In an exclusive interview with NBC Insider, Hawkins opens up about Awater’s big news: He’s going to be a dad!
Everything changed for the Intelligence Unit fan favorite after Atwater crossed paths with an old friend from the police academy, Officer Tasha Fox (Karen Obilom). After teaming up on a case in Season 13’s “Miami,” their chemistry stole the show, with the pair ultimately enjoying a steamy night together before Tasha moved to Florida. During eleventh-hour talks of her relocation, Tasha inspired Atwater to consider what he wants for his future, encouraging him to visit her in Florida anytime. After dropping the ball on keeping in touch, Atwater finally bit the bullet and reached out to Tasha to connect, and was delightfully surprised when she visited Chicago from Miami.
But Tasha didn’t just want to see Atwater again — she had big news: she was pregnant. While nervously explaining her plans to raise the child with or without Atwater’s help, he broke out into a huge grin, clearly euphoric over the update. Atwater’s been craving connection and change, and Hawkins tells NBC Insider that it’s been a long time coming.
“I’m excited about it because I’m very, very fond of Tasha Fox,” Hawkins tells us, opening up about the thrills of becoming a father on Chicago P.D. and what that might mean for Atwater’s future in the Intelligence Unit.
While Atwater looked like he was on cloud nine after Tasha dropped the big news, Chihards have yet to see the couple connect since the jaw-dropping moment. Hawkins tells NBC Insider that he’s happy Atwater is connecting with an old friend, someone he can already trust has his back.
“I like how they kind of brought a true companion from my past. We met each other in the academy, never crossed lines,” Hawkins explains. “It was very cordial, and then you never know when a moment can teach you so much about a person, and I think we shared that. We shared an experience that really made us look at each other differently, and had some passionate fun that we didn’t expect to translate into a family.”
Tasha accepted a job with the Miami police not too long ago, and with Atwater still in Chicago, there’s some logistics to figure out. So, what can fans expect from Atwater and Fox? Hawkins teases that in Season 13, Episode 18 (“The Wicked River”), Atwater and Fox will “unpack the relationship” as they start navigating the hard questions about how they’ll raise their little one.
“Is she gonna go back to Miami and have a baby? Is she gonna have a baby in Chicago? And are we gonna try to start a family?” Hawkins wonders, all answers Chihards are bound to get by the end of this season.
Hawkins also says that he’s loved Atwater’s budding relationship with Fox because it lets him thrive as an actor. Atwater has been historically unlucky in love, and now, Chihards will hopefully get to see him enjoy his own happily-ever-after.
“I love it for Atwater, because it gives me the opportunity to explore the well-roundedness of what a leading man can feel like,” Hawkins says. “You’ve got to throw a little love, a little romance in there, and I don’t get that that often. So to see Atwater navigate that, I think it’s gonna be a lot of fun.”
Stay caught up with Atwater by watching Season 13 of Chicago P.D. on Wednesdays at 10/9c on NBC and the next day on Peacock.