For ten spectacular seasons, Jesse Lee Soffer starred as fan-favorite detective Jay Halstead in the gripping police procedural drama Chicago P.D. The gritty, action-packed series follows the tough-as-nails Detective Sergeant Hank Voight (Jason Beghe) as he and his determined members of the Intelligence Unit hunt down some of the worst criminals and offenders causing chaos on the streets of Chicago.
Soffer’s Jay Halstead was an integral part of the Unit who initially questioned the motives and methods of Voight before ultimately becoming his most trusted confidante and right-hand man. Fans were left absolutely shocked when his departure from the show was announced in August 2022, with many wondering what that meant for the fate of the program and its characters.
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While the actor didn’t initially reveal his true reason for leaving the hit series, he has since opened up about his decision to walk away from such a massive franchise. Let’s dive into why Jesse Lee Soffer left Chicago P.D.
Who Is Jesse Lee Soffer?
Jesse Lee Soffer made his feature film debut at just 8 years old when he appeared alongside John Goodman in the 1993 comedy Matinee, before taking on the role of the youngest Brady boy Bobby in the 1995 tongue-in-cheek adaptation of the iconic series The Brady Bunch Movie. Sharing the screen with famous faces like Shelley Long, Gary Cole, and Christine Taylor, the film parodied the groovy blended family and went on to become a box office success that led to a follow-up sequel.
Soffer shifted his focus from the big screen to the small and nabbed recurring roles in Two of a Kind and Guiding Light before ultimately being cast as series regular Will Munson in the long-running soap opera As the World Turns in 2004. The actor garnered three Daytime Emmy Award nominations for his tenure as Will, appearing in over 500 episodes of the show. He subsequently starred in the short-lived drama The Mob Doctor before he was cast in his most memorable role to date: Detective Jay Halstead on Chicago P.D.
Jay Halstead on Chicago P.D.
Jesse Lee Soffer Chicago PD
NBC
In 2014, Soffer began starring as United States Army veteran and detective Jay Halstead in the crime drama series Chicago P.D., the third show in Dick Wolf's thrilling Chicago franchise. Halstead had previously been introduced in Chicago Fire, in which the character appeared in 18 episodes before joining Detective Sergeant Hank Voight (Jason Beghe) and his elite Intelligence Unit in the successful spin-off. NBC creators and execs were impressed by Soffer's performance in The Mob Doctor as well as his work in the unaired pilot for Hatfields & McCoys, and he went on to join talented stars like Jon Seda, Sophia Bush, and Patrick John Flueger in the gritty, action-fueled program.
Soffer quickly became a fan-favorite in the series, with audiences loving the noble and confident detective who wasn't afraid to question the actions and motives of Voight while standing up for what he believed in. Halstead underwent a great deal of emotional and professional duress throughout his time with Intelligence, and he eventually became Voight's right-hand man and a hardened leader.
A Shocking Departure
Chicago PD Jay Halstead
NBC
Fans were left devastated when it was revealed that Soffer would depart the series in its tenth season, deciding to bid goodbye to a character he portrayed for nearly a decade. Passionate viewers wondered what would happen to his on-screen partner and wife Hailey Upton (Tracy Spiridakos) and his close friends and fellow Intelligence members like Kevin Atwater (LaRoyce Hawkins) and Adam Ruzek (Patrick John Flueger) with his sudden exit. In February 2023, Soffer revealed that he made the decision to leave the drama following the conclusion of the ninth season, explaining, "I’ve thought so hard about how to answer this question — and there’s no good answer."
Soffer opened up to Variety and provided more insight into his decision, ultimately sharing that the reason for his exit was straightforward in nature: he simply believed it was time to move on.
"Eventually, you know the character so well, there’s not much that can shift or transform...I really wanted to grow and expand, and we’ve only got this one trip. If I signed up again, it would have been for another three years. I would have turned 40 on the show. I thought, ‘You know what? It’s time to take a risk."
In Chicago P.D., Halstead is sent to Bolivia after he resigns from the force and returns to the Army to aid them in taking down the drug cartel. Fans were left disheartened by the character's departure and felt it wasn't true to the Halstead they know and love, but despite being protective over his on-screen counterpart, Soffer acknowledged that the show must continue on without him.
"I don’t think I really have the right to feel any way about that. The writers have to do what they have to do to service the story and the characters that are still there...He’s deeply flawed, because everybody on Chicago P.D. is. But he’s definitely a good person, with really good motives.”
Soffer's Surprise Return
Chicago PD
NBC
While fans were hoping that Soffer would return once again as the honest detective, they were nonetheless pleased when he came back to his Chicago family to direct the sixteenth episode of the tenth season, "Deadlocked." The episode marked Soffer's first foray into the directing world and heavily featured Voight doing what he does best and embracing his own unique methods to getting justice and catching the culprit.
After filming wrapped, Soffer revealed that his former co-star Jason Beghe complimented his skills behind the camera, having told the actor, "Bro, as far as maiden voyages go, this is effing spectacular.”
Though there are no current plans for Soffer to come back as Halstead as of now, he has yet to rule out a return, telling NBC Insider "the door is never closed" and to "never say never." Soffer then elaborated that he feels for fans of the show and wants them to keep hope.
"I like to think—and I hope the fans think this too—that he’s just in another country right now, doing what he does best and making the world a safer place. In a family, sometimes somebody moves away or goes to college somewhere else. I still love it. I still love the fans. And I still love Halstead."
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