Why is Tracy Spiridakos leaving Chicago PD, Hailey Upton?
Last night, the rather shocking news was first revealed that Tracy Spiridakos is leaving Chicago PD and her role of Hailey Upton after the season. Now, let’s get into the big question on the minds of many: Why?
Well, this is a harder story to figure out now than usual due to the ongoing SAG-AFTRA strike. This does make it harder for actors to comment on departures and the like, so it can be hard to say if this was a personal decision on the part of Tracy or one dictated by production. There is a good chance that it could be mutual. If the creative team actually knew about the possibility of this a long time ago, it would explain further why saw Jay Halstead’s story end the way that it did. It could, at least in theory, leave the door open for the two to find their way back to each other, at least in time. It is not something that will clearly happen immediately, but at some point down the road? Let’s not rule anything out.
Let’s just say this: Dick Wolf shows are pretty notorious for having cast turnover over time, and for a multitude of reasons. These are hard jobs, especially when you consider the long hours and, in some case, being away from friends and families. Working on this franchise is probably a little bit easier for some of the cast members who are from Chicago, but Tracy is not one of them.
Also, we should note that these shows tend to be incredibly cost-conscious, which is why we do see a lot of cast member either cut or replaced. There are very few people within the Wolf Entertainment universe who are completely untouchable, and we would argue that Mariska Hargitay as Olivia Benson may be the only one.
Hopefully, we will see Chicago PD earlier this season and with that, more of Upton’s story.
Related – Be sure to get some more news when it comes to Tracy’s departure
Are you still shocked that Tracy Spiridakos is going to be leaving Chicago PD?
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