Chicago P.D. star Arienne Mandi has capped her first season with the long-running Chicago drama by winning the Imagen Award for Best Supporting Actress – Drama.
Mandi was honored Friday night at the 41st Annual Imagen Awards, held at The Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills. The awards recognize Latino talent and creative work across film, television, documentaries, digital media and music.
Mandi won for her performance as Officer Eva Imani, the newest member of the Intelligence Unit on Chicago P.D. In her post, Mandi said, “To my Chicago P.D. family and everyone at @wolfentertainment@nbconechicago — thank you for welcoming me with open arms, for the truth you bring to telling the stories of those who serve in law enforcement, and for writing Imani with such care and complexity. And again, thank you @ImagenAwards for this honor, and for continuing to celebrate Latino stories and our community.”
She was one of two One Chicago actors recognized by the Imagen Foundation this year. Chicago Fire star Brandon Larracuente was nominated for Best Supporting Actor – Drama for his performance as firefighter Sal Vasquez. That award went to Michael Peña for Peacock’s All Her Fault.
The nominations gave both Chicago-produced NBC dramas representation among this year’s acting contenders. Wolf Entertainment also received a nomination for Alana De La Garza of FBI in the Best Supporting Actress – Drama category.
Mandi makes an impact in her first season.
Mandi joined Chicago P.D. as a series regular at the beginning of Season 13, stepping into an ensemble that has spent more than a decade developing its characters and relationships.
Her Eva Imani was introduced as a tough, fiercely independent ATF agent who began working alongside Hank Voight and eventually joined Intelligence.
As the season progressed, Imani moved well beyond the role of newcomer.
One of her most significant storylines centered on the disappearance of her sister Shari nearly two decades earlier. The deeply personal investigation gradually revealed another side of Imani and gave Mandi some of her most emotionally demanding material of the season.
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The storyline culminated late in Season 13 when Imani finally found her sister, forcing the character to confront the difference between the reunion she had imagined for years and the reality she ultimately faced.
The Imagen win marks a significant milestone for Mandi after only one season on the Chicago-made procedural.
Larracuente brings another new face to One Chicago.
Larracuente also joined the One Chicago franchise relatively recently, playing Sal Vasquez on Chicago Fire. His Imagen nomination placed him in a particularly competitive supporting actor field that included Andy Garcia for Landman, Colman Domingo for Euphoria, Gabriel Luna for Devil in Disguise: John Wayne Gacy, Carlos-Manuel Vesga for Pluribus, David Zayas for Dexter: Resurrection, and eventual winner Michael Peña.
The recognition of Mandi and Larracuente in the same year is notable for the Chicago franchise. Both actors arrived as newer additions to established ensembles and quickly developed characters capable of carrying substantial storylines of their own.
For Mandi, that first season now comes with an Imagen Award.
The 41st Annual Imagen Awards presented 33 awards this year. Will Trent was named Best Drama Series, while Manuel Garcia-Rulfo won Best Actor – Drama for The Lincoln Lawyer and Amirah Vahn took Best Actress – Drama for Doc. Andy Garcia received the Imagen Foundation’s Lifetime Achievement Award.
