Inside Chicago Fire Star Monica Raymund's Love Life
Monica Raymund has only ever done things her way. Whether it be acting, directing, or even just living her life authentically, the "Chicago Fire" star has encouraged herself and her followers to light a fire and go down the road less traveled.
The reason behind that could be because at one time, Raymund, known for her prominent roles in "Chicago Fire," "The Good Wife," and "Hightown," did not see herself in the world of acting. "When I graduated school, I didn't see a real future in TV and film at the time," Raymund reflected on, per the Advocate. "It was like 2008. America was sort of this mainstream representation, and it didn't seem like a medium that I could be in," she said. But by staying true to herself and to her values, Raymund created her own success within TV — landing multiple high-profile, and inclusive, acting roles.
The roles Raymund played not only brought representation and diversity to TV, but they actually represented Raymund herself — in her features, beliefs, and even her love life. "I'm just interested in fortifying our storytelling approaching with more diversity and more inclusion because more stories are more interesting," she told NBC News. And now as Raymund continues to step behind the camera as often as in front, she's making sure romantic arcs that air on TV represent and resemble her own.
Monica Raymund's love life came to light during Chicago Fire
Let's just say "Chicago Fire" set a fire to Monica Raymund's career and her love life! Joining the hit show in 2012, Raymund played Gabriela Dawson for six seasons. It was after the sixth season of the firefighter drama that Raymund decided to leave the show due to her personal life and wanting to pursue new opportunities, per Country Living.
When "Chicago Fire" began airing in 2012, Raymund was married to the writer, director, teacher and actor Neil Patrick Stewart. While the two married in 2011, per Us Weekly, much about the two's relationship was kept under wraps. Other than their obvious similarities in their love of the television and film world, the two kept their relationship almost entirely off the grid — including their divorce in 2014, which was relatively unknown until Raymund shared, that same year, that she identified as bisexual.
During the 2014 Sochi Olympics, Raymund reportedly tweeted about Russia's anti-gay laws. When a fan of Raymund's pushed the star on if the article meant she was coming out, Raymund reportedly said she had been out for 10 years. "Nope I didn't just come out — you just late to the party. But I have drinks for all y'all," she said in now-deleted tweets. And since some fans were late to Raymund's first party, the following year, she made sure everyone knew she had fallen in love with her girlfriend.
Monica Raymund sees her relationship as representation
Following her separation from Neil Patrick Stewart, Monica Raymund began dating cinematographer Tari Segal in 2015, best known for her work behind the camera on "F.B.I" and "F.B.I Most Wanted."
Announcing their new relationship back in 2015, Raymund posted a photo of Segal, captioning it, "She is the love of my life. World, meet my Queen, who has given me all my strength and courage. I love you." While the tweet is now-deleted, the pair is nothing if not stronger than they were in 2015. On social media, Segal continually reposts content related to Raymund — whether it's a premiere night, or Raymund directing.
And while Segal and Raymund choose to keep their relationship away from the public eye, they use their work to bring representation to the entertainment industry. For example, after leaving "Chicago Fire," Raymund began working on the show "Hightown" where she stars as Jackie Quiñones, a Latinx, LGBTQ+ police officer. Though, it's not just an acting role, but a role of representation that matches Raymund — and who many relate to, as well. "I was really humbled and thrilled to get positive feedback from fans who still... aren't as lucky to have that kind of support and visibility in their own homes," Raymund told the Advocate. "It's important to continue showing characters who are as diverse as Jackie is, to be an example of creating space for every kind of person."