Whitney star Yaya DaCosta cast as lead in Chicago Fire spinoff series Chicago Med 

By Kayla Caldwell for MailOnline

Published: 00:50 EST, 10 February 2015 | Updated: 05:02 EST, 10 February 2015

Yaya DaCosta first came to public attention for her role as pop icon Whitney Houston in Lifetime's biopic.

And now the 32-year-old has been cast in the leading role for NBC's next proposed spinoff to Chicago Fire.

She will be introduced in episode 19 of the season, after which the network hopes to begin work on ensemble medical drama Chicago Med.

New gig: Yaya DaCosta was just announced as the first cast member of proposed Chicago Fire spinoff Chicago Med

New gig: Yaya DaCosta was just announced as the first cast member of proposed Chicago Fire spinoff Chicago Med

According to Deadline, Yaya is the first cast member announced for the proposed spinoff, in the franchise which already houses spinoff Chicago PD.

She will play an attractive nurse named Maggie Seaver who begins to date Chicago Fire's Kelly, played by Taylor Kinney.

The Lifetime movie star's character shares a history with Kelly, which dates back to their time in high school.

Big roles: Yaya starred as Whitney Houston in Lifetime's biopic about the iconic pop singer

Following in the pattern of Chicago PD, Chicago Med is a planted spinoff, and was conceived/written by creators/executive producers Derek Haas and Michael Brandt, executive producer Matt Olmstead and executive producer Dick Wolf.

It is Wolf's company, Wolf Films, that produces the Chicago Fire/Chicago PD franchise for Universal TV.

Last month at TCA NBC chairman Bob Greenblatt teased the series, saying:  'There will be an event that brings Chicago Med within Chicago Fire.'

Yaya's character will be introduced in the 19th episode of the current season of Chicago Fire, with the hope that it would lead to the spinoff.

Previously the actress portrayed the legendary singer Whitney Houston in Lifetime's biopic about her life.

She also starred in 2013's Lee Daniels' The Butler, and has the films Bolden! and The Nice Guys due out in the next year. 

Love interest: Yaya will appear on an episode of Chicago Fire as the love interest of Kelly, played by Taylor Kinney, pictured here

 

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