Chicago PD has two Windy City natives in its cast (you won't guess who)

One Chicago is a franchise that prides itself on its setting. It's right there in the title, after all. All three shows do a good job of incorporating local settings and landmarks into their stories, but Chicago PD has the benefit of weekly cases that take characters into differnt corners of the Windy City.

Most of the characters on Chicago PD are said to be Chicago natives. They know the surrounding area, and are well-acquainted with the ins and outs of each neighborhood they happen to frequent. The reality of the situation is that only two PD cast members of Chicago natives, and the rest are simply pretending (very well, we might add).

LaRoyce Hawkins currently lives in downtown Chicago

The cast members in question are LaRoyce Hawkins and Amy Morton. Hawkins plays Kevin Atwater, while Morton plays Trudy Platt. Both are fan favorites amongst the cast, and while this is likely due to their charisma and screen presence, their Windy City bona fides certainly doesn't hurt.

Hawkins told Forbes that he considered every day living in Chicago to be a "field trip" when he was a kid. "You had to take field trips from the hood to go Chicago," he said. "Whether it was the museum, or the circus, or the zoo." The actor credited the success of Chicago PD with giving him a better grasp on the city as he's gotten older.

"It wasn't until I got on Chicago PD and I was able to afford downtown life that I became acclimated with the culture," Hawkins admitted. "I've been a downtown resident for about eight years, and I'm still learning a lot."

Amy Morton got her start in local Chicago theater

Morton, meanwhile, grew up in Oak Park, Illinois. She came up in the Chicago theater scene, and hit it big on the small screen (obviously), but she continues to be a fixture in the area. She also credits her time in the local theater scene for helping her overcome her anxiety in front of crowds, and become the spitfire performer fans have come to adore on Chicago PD.

"To come up with my own words . . . I get very, very shy around people," she told Chicago Tribune in 2000. "But if I get the chance to speak someone else’s words, I feel comfortable, and there was never a question in my mind that acting was what I wanted to do with my life."

We couldn't imagine Chicago PD without either performer, and the authenticity they bring to the table.