Tracy Spiridakos clarifies the plan for Upton's career post-Chicago PD

The character might not be joining the FBI like we thought...
CHICAGO P.D. -- "White Knuckle" Episode 802 -- Pictured: Tracy Spiridakos as Hailey Upton -- (Photo by: Matt Dinerstein/NBC)
CHICAGO P.D. -- "White Knuckle" Episode 802 -- Pictured: Tracy Spiridakos as Hailey Upton -- (Photo by: Matt Dinerstein/NBC) /
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Hailey Upton may have left the IU behind, but it looked as though the character wanted to maintain a career in law enforcement. Her final episode of Chicago PD saw her looking up positions with the FBI, and the episode concluded with her leaving the city behind for an unknown job.

The FBI teaser has led to speculation that Upton will join the FBI franchise, especially given that she already made a cameo during on the main show. The actress who plays Upton, Tracy Spiridakos said she loves FBI and would be happy to make another cameo, but she also told The Hollywood Reporter that the organization might not be where she ends ultimately ends up.

Tracy Spiridakos refuses to "fill in the blank"

Tracy Spiridakos
NBC's "One Chicago" Press Day / Timothy Hiatt/GettyImages

The purpose of showing Upton's interest in the FBI, according to Spiridakos, was not to say she would become a fed but rather than she was considering other professional possibilities. "You know, I think the idea of that was just that she’s exploring what her options are and she’s seeing what else is out there," the actress explained.

In terms of what Upton will do, and where she will go, Spiridakos noted that her happiness is what's most important:

"For me, I did not fill in the blank. Where I left it was that she is feeling happy about this decision for herself, and she’s taking her life in a different direction."

She feels its more important for Upton to be happy

Chicago P.D. - Season 11
CHICAGO P.D. -- "Retread" Episode 11002 -- Pictured: (l-r) Jason Beghe as Hank Voight, Tracy Spiridakos as Hailey Upton, Marina Squerciati as Kim Burgess -- (Photo by: Lori Allen/NBC) /

This is a very undestandable stance to take, given the emotional turmoil that the character has been through over the last few seasons. It was rare to see Upton smile, especially after her marriage to Jay Halstead (Jesse Lee Soffer) fell apart. That smile returned, however, when she got in a taxi and made her way to O'Hare airport.

Spiridakos restated that neither she nor the viewer knows what career path Upton will take. The big takeaway, is that she's in a healthy enough place to consider taking different career paths. The victory is in the attempt, in many ways.

"We don’t know what that is and what that is going to look like for her," she told the outlet. " I love that it came from such a place of peace, which is the first time we’ve really gotten to see that with her." As much as we'd like to see Upton make a cameo on a random Dick Wolf show, it's nice to know she's doing better.

Chicago PD just pulled off an insane cameo. dark. Next. S