Upstead forever! Tracy Spiridakos took to Instagram on August 30 to send a heartfelt message to her Chicago P.D. co-star Jesse Lee Soffer along with a photo of them on set together. One day earlier, Jesse confirmed that he would be leaving the hit NBC series in the upcoming tenth season.
“I guess the word is out…Jesse, what can I say, you’re the absolute best,” Tracy’s message began. “Thank you for your kindness, your guidance and your friendship. You’re the greatest onscreen husband a girl could ask for. I’ll miss being on set with you every day. I can’t wait to see what the world has in store for you next. #upsteadforever”
Jesse has played Det. Jay Halstead since the show’s premiere in 2014. Tracy joined the show in season 4 as Det. Hailey Upton. Upton was Erin Lindsay’s replacement after Lindsay left for New York.
Tracy became a series regular in season 5. Halstead and Upton became partners and eventually lovers. The characters recently got married in season 9.
Details surrounding how Halstead will be written off the show remain top secret. The show returns for season 10 on September 21. Jesse will exit the series sometime in fall 2022.
“I want to thank the incredible fans for their unwavering support during the past 10 years and want to express my deepest gratitude to Dick Wolf and everyone at Wolf Entertainment, Peter Jankowski, Matt Olmstead, Derek Haas, Michael Brandt, Rick Eid, Gwen Sigan, NBC, Universal Television, my fellow castmates and our incredible crew,” Jesse said in a statement to Variety. “To create this hour drama week after week has been a labor of love by everyone who touches the show. I will always be proud of my time as Det. Jay Halstead.”
Despite Jesse’s exit, Tracy will remain a series regular. Returning cast members also include Jason Beghe, Marina Squerciati, Patrick Flueger, LaRoyce Hawkins, and Amy Morton. Benjamin Levy Aguilar is a new series regular in season 10. He plays rookie officer Dante Torres who Halstead took under his wing in season 9.