One Chicago fans are shocked to hear that Jesse Lee Soffer, one of the original cast members of Chicago P.D. has announced that he will be officially turning in his badge sometime during the fall season.
Soffer, who has played Jay Halstead in every episode since the premier of the show in 2014, will be making season 10 his last.
Soffer announced the news to Variety on Monday.
“I want to thank the incredible fans for their unwavering support during the past 10 years and want to express my deepest gratitude to Dick Wolf and everyone at Wolf Entertainment, Peter Jankowski, Matt Olmstead, Derek Haas, Michael Brandt, Rick Eid, Gwen Sigan, NBC, Universal Television, my fellow castmates and our incredible crew,” he said in a statement to Variety. “To create this hour drama week after week has been a labor of love by everyone who touches the show. I will always be proud of my time as Det. Jay Halstead.”
The news was also confirmed on Soffer’s official Twitter:
In July we reported that Benjamin Levy Aguilar will return to Chicago P.D. as a series regular in Season 10. He first appeared as a new recruit taken under Halstead’s (Jesse Lee Soffer) wing during an investigation. He then guest starred in the Season 9 finale. Perhaps Halstead will be passing the baton to Dante Torres (Aguilar) before leaving the department.
We have no idea what this news means for Hailey Upton (Tracy Spiridakos) and Halstead’s relationship. In the season 9 episode A Way Out, Halstead proposed that he and Upton get married instantly. After the couple engaged in a love-making session they then proceeded to the courthouse, where they got married in a private ceremony.
ALSO READ: Who’s in and Who’s out on Chicago P.D. for Season 10
Soffer made his debut on One Chicago as Jay Halstead in the Season 2 premiere of Chicago Fire which then led to the spinoff series, Chicago P.D. Soffer began his film career in 1993 at age eight in the movie Matinee. Before joining One Chicago, Soffer appeared as Bobby Brady in both The Brady Bunch Movie and A Very Brady Sequel before spending 6 years as Will Munson on the daytime soap opera As the World Turns, which earned him 3 Daytime Emmy nominations in 2006, 2007, and 2008.
Chicago P.D. is produced by Universal Television, a division of Universal Studio Group, in association with Wolf Entertainment. Filmed at Cinespace Chicago Film Studio.
Chicago P.D. will return for the premiere episode of Season 10 on Wednesday, September 21, 2022 at 9 CST.
