Chicago Fire's Miranda Rae Mayo looks unrecognizable in sweet throwback photo

Chicago Fire star Miranda Rae Mayo has shared an adorable photo of herself from her school days, and we can't believe how different she looks!

MORE: Miranda Rae Mayo takes fans behind the scenes of Chicago Fire season 10

The actress, who portrays Stella Kidd on the NBC drama, shared the amazing throwback with HELLO! for our new Back to School digital issue. In the photo, she can be seen striking a pose in her bathing suit as she enjoyed a day out at the pool.

Reflecting fondly on her school days, the 31-year-old actress told HELLO!: "I loved back to school shopping. Pencil boxes, notebooks, I always wanted Lisa Frank folders but never got them, they were too pricey for our family."

WATCH: Are you looking forward to the return of Chicago Fire?

She added: "I loved the Fall time and was usually a great student for the first month or so and then it all just got a little looser. I'd always pull it together by the end of the year though."

MORE: Chicago Fire season ten: everything we know so far

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Other well-known faces who shared never-before-seen childhood photos for the special issue, which has been guest-edited by podcaster and author Giovanna Fletcher, include HRH Princess Beatrice and YouTuber Anna Saccone-Joly. 

And while September does evoke back-to-school memories for TV fans, it also marks the return of Chicago Wednesdays. It's been confirmed by NBC that Chicago Fire will be back on screens as part of its fall lineup at 9pm ET/PT on September 22, followed by sister shows Chicago PD and Chicago Med.

Miranda Rae Mayo shared the photo for HELLO!'s new Back to School digital issue

Miranda has previously opened up to HELLO! about her hopes for season ten and where her character, Stella, may end up. "I would like to see her get a position as a lieutenant at another house, and I would love to see her learn what it means to be a leader not in the place where she came up - that is really what I want to see for her," she said.

MORE: Celebrities dig out childhood photos as they share their back to school memories

"How she confronts those challenges, of what works and doesn't work, confronting her past trauma and her childhood, her parents not being around, I would love to see that."

As viewers know, the cliffhanger finale saw Squad Three attempt to save a victim whose boat had capsized, only to have it collapse on top of them. Just before the credits rolled, Joe and Kelly Severide, as well as colleagues Capp and Tony, were seen gasping for air as the water rose above them, while back on shore Stella looked on in horror, unable to help.

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