It wasn't easy to say goodbye to Jay Halstead. The character was a vital part of Chicago PD for a decade, and some fans feel as though the show has yet to fully recover from his season 10 exit. His absence has been amplified by the fact that the actor who plays him, Jesse Lee Soffer, has moved over to another Dick Wolf series, FBI: International.
Soffer is still part of the shared One Chicago/FBI universe, he's just playing a different guy. It shouldn't pose too many complications on paper, but there have been some questions regarding the chances of seeing Soffer reprise his Halstead character on Chicago PD.
Soffer currently stars on FBI: International
There have been several instances of actors playing different characters within the larger Dick Wolf universe. The issue is, once an actor makes a pivot from one notable character to another, they have never looked back. This track record is something Soffer discussed during a recent interview with TV Line.
The actor was asked whether he would consider returning to Chicago PD, given that two veteran characters, Kim Burgess (Marina Squerciati) and Adam Ruzek (Patrick John Flueger), are going to get married soon. He told the outlet that his "hope" would be to return, but is unsure as to whether his ties to FBI: International would pose an issue.
Soffer is open to making a Chicago PD cameo
"I didn’t ask, but I imagine that [my FBI: International role] doesn’t preclude that," Soffer explained to the outlet. "I would hope that it doesn’t, because, obviously, Wolf is such a huge production company with so many shows, and I feel very fortunate to get to play two main characters." The actor is more optimistic about the prospect of making a Chicago PD cameo than ever before.
While he'd previously stated that he would be willing to return under the right circumstances, Soffer also chose to leave the show on his own volition. He told Variety that he was eager to "take a risk" and attempt different creative endeavors. He's certainly done that, between his FBI gig and his direction of multiple PD episodes.
If Soffer does indeed come back to Chicago PD, it would be an unprecedented moment in Dick Wolf TV history, as it will mark the first time an actor will reprise a main character on a show while playing a different main character on another show. We sincerely hope it happens, and it sounds like Soffer does too. "Never say never," he assured TV Line.