'Fire Country's Diane Farr Talks Vince's Death and Mother Reunion
Sharon Leone (Diane Farr) is facing an unimaginable battle of grief this season on Fire Country.
She lost her daughter years ago, and after reconciling with her estranged son Bode (
There have already been massive challenges, including Vince’s nemesis Brett Richards (Shawn Hatosy) temporarily taking over Station 42 to make Vince’s former crew improve their relationship with safety protocols. Richards has moved on, and Manny (
However, time is moving on, and even more pressing matters require Sharon’s attention. Cal Fire has deduced that the Zabel Ridge fire was caused by arson. That means there is a person to blame for Vince’s death. If that wasn’t enough for Sharon to process, Bode presented her with a note at the end of Friday night’s episode that reveals Sharon’s mother was blackmailing Vince before he died.
Parade caught up with Diane Farr to talk about Sharon’s journey through grief, her upcoming family reunion, and what she wants most for her character at the end of this very tough season.
What has it been like filming the show without your usual scene partner, Billy Burke?
It’s been harder, a little sadder in my heart. I was nervous to go back. It felt like I lost half of my own character without the two of them as a unit. I’m finding a new center. I think most of the storyline is supposed to be about her figuring out how to be a one when she’s been part of a two for longer than she was a single person before. It was heartbreaking to lose him, and I’m finding a new way now.
Grief isn’t a linear process. So how are you mapping Sharon’s progress through this, and what does that journey look like?
I have been trying to look at the five stages of grief. If it were up to me, I’d cry for three years on the show, non-stop. I don’t think people want to see that in development for television. I think people have spent a decade trying to figure out how to do a show about cancer because it affects all of us so much, but no one has ever quite found the balance of how to show loss and grief and fear without it being an albatross to the viewer. So Tia [Napolitano, executive producer] and I have talked about the five stages of grief. Every week, Sharon is moving through a different one. It’s not linear, so she goes back through them. But anger is really active. And bargaining with God, is there anything sadder? It’s a little bit of an exercise in madness, so that’s mostly what I am working through.
Speaking of anger, there’s been a lot of emphasis on how Bode is going to react to the fire that killed Vince being started by arson. What can you say about Sharon processing that news, that there’s going to be a person to blame for her husband’s death?
When we begin, Sharon is first and foremost, his mother. Brett Richards comes in saying, “I think that’s going to be your biggest problem.” Her whole focus is “just let me make sure my kid doesn’t ruin his life.” I literally cannot lose another family member right now. There’s going to be a shift, because Bode and I are in this parallel grief. We’re not really helping each other. There’s not enough bandwidth. We’re just sort of taking care of each other. It’s almost like, as soon as he’s okay, Sharon becomes more immature this season in ways that I could not have seen coming. She’s just really not as honorable as her needs get a bit haywire because she can’t see straight.
She definitely has a hard time being mature about Manny’s first day. Do you think that she’ll be able to stay at Station 42, considering how much it reminds her of Vince?
There are times when I wonder if Sharon should really be at work right now. Is this okay? Is she really in a position to lead anyone to anything? The pieces with Manny are the most fun in this episode. It is the surprise I didn’t see coming. I was worried that he would almost become like a surrogate husband, and I’d be putting soft things on him. That is absolutely not where they went. They’re kind of like brother and sister fighting in the dirt. It’s so much fun. It’s such a surprise as an actor. Keven Alejandro has such a hard job. Vince is so beloved. How do you come in and make another character do the same job? He has picked a totally different path. He’s a totally different kind of leader, and I’m honestly having a great time with him.
What’s the Latest on Leven Rambin’s Audrey Leaving Fire Country
The emotions on CBS’ Fire Country have been dialed up all season, and the newest twist took things to a whole new level.
After losing his father and watching Gabriela walk away, Bode now has to bid a tough goodbye to Audrey James, portrayed by Leven Rambin. She has decided to transfer to a different fire station, and the timing couldn’t be worse for him.
Is Leven Rambin’s Audrey Leaving Fire Country?
Audrey’s exit came right on the heels of a high-pressure outburst at Station 42. Things went sideways after Manny discovered pills inside Bode’s locker, something Audrey had already flagged.
The moment turned into a storm, with Bode snapping and calling her a “narc.” He eventually apologized, but the damage didn’t disappear.
Audrey also admitted how shaky her sobriety felt in Edgewater. Just holding those pills brought back a rush of temptation she didn’t see coming. Leaving town had helped her get steady again, but being back made those old demons feel way too close.
In the end, Audrey chose to transfer to Station 58 because she needed to protect her own mental and emotional health. She made it clear to Bode that their bond wasn’t broken; the town was.
She explained that being in the same place, at the same vulnerable moment, could pull them both down instead of helping either of them move forward.
Still, her goodbye didn’t feel final. Right before leaving, Audrey told Bode to “win” her again, making it obvious her feelings hadn’t faded. The transfer gives her the distance she needs from her triggers, and gives both of them room to grow on their own before they cross paths again.
The episode also set the stage for Bode to finally take control of his fragile and awry life. After Audrey walked away, he flushed the last pill, which was the big sign that he was ready to take responsibility and stop running from his pain.
For now, Audrey’s exit stings, but it doesn’t seem to be the end of her story. There’s a good chance their paths will cross again.
