{{Short description|American actor}} {{Infobox person | name = Daniel Kyri | image = Daniel Kryi and Sharon Washington Hamlet-06 (cropped).jpg | caption = Daniel Kryi at the 2025 Tribeca Festival | other_names = D.K. | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1995|10|10}} | birth_place = Chicago, Illinois, U.S. | alma_mater = University of Chicago ({{Small|BA}}) | years_active = {{Start date|2007}}–present | known_for = Darren Ritter in ''Chicago Fire'' | website = {{URL|https://danielkyri.com/}} }}
'''Daniel Kyri''' (born October 10, 1995) is an American actor best known for portraying Darren Ritter on ''Chicago Fire''.
==Early life and education== Kyri grew up on the South Side of Chicago.<ref name=how/> He performed in plays as a child,<ref name=transform/> crediting his mother for his love of the arts and enrolling him in the After School Matters program when he was 13.<ref name=honor>{{cite web|url=https://chicago.suntimes.com/movies-and-tv/2021/1/4/22203118/daniel-kyri-chicago-fire-ritter-nbc-lgbt-queer-black-man-art-after-school-matters-theater|work=Chicago Sun Times|title=For Daniel Kyri, it's 'an honor' to represent Black, gay people on 'Chicago Fire'|first=Evan F.|last=Moore|date=January 4, 2021|access-date=August 28, 2022}}</ref> In 2007, he appeared in the controversial CBS reality show ''Kid Nation'' when he was 10 years old, going by the name D.K.<ref name=transform>{{cite web|url=https://www.looper.com/798992/the-transformation-of-daniel-kyri-from-childhood-to-chicago-fire/|title=The Transformation Of Daniel Kyri From Childhood To Chicago Fire|work=Looper|date=March 14, 2022|access-date=August 28, 2022|first=Christian|last=Schoon}}</ref> He won a $20,000 "gold star" awarded by his peers.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.cbs.com/primetime/kid_nation/shows/ep6/|title=Episode 106: Bonanza is Disgusting!|website=CBS|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071028070313/http://www.cbs.com/primetime/kid_nation/shows/ep6/|archive-date=October 28, 2007|url-status=dead|access-date=April 28, 2019}}</ref>
Kyri attended the University of Illinois at Chicago, graduating with a BA in Theater Performance.<ref name=transform/>
==Career== Kyri starred in the 2014 short film ''Perfect Day'' as Desmond, a composite character based on Derrion Albert.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.queensworldfilmfestival.com/films/detail.asp?fid=363,|title=Perfect Day|work=Queens World Film Festival|access-date=2022-08-28|archive-date=2021-01-17|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210117023706/https://www.queensworldfilmfestival.com/films/detail.asp?fid=363,|url-status=dead}}</ref> He had roles in Chicago theater productions including ''Moby Dick'', ''Macbeth'' and ''Ms. Blakk for President''.<ref name=how/><ref name=transform/> In 2015, he portrayed Logan in the film ''Henry Gamble's Birthday Party'', and Brock in the TV mini-series ''Saranormal''.<ref name=transform/> In 2017, he was nominated for a Joseph Jefferson Equity Award for Principal Actor in a Play for ''Objects in the Mirror'' at the Goodman Theatre.<ref name=world>{{cite web|url=https://www.peoplesworld.org/article/chicago-actors-theo-germaine-and-daniel-kyri-push-boundaries-of-queer-representation/|work=People's World|title=Chicago actors Theo Germaine and Daniel Kyri push boundaries of queer representation|first=Michelle|last=Zacarias|author-link=Michelle Zacarias|date=October 11, 2019|access-date=August 28, 2022}}</ref>
In 2018, Kyri had the title role in the Gift Theatre production of ''Hamlet'', giving what the ''Chicago Tribune'' called "a standout performance."<ref name=transform/> With Bea Cordelia, he co-wrote and starred in a web series called ''The T'' about the relationship between a white trans woman and a Black queer man in Chicago.<ref name=how/> It premiered with a screening at the Chicago Cultural Center.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://chicagoreader.com/film/bea-cordelia-and-daniel-kyris-webseries-the-t-is-a-love-letter-to-queer-and-trans-friendship-in-chicago/|title=Bea Cordelia and Daniel Kyri's webseries The T is a love letter to queer and trans friendship in Chicago|first=H.|last=Melt|date=July 31, 2018|access-date=August 28, 2022|work=Chicago Reader}}</ref>
Kyri is best known for playing Darren Ritter on ''Chicago Fire''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theqgentleman.com/post/2024-11-how-chicago-fire-star-daniel-kyri-champions-black-queer-representation-on-screen-in-music/|title=How 'Chicago Fire' Star Daniel Kyri Champions Black Queer Representation On-Screen and in Music|website=theqgentleman.com|first=Eric|last=Keith|date=November 23, 2024}}</ref> He auditioned for ''Chicago Fire'' in 2018, with the role of Ritter initially intended to last 2-3 episodes. He was a recurring guest appearing in most episodes over the next two years, before being promoted to series regular in August 2020.<ref name=how/><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.digitalspy.com/tv/ustv/a33857638/chicago-fire-season-9-cast-daniel-kyri/|title=Chicago Fire star promoted to series regular for season 9|work=Digital Spy|first=Sam|last=Warner|date=September 1, 2020|access-date=August 28, 2022}}</ref>
Kyri has a role as a YouTube paranormal investigator in the 2022 Shudder lo-fi horror film ''Night's End''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/nights-end-movie-review-2022|title=Reviews:Night's End|work=Rogert Ebert.com|first=Peter|last=Sobczynski|date=March 31, 2022|access-date=August 28, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://za.ign.com/nights-end/162564/preview/nights-end-exclusive-trailer-and-poster-for-new-exorcism-film|first=Jim|last=Vejvoda|title=Night's End: Exclusive Trailer and Poster for New Exorcism Film|publisher=IGN Africa|date=March 3, 2022|access-date=August 28, 2022}}</ref>
==Personal life== Kyri identifies as queer.<ref name=how>{{cite web|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/nbc-out/out-pop-culture/chicago-fire-actor-daniel-kyri-gave-justice-characters-coming-story-rcna2374|title=How 'Chicago Fire' actor Daniel Kyri gave 'justice' to his character's coming out story|publisher=NBC News|date=September 29, 2021|access-date=August 28, 2022|first=Max|last=Gao}}</ref><ref name="nbc-9jun2023">{{cite news |last1=Richardson |first1=Randi |title='Vibe attracts tribe': 'Chicago Fire' star Daniel Kyri is thriving in his 'unapologetic era' |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/nbc-out/out-pop-culture/chicago-fire-star-daniel-kyri-thriving-unapologetic-era-rcna88547 |access-date=June 9, 2023 |work=NBC News |date=June 9, 2023}}</ref> He has said, "I can't say I had very many examples, of Black queer people growing up{{nbsp}}... I spent a lot of my youth lost at sea, reconciling with my sexuality."<ref name=world/>
==Filmography== ===Film=== {| class="wikitable sortable" ! Year !! Title !! Role !! Notes |- | 2014 || ''Perfect Day'' || Desmond || Short film |- | rowspan=2| 2015 || ''Unexpected'' || David || Uncredited |- | ''Henry Gamble's Birthday Party'' || Logan || |- | 2019 || ''Mantoru'' || Young Warrior || Short film |- | rowspan=2| 2020 || ''The Thing About Harry'' || Volunteer || Television film |- | ''Killing Eleanor'' || Will || |- | 2022 || ''Night's End'' || Dark Corners || |}
===Television=== {| class="wikitable sortable" ! Year !! Title !! Role !! Notes |- |2007 |''Kid Nation'' |Himself |Reality show |- | 2017 || ''Sarahnormal'' || Brock || |- | rowspan=2|2018 || ''Chicago Med'' || Lane Tucker || Episode: "Devil in Disguise" |- | ''The T'' || Carter || 6 episodes |- | 2018–2025 || ''Chicago Fire'' || rowspan=2|Darren Ritter || |- | 2019 || ''Chicago P.D.'' || Episode: "Infection, Part III" |- | 2020 || ''Acting for a Cause'' || Mika || Episode: "Hit the Wall" |}
== Awards and honors ==
* ''Chicago Reader'' Best Actor 2017<ref name="knock">{{cite web |last=Eugene |first=Rebecca |date=September 29, 2021 |title=Daniel Kyri Talks About Season 10 of 'Chicago Fire' |url=https://theknockturnal.com/exclusive-daniel-kyri-talks-about-season-10-of-chicago-fire-interview/ |access-date=August 28, 2022 |work=The Knockturnal}}</ref> * ''Windy City Times'' 30 under 30<ref name="knock" />
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * {{IMDb name|5690006}}
{{authority control}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Kyri, Daniel}} Category:1996 births Category:21st-century American male actors Category:African-American LGBTQ people Category:American male film actors Category:American male stage actors Category:American male television actors Category:American queer male actors Category:LGBTQ people from Illinois Category:Living people Category:Male actors from Chicago Category:Participants in American reality television series Category:University of Illinois Chicago alumni