Chicago PD cast brings Jay Halstead back for set photo (kinda)

Chicago PD has always been about its characters. Of course, the exciting cases and action scenes are part of the fun, but the reason fans keep coming back to the show is the chemistry and bonds between the different members of the IU. Bonds that are seemingly maintained after a character decides to leave.

Chicago PD is currently shooting its tenth season, and while Jay Halstead hasn’t appeared on the show in over a year, he made a cameo of sorts on the Instagram stories of former co-star Marina Squerciati. We say “of sorts” because the actor who plays Halstead, Jesse Lee Soffer, wasn’t really present.

Chicago PD cast pays tribute to Jay Halstead

Squerciati brought a toy of Halstead (complete with badge) to the set and actually posed, in very dramatic fashion, next to the toy. It’s a hilarious image, especially when paired with the caption: “The weird things you do when you miss your co-star.” Squerciati also tagged Soffer in the post, which means the actor probably saw it and got a good laugh.

Soffer may no longer be a part of the Chicago PD cast, but he’s stayed close with Squerciati and the rest of the cast. He returned to direct the tense episode “Deadlocked” in season 10, and he told Deadline that part of the appeal of directing was getting a chance to pal around with the actors between takes.

“It was like I never left,” he noted. “We were hanging out and we were goofing off, then we’re cameras rolling and we’re working bringing the scenes to life. We have one of— probably the hardest working crew and cast in TV—I feel confident saying that. It was great to be with everybody.”

The actor had such a good time directing that he briefly considering making a cameo in the episode. He ultimately decided against it, though, fearing that the sudden appearance would distract from the story

“There are a couple of screens where I thought about doing that,” he admitted. “Like, what if I just walked through the background with my back to the camera? Would someone know it was me? There are a couple of scenes where I’m literally right around the corner from where they’re filming, watching on the monitors. So, I am sort of there.”

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Of course, Soffer would not have been credited as Jay Halstead, since the character is supposed to be fighting drug cartels in Bolivia. Maybe it was a doppleganger? A Windy City relative? We think it was a good decision that he didn’t appear.

While Soffer has been reluctant about reprising his character on the small screen, the actress who plays his wife, Tracy Spiridakos, is leaving in season 11, so there’s a slim chance he will return and help smooth over her exit. We aren’t holding our breath, but it would definitely be an improvement over Squerciati’s doll.

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