The Chicago Fire Exit That Made Marina Squerciati Break Down In Tears

Marina Squerciati has been playing Officer Kim Burgess on “Chicago P.D.” since it began, which means she’s been working on the NBC series for a decade. That also means Squerciati has been around to see plenty of actors leave the “One Chicago” franchise, including former “Chicago P.D.” stars like Sophia Bush, Jon Seda, Brian Geraghty, and Lisseth Chavez. Her experience saying goodbye to some of her fellow “One Chicago” castmates over the years didn’t stop Squerciati from feeling the full weight of one forthcoming departure, though.

In an interview with Deadline, the actor revealed that she had an overwhelming emotional reaction to learning that her “Chicago P.D.” co-star, Tracy Spiridakos, was planning on exiting the long-running NBC show. “She knows I’m very mad at her. She told me and I cried,” Squerciati confessed. ‘I was telling her, “Tell them you take it back!’” Unfortunately, her pleas don’t seem to have convinced Spiridakos to keep playing Detective Hailey Upton past “Chicago P.D.” Season 11.

While Squerciati already has plans to spend as much time with Spiridakos as possible before she makes her “One Chicago” departure, the actor admitted that she’s dreading the moment when she’ll actually have to say farewell to her longtime friend and co-star. “[Tracy’s] an amazing woman and I’m gonna get really sad,” Squerciati said. “She will kill it on whatever her next venture is. She is an amazing actress, amazing woman, and amazing friend.”

Marina Squerciati isn’t leaving Chicago P.D. anytime soon

Tracy Spiridakos hasn’t publicly commented yet on her “Chicago P.D.” exit. As shocking as the news of her departure may have been to “One Chicago” fans, though, it’s worth noting that her character’s “Chicago P.D.” husband, Detective Jay Halstead (Jesse Lee Soffer), left the series early in its 10th season. Taking that into account, it’s easy to imagine the exit of her husband motivating a character like Hailey to shake up her life a little.
Thankfully, even though it won’t be long before Spiridakos has made her final screen appearance as her “Chicago P.D.” character, it doesn’t sound like fans need to worry about Marina Squerciati following in her footsteps anytime in the near future. Indeed, when she was asked whether she intends to use Kim Burgess’ latest engagement to Officer Adam Ruzek (Patrick John Flueger) as a path to leaving the “One Chicago” franchise, Squerciati told Deadline, “I am not leaving the show, no. We have some changes coming up but I’m still here.”