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Firehouse 51 is down one member as Annie Ilonzeh exits Chicago Fire. Ilonzeh played Sylvie Brett’s ambulance mate, Emily Foster. Ilonzeh was promoted to a series regular, but after just two seasons, she has decided to leave the show.

Foster had applied for a medical scholarship, and from the looks of it, it seems as though she got accepted. Foster had joined Firehouse 51 after losing out on an important opportunity. Although fans are sad about Ilonzeh’s exit, there are chances that Foster’s chapter on One Chicago isn’t over yet.

Ilonzeh has starred in several films

David Eigenberg as Christopher Herrmann, Annie Ilonzeh as Emily Foster, Daniel Kyri as Darren Ritter | Adrian Burrows/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank

Annette Ngozi Ilonzeh was born on August 23, 1983, to a Nigerian father and a white mother. Ilonzeh’s television debut was on the hit sitcom How I Met Your Mother. She has also appeared in guest roles in films such as Percy Jackson & The Olympians: The Lightning Thief, He’s Just Not That Into You, and Miss March.

In 2009, Ilonzeh landed a recurring role in Melrose Place. The series was, however, canceled after just one season. She also appeared in three episodes of the series Entourage. Ilonzeh is also known for her role on General Hospital as Maya Ward.

In 2011, ABC decided to make a series reboot of the 2001 hit show Charlie’s Angels. Ilonzeh was set to star on the show as one of the angels. However, the series didn’t resonate well with the audience, and it was mostly received with negative reviews.

The show ended up getting canceled after just four episodes. In 2012, Ilonzeh starred in the CW hit series Arrow and later that year appeared in the drama series Switched at Birth. In 2013 Ilonzeh starred in the Lifetime film Killer Reality.

In 2017, the actress got her major film break when she played Kidada Jones in the biopic about hip-hop artist Tupac Shakur. In 2018, she landed the role of Emily Foster on Dick Wolfe’s Chicago Fire in a recurring role.

Emily Foster joined Firehouse 51 due to a mistake she made

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Foster was introduced to Chicago Fire fans in season 7 in the episode A Closer Eye. She came to Firehouse 51 after getting kicked out of her surgical residency at the Lakeshore Hospital. She lost her residency after the hospital officials found out that she had cheated on her boards.

The new paramedic doesn’t make the best first impression when she arrives at Firehouse 51 as she arrives late. However, she proves how beneficial she is by being a team player. Foster is seen as an effective worker, and although she regrets her past decisions, she takes everything in good stride.

In season 8, episode 20, Foster announced that she had applied for a spot in the Northwestern Medical School. At the end of that season, viewers see Foster giving a speech to the admissions committee at Northwestern University.

She requests the committee to allow her to continue with her studies and explains that she made an obvious mistake but wants to redeem herself. The episode wraps up with the committee, letting her know that they would stay in touch.

Fans can expect to see Foster in another show

Although fans can’t wait to know whether Foster got into medical school, they are still sad to hear that she would be exiting the show. Foster might be pursuing her dream of becoming a doctor, but the real reason for Ilonzeh’s exit is contract-related.

In April 2020, the actress was informed that her contract wouldn’t be renewed. This information led to her character getting written off.

However, Chicago Fire showrunner Derek Haas has offered some hope for fans. Haas said that fans shouldn’t say goodbye to Foster just yet, according to TV Line, as she might appear in Chicago Med since she is studying to be a doctor.