Gabriela Perez will not appear in Fire Country Season 4. This decision was made creatively by the show's executive producers. "We were filming. I actually got the news the day that we got renewed, so it was kind of serendipitous because I love the aspect of death and rebirth. Not that I’m dying, but you know what I mean, synonymously," series star Stephanie Arcila told Deadline about how she learned that her character was being written out. "I believe in fate and that we’re put where we’re supposed to be. And this is the nature of our business, right? This is what we all sign up for," she added. The exit was unforeseen and shocking, and the outlet asked the actress if she would consider returning to the show. Arcila shared a positive update about her future on the drama series, saying:
"I never say never. Life takes us through so many avenues, and Gabriela is such a gift to me in my career, personally and professionally. I’m so grateful to have played a Latina on a show and a Latina where they were able to include part of my culture as well, part of my Colombian background. It was really exciting."
Could Gabriela Return to 'Fire Country?'
Executive producer Tony Phelan discussed the plan for Gabriela, given that she was an integral part of the show. "We’re hoping that we can bring that character back, because we think that [Bode and Gabriela,] they have such great chemistry, and the audience is really invested in the two of them. But we felt, with everything that’s happening in the finale and moving on into the next season, that it was time for that character to discover what’s next for her," Phelan said, revealing that Gabriela could return in future seasons. This is why, despite the show's creative team background on Grey's Anatomy, which is known for killing off characters, they did not kill off Gabriela even when the opportunity stared them right in the face. Showrunner Tia Napolitano echoed Phelan, saying:
"I wouldn’t say that her story is ending with a stalker story. We hope to see her back very soon, to give her a proper not goodbye, but see you later. In the epic love story of Bode and Gabriela, sometimes it’s very useful for a longing, to miss her, to miss them, to really crave seeing them on screen together, whatever they mean to each other. It’s part of long-arc, character-driven storytelling. We love her, and we’re all excited to see her on screen again."
