The star, who played Halstead for nearly 10 years before his exit in 2023, will make his mark on the new season in a unique way.
The third time’s the charm for Jesse Lee Soffer.
In a September 20 Instagram post, the former Chicago P.D. star gave fans an exciting update: He’ll be directing an upcoming Season 13 episode! The Instagram carousel was filled with behind-the-scenes shots of Soffer back on set with his One Chicago family behind the camera.
“I was honored to get to spend some time directing with my PD fam. More pics to come later don’t wanna give away too much of the episode! Very grateful ❤️,” he wrote in a caption. The last photo in the carousel says it all: Soffer looks so happy to be back on set.
Fans will eagerly be awaiting the Soffer-directed Season 13 episode — and why wouldn’t they?
Jesse Lee Soffer’s Chicago P.D. episodes
This season’s episode will mark Soffer’s third time directing. He previously directed “Deadlocked” (Season 10, Episode 16) and “Inventory” (Season 11, Episode 12).
The talented actor/director has gotten rave reviews from his Chicago P.D. co-stars over the years, with LaRoyce Hawkins gushing to ET in November 2022 ahead of Soffer’s directorial debut in “Deadlocked.”
“To have him on the sidelines coaching me up, that’s a dynamic we’ve always had,” Hawkins explained. “He gave me something in this episode that I think I’m going to keep with me for the rest of my career, and that’s how you know you’re a good director. There was a moment in the episode where it almost seems like, yeah, we’re about to do this scene, but to be honest, this may be a scene that might be cut. Then he told me something interesting. He was like, ‘It might get cut, but make them need it.’… Now that’s my approach for scenes that seem frivolous.”
In words with NBC Insider, Soffer revealed the quick turnaround process for preparing to direct an episode.
“I didn’t get the script until a day or two before we started prepping the episode,” he explained. “It’s a crap shoot. You never know what script you’re gonna get or what it’s gonna be about until you do.”
Why Jesse Lee Soffer left Chicago P.D.
Soffer’s character, Jay Halstead, left the Intelligence Unit in Season 10, Episode 3 (“A Good Man”), marking the end of his nine-year One Chicago run. But why did the star decide to call it quits in the first place? During a February 2023 conversation with Variety, the actor shed some light on the decision.
“I’ve thought so hard about how to answer this question — and there’s no good answer,” he confessed. “Except I was ready for more.”
If “more” meant spending more time diving into his passion for directing, he must be very happy with his decision. His fictional counterpart, Halstead, resigned from the Intelligence Unit after accepting a job offer with the army to track down drug cartels overseas.
“We all really wanted to do justice for Halstead’s character as best we could — to who he’s been for the show — we really wanted to make that decision to leave his own decision. For it to come from him,” showrunner Gwen Sigan told NBC Insider. “It felt important to keep him alive and keep him out in the world trying to do good. The idea of him getting back to who he was gave us that opportunity. The army’s always been integral to who he is. I think that time with the rangers shaped him, his morals, his compass, and it was fitting that he’d want to get back to that; to some sort of simplicity and an idea of ‘right and wrong.'”
When Chicago P.D. is coming back for Season 13
One Chicago will be return very soon. Season 13 of Chicago P.D. premieres Wednesday, October 1, at 10/9c on NBC.
Just like last season, Chicago P.D. will wrap up the evening’s slate of One Chicago programming. See the official NBC Wednesday night schedule below:
8/7c: Chicago Med
9/8c: Chicago Fire
10/9c: Chicago P.D.
As always, new episodes will be available to stream on Peacock the day after they air.
