script every eight days, leaving set designers less than a week to set the scene.
Across the hall on the sets of Chicago PD, Marina Squerciati shares some of the acting methods she uses to bring more out of her character officer Kim Burgess in the tight space of the interrogation room.
"This is a hard room because there is not that many places to hide or do things differently. If it's a young girl I am trying to bond with I will sit next to her," said Squerciati.
Crossing over storylines between all three shows over the last few seasons has drawn new fans to the Chicagoland series. It's also created friendships and moments as we experienced on the red carpet with S. Epatha Merkerson. Out of nowhere actors Jesse Spencer and Eamonn Walker crash and derail the interview.
"I think we sound like strange leprechauns," said Spencer.
Both Spencer and Walker have vocal coaches to help them produce American accents. Watching them season after season it's hard to believe Spencer was from Australia or that Walker is from across the pond.
Either way, you can now catch these cast of characters every Wednesday starting at 7 p.m. on TODAY'S TMJ4.
For more behind the scenes footage on the sets of One Chicago, watch Shannon Sim's story Wednesday night on Live at 10.
