Chicago P.D. went via an enormous change early on in Season 10 with the resignation after which departure of Jay Halstead in an episode that turned out to be Jesse Lee Soffer’s final as his longtime character… to this point. The actor returned to his previous One Chicago stomping grounds to direct an episode, regardless of coping with a “tough” scenario. Whether or not or not Soffer ever returns in entrance of the digital camera stays to be seen, however he spoke with CinemaBlend about being requested to return again as Halstead.
Jesse Lee Soffer spoke with CinemaBlend about his directing debut, which got here with some perks from enjoying Halstead for therefore lengthy. His character has nonetheless been essential to the present since he left the Windy Metropolis early in Season 10, as Upton has needed to take care of her husband’s absence (full with some heartbreaking performances from Tracy Spiridakos). Naturally, the query on a whole lot of minds has been whether or not or not he may reprise his position later in Season 10 or past, assuming that P.D. is renewed.
After I spoke with the actor-turned-director, I requested for his ideas on being regularly requested whether or not or not he’d come again as Jay Halstead, and Jesse Lee Soffer shared:
It is tremendous. I get it. I am very grateful that folks love the Halstead character a lot, and I am grateful to what we constructed, so far as the producers and the writers and myself with who that man was. It’s good realizing that he is nonetheless so beloved within the universe, however it’s lower than me whether or not or not he comes again. So, you recognize, I can not assist anyone there. [laughs] I assume partially it’s as much as me to some extent. I’d have some say within the matter, however it’s not on the board proper now.
After sharing a number of love with followers instantly following his last episode, Jesse Lee Soffer expressed his gratitude that followers wish to see Halstead return to Chicago P.D., which tracks after he spent a decade and greater than 200 episodes in entrance of the digital camera throughout One Chicago (together with Chicago Hearth and Chicago Med in addition to P.D.). Sadly, a return as “not on the board proper now,” however followers can take solace in seeing that he solely has good issues to say about viewers desirous to see extra of Halstead. And it’s nonetheless not inconceivable!
After all, followers have needed to regulate their emotions about Halstead in mild of how the character determined to proceed his stint within the military with out a lot as telling Upton, not to mention asking her! With out Soffer on display, followers can solely gauge what’s up with Upstead primarily based on Tracy Spiridakos’ performances. And who couldn’t probably sympathize with Upton primarily based on what she has gone via since Halstead left?
Jesse Lee Soffer additionally took the chance to weigh in on how Halstead’s absence is being dealt with in Season 10 and followers doubtlessly feeling conflicted about it. He mentioned:
It is lower than me how that character is written, or what the writers should do with the opposite characters which might be nonetheless on the present to make their storylines work, given his absence, and our present is a very darkish and gritty present. That is sort of the universe that it lives in, so after all the storylines are going to be darkish and gritty, revolving round something, not to mention a significant character’s absence. So, you recognize, I believe they’re doing what they should do to service the opposite characters.
Whereas it could be laborious to look at Upton undergo the lack of her husband (not helped by her getting data from his commanding officer fairly than Halstead himself), Chicago P.D. has to put in writing in the direction of her storyline fairly than his, with Tracy Spiridakos remaining a collection common. Plus, as I argued within the aftermath of Halstead’s farewell episode, there wasn’t actually an excellent state of affairs for the way P.D. may say goodbye to him.
With so many ties to characters throughout One Chicago (and if P.D. wasn’t going to go the SVU route of merely holding Rollins off display regardless of dropping the star), Halstead was going to have to depart the Windy Metropolis if he wasn’t going to be killed off. “Darkish and gritty” had been the obvious choices for Chicago P.D… sadly for poor Upton (and followers)!
See if Chicago P.D. has extra updates on what Halstead is as much as off display with new episodes on Wednesdays at 10 p.m. ET on NBC, and revisit earlier episodes of the collection streaming with a Peacock Premium subscription.
