We’re definitely starting to get the sense that LaRoyce Hawkins might not be leaving Chicago PD on the best of terms. While it’s clear he has nothing but love for the show’s fans and his costars, new comments made in his first interview following his final appearance on the show seem to suggest that perhaps there could be some displeasure in the decision to write his character out of the series.
The Hollywood Reporter was the first to sit down with Hawkins following his departure from Chicago PD and discuss his exit from the series. During the lengthy conversation, the publication noted that the reception from fans on social media has been relatively positive but that there were some people who had been swearing to stop watching the show now that Atwater is gone.
Rather than immediately shutting down that idea and encouraging fans to stick with the show and continue supporting Chicago PD when asked about his thoughts on fans’ promises to quit the show, Hawkins instead took a more understanding approach. In fact, he admitted that there is a part of him that wants to tell those fans they don’t have to “watch that sh-t no more.”
“I’ve been hearing a lot of that, too. And it’s hard because I love the show. I’m a fan of the show minus myself, but it’s because of myself that I’m a part of the show. So there’s a part of me that’s like, yeah, y’all ain’t gotta watch that shit no more,” Hawkins admitted. “And then there’s a part of me that does want to see the show grow still. Actually it confirms the fact that Atwater is a true vibe [and a] part of the fabric of the show that makes it good. You don’t always know that you’re doing that.”
Interestingly, he never really directly encouraged the fans to stick with the show and continue to support the series. Instead, he simply noted that there was a part of him that wanted to see the show still grow. Even that framing seemed a little half-hearted in the context of the question and wasn’t exactly a glowing message of support and encouragement for the viewers to keep showing up for the show.
It’s hard to interpret the tone of the quote, given it was only a written interview, but there is certainly something off about the response.
There isn’t any point in his response that he directly encourages the fans to keep supporting the show and not follow through on their promises to stop watching, which definitely feels off. If we were to read into the comment, it certainly seems to suggest that he’s not leaving on the best of terms, which could also explain why there was no discussion in the extended interview about a potential return to the series down the line. The only hint of Atwater’s story continuing came via a throwaway joke about an Atlanta-set spinoff to which Hawkins didn’t give the interviewer much with a simple reply of “I could try it.”
Given the manner in which Hawkins jumped on social media right after the episode to thank his fans, we know he has nothing but love for those who have supported him during his time on the show. But now that his time on the show has come to an end, we’re getting the sense he’s okay with leaving Chicago PD behind in the rearview mirror and with fans doing the same.
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