Jesse Lee Soffer left Chicago P.D. as a collection common after greater than 200 episodes of One Chicago motion (together with Hearth and Med), and Season 10 has needed to transfer on with out Jay Halstead within the combine. The actor didn’t keep gone from the present for lengthy, nonetheless, as Soffer stepped behind the digicam to direct the subsequent episode of NBC’s hit drama. Known as “Deadlocked,” the episode will put a harmful spin on a homicide trial for Voight and Intelligence, and Soffer spoke with CinemaBlend about returning to direct, together with what was “difficult” about it.
“Deadlocked” shall be Jesse Lee Soffer’s directing debut, which was introduced simply a few weeks after Chicago P.D. mentioned goodbye to Jay Halstead. Soffer was definitely aware of the present beforehand due to 9 full seasons as a star underneath his belt, together with the primary three installments of Season 10. When he spoke with CinemaBlend, he opened up in regards to the origin of his need to direct. Based on Soffer, he’s been eager to pursue directing for for much longer than followers may need guessed, as he mentioned:
Directing wasn’t a dream of Soffer’s that he simply got here up with as just lately as the tip of Season 9, however one thing that had been “rising” for a number of years. Him returning as a director merely wasn’t introduced till after he was already gone from P.D. as an actor. After getting some unofficial expertise with directing due to his position, he was in a position to return to his outdated Windy Metropolis stomping grounds and work together with his former co-stars in a brand new means. The actor-turned-director continued:
Asking to direct definitely paid off! Soffer was rapidly again on the present’s set after ending Halstead’s story in order that he might shadow director Bethany Rooney, who’s credited with directing the sixth episode of Season 10 that centered on Atwater. All indicators level towards Soffer in his component as soon as he took the reins of his personal episode.
Soffer additionally couldn’t have hoped to make his directing debut on a present on which he had extra expertise than Chicago P.D., after ten seasons and simply shy of 200 episodes. (P.D. hit the 200-episode milestone with an enormous Burgess episode again in February.) So, did coming again to shadow as a director not too lengthy after ending as an actor have an effect on Soffer? He defined what received difficult:
Expressing opinions as an actor is seemingly very completely different from expressing opinions when shadowing a director, and Jesse Lee Soffer didn’t spend a lot time away from the present between saying goodbye to Halstead and making ready to direct. Followers will quickly get to see all the selections he made for the subsequent chapter of the Intelligence Unit’s story as soon as he was in a position to graduate from shadowing to directing. Soffer shared what it was wish to direct his former co-stars:
Whereas Chicago P.D. followers should wait till the episode airs on March 22 to see what precisely Jesse Lee Soffer dropped at the present as a director, his former co-stars had been hyping him whereas he was again on set. He shared a set of pictures, together with one among Tracy Spiridakos wanting so much happier than the final time that Upton and Halstead shared a scene (or the upsetting Upstead growth earlier this yr). Have a look:
Tune in to NBC on Wednesday, March 22 at 10 p.m. ET for the subsequent new episode of Chicago P.D., additionally out there streaming subsequent day with a Peacock Premium subscription. “Deadlocked” will see Voight taking the stand in a homicide trial, however Intelligence should step up when a juror is compromised. Remember to test again with CinemaBlend after the episode for extra from Jesse Lee Soffer!
Chicago P.D. continues to shut out a full evening of One Chicago motion, following Chicago Hearth at 9 p.m. and Chicago Med at 8 p.m. on NBC. For some extra viewing choices within the not-too-distant future, try our 2023 TV premiere schedule.