By providing your information, you agree to our Terms of Use and our Privacy Policy. We use vendors that may also process your information to help provide our services. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA Enterprise and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Tracy Spiridakos has spoken up about her impending departure as Det. Hailey Upton in Chicago P.D.’s Season 11 finale, airing tomorrow, May 22 at 10/9c on NBC.
It was announced back in October that she’d be leaving the Dick Wolf procedural after seven seasons with the show.
The actress made the decision to exit at the end of Season 10 and broke the news to showrunner Gwen Sigan that she just wanted to do one more year. “It was a hard decision — very, very hard,” she explained to Variety. “I love everybody on the show — cast, crew, producers, writers, everybody. It’s such an incredible team. I was just curious what was out there for me and wanted to switch it up, and that was it.”
Spiridakos first recurred as Upton during Season 4 before joining Intelligence full-time in Season 5. Season 10 saw Upton deal with the aftermath of the abrupt departure of her husband Jay Halstead (played by Jesse Lee Soffer) in the season’s third episode. After heading to Bolivia to track the worst cartel targets, Halstead had stopped returning her calls and failed to inform her that he extended his overseas tour. The pair made their divorce official early on in Season 11.
Upton has been grappling with the breakup throughout this current season, burying herself in work and pushing her body to the limits with frequent jogs to clear her head. In Episode 7, she partnered with SVU detective Jo Petrovic (played by Bojana Novakovic), a struggling alcoholic, and even helped the latter check into rehab.
The finale, which marks Upton’s last episode, will see Intelligence search for Voight, who’s gone missing.
How are we feeling about Upton’s departure, #OneChicago fam? What do you hope to see in tomorrow’s finale?
Won’t miss her at all. Glad she’s gone.
Well a worthy exit for Hailey, but honestly I just have not seen the progression in Hailey’s life. After Jay left she has been running, but there is nothing else. Why not therapy to help dealing with the trauma. The 1 thing we did get to see is that she became a cop to be bigger than her dad. But that is it. No further development. They did a nice job with Burgess, but Upton for 13 ep and all of last year still running. So I find it disappointing to not see more of the struggles. As an upstead fan, the way they wrote J was a bummer as well. I had hoped that they would bring them back together but after the divorce that went out of the window. But Tracy knocked it out of the park each week. Can’t wait to see whatnis next for her
It made no sense for Jay to leave her in Chicago after everything they had together. Her character has been an angry mess without Jay. I can’t blame an actor for wanting a different part after spending a whole season portraying midnight jogs, insomnia, weird two-toned hair, with one friend needs rehab. There’s no fun in that.
I just never understand why actors leave hit shows. It drives me crazy. Certain shows you continually watch because of the cast. I always wonder if they think about their fans when they exit a series.
Or maybe they think about what is best for themselves? You think retail workers think of the customers when leaving their job, hell no.
Say you’re entitled without saying you’re entitled.
Sorry to see Upton leave. She’s strong and stable character, but as life goes on , I wish her the best for her future! The strong story line of PD has always been an attraction especially since Voight has become human instead of a criminal behaving policeman! He is endearing and a protector for his crew! Glad to see new interesting people keep showing up to fill the spots other special actors/ actresses have vacated. Looking forward to having Upton’s husband return! Keep this show! Really enjoyable!
Even if someone has a steady gig, good pay, etc, the concept of wanting to try out new things, challenge themselves, etc often comes into play. It seems like a pretty easy concept to understand imo.
Nobody should have to feel obligated to stick around with a show forever once joining a cast, and if they choose not to, it doesn’t at all mean that they don’t appreciate the show and what it’s fans have done for them. It just means that they have to also think about their own aspirations and other things going on.
This was supposed to have been a response to Shilohs Dad
I wish the actors would say that they appreciated being on there respective shows and what the fans have done for them. And to be honest, some actors have a strange way of showing it. That goes for the ones who leave for a short time and come back. Specifically, Taylor Kinney of Chicago Fire. 🙄🤔🤦♀️🤷♀️
With limited to no information about the reasons for his previous time off (mental health reasons, physical health reasons, etc), what basis is there for any of us to form a negative opinion towards him for that that absence, let alone judge it?
You make it sound as if actors turn their backs on the fans if they have an absence or leave, when in reality it seems to lean more towards the opposite, which is that some seemingly entitled fans turn their back on the actors due to bitterness over no longer being able to see them perform in a specific role.
My dream casting for Law & Order:SVU would be the return of Amanda Rollins in a new position so she could work with Carisi and Detective Hailey Upton joining the squad. She’s a bada$$, but compassionate, and I think that Upton would be great with Captain Bensen and Rollins, and really evolve (If she wanted to continue portraying Upton, that is).
Save it for the fanfic.
Sorry to see her go. I hope she reunites with Halstead. 😌🙂
If there is not at least some inkling of another chance for Upstead it will be a travesty. Other shows have found a way to send their popular couples off into the sunset together and PD should as well. Jesse was just there directing the last episode so there is no excuse.
Good Luck to her, can’t wait for season 12 & hopefully they show more of the whole team working & less of these myopic centric episodes where characters become background characters for weeks on end.
Such a disappointing season.
She’ll be missed…by me anyway. Really like her on the show & the chemistry she has with her castmates. She brings a lot of heart, toughness & emotion to her role.
We were promised a path of discovery for Upton leading to her exit. I don’t see that. Ahead of the upcoming last episode for her character, I can’t even make a reasoned guess as to where she will go next.
Hate to see her leave hope she comes back in the future
As a Canadian, I’m proud of both fellow Canadians Tracy and Elias Koteas (who played Al) before her to be integral on this show.
Sad
Very sad about her departure & was glued to my TV set. Sadly, for me, my husband unplugged our dish connection. I missed the last 5 minutes of the episode. What I believe is that she lost her life to that deranged man.
I’m glad she was gone. He made too much of the roll like she was the big star. Too much of miss right never do nothing wrong.
I hope after some time she will work her way back to Chicago PD. It would be great to see her show up a few times. In real life all these great actors don’t have to be in every show every week. Real life PD, Meds,and fire works a couple shifts and off a couple shifts. I hope to see her back 😢