Connor Rhodes, Chicago Med
Credit: NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via

Paging Dr. Rhodes! He may be known as one of the most talented surgeons at Gaffney Chicago Medical Center, but to Colin Donnell’s children with his wife and former Chicago Med co-star, Patti Murin, he’s just their dad.

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Donnell played Dr. Connor Rhodes, a cardio-thoracic surgeon, from Seasons 1 to 5 of Chicago Med, NBC’s medical drama following the personal and professional lives of doctors and nurses in the emergency department of the fictional Gaffney Chicago Medical Center in Chicago, Illinois. The series — which was created by Dick Wolf, the same mind behind the Law & Order and FBI franchises — premiered in 2015 and is a spin-off of Chicago Fire and Chicago P.D. Murin played Dr. Nina Shore, a pathologist, from Seasons 1 to 4 of Chicago Med.

Donnell and Murin started dating in 2013 while starring together in Shakespeare in the Park’s Love Labour’s Lost musical in New York City. They got engaged in 2014 and and married in 2015. They welcomed their first child, a daughter named Cecily Philips Donnell, in 2020. Their second child, a daughter named Lorelai Grace Donnell, was born in 2023.

In an interview with People in 2021, Donnell and Murin revealed why they hadn’t played love interests on screen yet. “You know surprisingly, it actually doesn’t really happen all that often in theater or TV,” Donnell said. “It just hasn’t worked out that way.” Murin added, “It’s nice that people like to have us both around at the same time. But they don’t necessarily need to cast us [as love interests]. Honestly it works for us, especially now with a child, because then it’s either he’s working or I’m working. So it’s sort of nice to both work at the same place, but we’re not spending 24/7 together constantly, giving each other a chance to be sick of each other.”

Who are Colin Donnell’s children?

Meet Colin Donnell’s two children with his Chicago Med co-star Patti Murin ahead.

Cecily Philips Donnell

Birthday: July 14, 2020

Cecily Philips Donnell is Colin Donnell and Patti Murin’s first child and eldest daughter. She was born on July 14, 2020. Murin announced the birth of her and Donnell’s first child with an Instagram post of them at the hospital in July 2020. “Meet Cecily Philips Donnell, born on July 14th. She’s strong as heck and ready to change the world, and we have never loved anything more in our lives. ‘Life is not the things that we do, it’s who we’re doing them with,'” she captioned a photo of Cecily sleeping on her chest as Donnell looked at her lovingly.

Donnell also shared the same photo on his Instagram with the caption: “Welcome to the world Cecily Philips Donnell, born July 14th. Our hearts are simply overflowing and I’m in awe. ‘Life is not the things you do, it’s who you’re doing them with.'”

Donnell and Murin announced they were expecting their first child together in an interview with Us Weekly in February 2020. “I’m going to be someone’s mom!” Murin said. Connell added, “We’re totally thrilled. I don’t think there’s any way to really prepare ourselves. At least twice a day, we’re like, ‘Oh my gosh! This is really happening, isn’t it?’ It’s crazy exciting. We’re just super, overwhelmingly happy.”

The announcement came after Murin’s run as Princess Anna in the Broadway musical adaptation of Frozen. “For the past 17-and-a-half weeks, I’ve been living this dual life of being two people: a Disney princess and also, pregnant. So I’m really looking forward to closing this chapter and concentrating on preparing for this next adventure,” she said. “It’s especially great that no one will have to ask, ‘So what are you working on next?’ Because guess what’s next? I’m growing a human!”

The news also came two years after Murin revealed in an interview with Us Weekly that she had suffered a miscarriage while she was auditioning for Frozen. “They had asked me to come back in for a mix and match and I had a miscarriage four days before, so I said ‘No,’” she said. “I knew by saying no it could absolutely let Frozen go from my life forever but I wasn’t in a place to go. I was sort of in a mindset of starting a family and was like, whatever’s going to happen is going to happen. That’s that.”

Murin told Us Weekly that she agreed to audition again after she received another call from Disney and was told that Broadway actress Caissie Levy would play Princess Elsa in the musical. “It was probably the best feelings I’ve had in my life – making that decision to say, ‘No, maybe I’m gonna do something else,’” she said. “It was an equally hard decision for both Colin and I, to say. ‘I’m actually going to go for this, is it OK if I put this on hold?’ It was an emotional couple of weeks. We weren’t trying to get pregnant at all. It was a complete surprise so that was also really traumatic if I was like … ‘I don’t know if I’m doing Frozen and then I was pregnant.’ There are periods in your life when you just graduate to the next level. I felt that way after my divorce six years ago. Then I started from scratch and got to know myself all over again. Honestly, the same kind of thing happened with Colin.”

She also confirmed to Us Weekly at the time that she and Donnell had plans to start a family. “When time comes to renegotiation for Frozen, we’ll figure it out. We’re committed to this year and then we’ll go from there,” she said. “It’s definitely high on the priority list for sure.”

Lorelai Grace Donnell

Birthday: April 2, 2023

Lorelai Grace Donnell is Colin Donnell and Patti Murin’s second child and youngest daughter. She was born on April 2, 2023. Murin announced the birth of her and Donnell’s second child in an Instagram post of them at the hospital in April 2023. “Welcome to our sweet, sweet Lorelai Grace Donnell. She was born April 2nd, and was welcomed so lovingly by her big sister Cecily. We are over the moon, feeling great, and we also nap a lot. Love love love ♥️,” Murin captioned an Instagram photo of Lorelai sleeping on her chest as she and Donnell smiled for the camera. She continued, “Thank you all so so much!! We are living in a cocoon of newborn snuggles and Cecily love, with just a tinge of sleepless nights.”

Donnell also confirmed the birth with his own Instagram post, which also included a photo of Lorelai yawning. “We welcomed Cecily’s (and Petey & Milo’s) younger sister Lorelai Grace into our lives this past week. I’ve got a very full heart and there’ve been a lot of happy tears. The biggest thank you to @pattimurin for these beautiful gifts,” he captioned the post. He continued, “Thank you to everyone for all the beautiful well wishes from near and far.” Chicago Fire star Randy Flagler, who plays Harold Capp, wrote in a comment: “Yay! Congratulations!”

Donnell and Murin also confirmed Lorelai’s birth in an interview with People at the time. “She is absolutely perfect,” Donnell said. Murin added, “I have a sister and we are very, very, very close, so I love the idea of the two of them having that bond. Plus, there’s the whole Frozen thing which makes it extra special.”

Donnell also told People that he’s always wanted to be a “girl dad” after growing up with only brothers. “I really like being a girl dad. I grew up with all boys in my family, I’m one of three boys, and of course, it would’ve been ecstatic to have a boy but, I don’t know — I think I figured out this girl dad thing by now,” he said. “So I’m ready to have another girl around the house. I just love it. It’s so, so sweet.” Murin continued, “We’re not traditionalists. If Colin wants to throw a football around outside, he’ll take Cecily outside and throw the football around. She watches Formula One with him and I put dresses on her. As long as she’s happy, we’re happy.”

Chicago Med airs on Wednesdays at 8 p.m. on NBC.

For more more on the One Chicago franchise, check out our photo gallery of Chicago Fire stars and their real-life loves.