What happened to Rojas on Chicago PD?

Vanessa Rojas (Lisseth Chavez) seemed primed to become a core member of the Chicago PD cast. The character crossed paths with Atwater (LaRoyce Hawkins) during an undercover mission, and she impressed Voight so much that she was asked to become a part of the IU in season 7.

The season was cut short due to the COVID pandemic, but many fans assumed that Rojas would return with an equally sizable role in season 8 (and possible beyond). Sadly, this wasn’t the case. The character was completely written out of the show, and we were all left wondering whether it was due to behind-the-scenes drama or a narrative choice on the part of the writers.

Here’s what we know about Rojas and why she left Chicago PD.

Is Vanessa Rojas returning to Chicago PD?

Deadline announced that Chavez would not be returning to the show in December 2020. The outlet stated that her option was not picked up “after the series’ creative team had decided to wrap her arc.” They also stated that the lack of a proper sendoff for the character would be “addressed” at the beginning of the following season.

Frustratingly, no such sendoff was provided. The season 8 premiere made no mention of Rojas, despite her involvement with an ongoing case in the previous season finale. She was written out of the show with little explanation, at least onscreen. Showrunner Rick Eid later admitted that the lack of explanation was due to some uncertainty on the part of the writing team.

“It’s always hard to say goodbye to a character”, Eid explained to TV Line. “We tried to address it in the premiere, but it felt forced. In other words, we’re still working on it.” This statement turned out to be the lone statement made on both the character’s and Chavez’s involvement, leading some fans to speculate that there were additional issues or drama during production. Nothing has come out to support these claims, however.

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In the end, the most logical reasoning for Chavez’s departure is that she left to accept a role as Esperanza ‘Spooner’ Cruz on the CW superhero series Heroes of Tomorrow. Her casting was announced at the same at as her departure from Chicago PD, which supported the idea that she was trading one TV part for another.

Rojas has not been referenced by name since her departure in season 7, and it looks unlikely that she will return given the lack of interaction between Chavez and the showrunners. Still, as long as the character isn’t dead, there’s a chance her story could get resolved.

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