If there’s one thing Dick Wolf isn’t afraid of, it’s killing off a beloved character. A fact that fans of the One Chicago universe know all too well.
The franchise kicked off in 2012 with Chicago Fire. Chicago P.D. was added in 2014 and Chicago Med debuted in 2015. The cast of each show has changed drastically through the years, including the death of Leslie Shay (Lauren German) on Chicago Fire in 2014.
Shay’s former paramedic partner, Gabby Dawson (Monica Raymund), decided to willingly walk away from the show in 2018. When Raymund exited — and Gabby took a job in Puerto Rico — creator Derek Haas said he was hopeful she’d return.
“It’s not the end as far as I’m concerned. It may not happen right away, but there is more of that story to be told,” he tweeted after her announcement. “I hope we keep going for seasons to come and get a chance to tell it. I won’t stop hoping if you won’t.”
Scroll down for more of One Chicago’s most shocking departures:
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Eamonn Walker
Deadline reported in May 2024 that Walker would be walking away from his role as series regular Wallace Boden during the season 12 finale of Chicago Fire that month. Walker has played the fire chief since the show’s 2012 inception and is reportedly set to return as a recurring character in the future.
During the season 12 finale, Boden threw his hat into the ring for deputy commissioner, which meant he’d have to leave Firehouse 51. After Stella (Miranda Rae Mayo) puts in a good word for Boden in Oakland, he gets the job. The episode ends with tearful goodbyes at the firehouse as Boden packs up his office.
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Tracy Spiridakos
News broke in October 2023 that Spiridakos would be exiting Chicago P.D. after season 11 following a seven-season run. Spiridakos began playing Detective Hailey Upton during season 4 in 2017.
During season 10 of P.D., Upton’s husband, Jay Halstead (Soffer), left Chicago for a different adventure. By the start of season 11, the pair had divorced. Upton’s story, however, ended on a high note when she and the rest of the Intelligence Unit saved boss Hank Voight (Jason Beghe) from a serial killer.
During her finale May 2024 episode, Upton revealed she wanted a new challenge. After looking at jobs with the DEA, FBI and FEMA, she jumped in a taxi and headed to the airport, destination unknown.
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Kara Killmer
Us confirmed in November 2023 that season 12 of Chicago Fire would be Killmer’s last. She began playing paramedic Sylvie Brett in season 3.
While fans were sad to say goodbye to Brett, her character’s exit was filled with a happy moment: her and Matt Casey (Jesse Spencer) wedding. During a February 2024 episode, Brett and Casey tied the knot at a fish store and prepared to move to Oregon to raise Casey’s adopted sons (from his late friend) and Brett’s adopted baby girl, Julia.
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Nick Gehlfuss
The actor surprised fans in May 2023 when his Chicago Med character, Dr. Will Halstead, left the hospital and flew to Seattle during the season 8 finale. The character’s exit marked his final episode on the series after starring on the medical drama for all eight seasons.
“It was a difficult decision, but ultimately, I felt I’d taken Dr. Halstead as far as I can go with him. I think that comes down to a creative part of you, or the energy or spirit you have that you’re either built for a very long time with one person or not,” Gehlfuss told Variety at the time. “I am attracted to the profession for the variety in it, and eight years is a long time. It’s two college degrees! I’m joking now that I basically have a doctorate in television.”
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Asjha Cooper
“Thank you for all of the love for Dr. Vanessa Taylor,” Cooper wrote via her Instagram Story in November 2022, after her character announced plans to leave Chicago Med for an opportunity to travel to the Philippines and help others. “Gonna miss my OneChicago fam.”
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Jesse Lee Soffer
Soffer announced his departure from Chicago P.D. in August 2022. “This is sad but true,” he tweeted at the time, confirming season 10 would be his last. “Just want all the fans to know how grateful I am. You guys are why we do it! It has been an honor. Love you all.”
Soffer was an original cast member of the procedural, playing Detective Jay Halstead since the show’s 2014 premiere. His character say goodbye by revealing he was going an assignment overseas. During his absence, Jay’s marriage to Haley Upton crumbled and they divorced during season 11.
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Tuesday
Firehouse 51’s Dalmatian passed away in real life in May 2022, making Chicago Fire’s season 10 finale her final episode. The dog joined the cast in season 7 in 2018 as firefighter Darren Ritter’s (Daniel Kyri) beloved pooch. After coming to the firehouse because she had separation anxiety, Tuesday soon became the honorary dog for the station. “Heartbroken to learn my little buddy is gone,” Kyri wrote via his Instagram Story after learning the news. “I’ll miss her. Love you Tues!”
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Kristen Hager
Some fans were surprised when the actress disappeared from Chicago Med in March 2022 after 14 episodes on the series. Hager joined the cast during the season 7 premiere as Dr. Stevie Hammer, who had a back-and-forth flirtation with Dr. Will Halstead (Nick Gehlfuss). TVLine reported in April 2022 that Hager’s story line had come to an end, but executive producers Andrew Schneider and Diane Frolov teased that she could eventually come back.
“Her story arc with her mother ended. But we all really liked Kristen and would welcome her character coming back in the future,” the duo said in a statement at the time.
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Jesse Spencer
The actor left Chicago Fire following the 200th episode in 2021 after 10 seasons, explaining to press at the time that he wanted a break after doing 18 years straight of TV.
Spencer’s Casey left to move to Oregon and take care of his late firefighter friend’s two sons. He returned in season 11 to propose to Sylvie Brett and the couple tied the knot during season 12.
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Yaya DaCosta
After appearing in the show for six seasons, DaCosta didn’t return to Chicago Med for season 7.
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Torrey DeVitto
In May 2021, DeVitto announced she will be leaving Chicago Med at the end of season 6. Her character left the Windy City with her son, Owen. During the season 8 finale, her character returned to meet Will at the Seattle airport, hinting at their happily ever after.
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Adriyan Rae
Rae’s Chicago Fire character, Gianna Mackey, accepted a new job during season 9 after only appearing on 10 episodes. “Adriyan let us know she had some private reasons to leave Chicago,” showrunner Haas said following the exit. “To hear that as a showrunner, you absolutely respect what an actor needs. All I can say is we love her and I know she’s going to be great on some other series.”
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Yuriy Sardarov
In the season 8 Chicago Fire premiere, Sardarov’s character, Brian “Otis” Zvonecek, was killed off in a basement fire. Co-creator Derek Haas confirmed to Us at the time that it was his decision to write off Otis, and that Sardarov was extremely gracious when he was told the news. Otis’ final words were in Russian to his best friend, Cruz: “Brother, I will be with you, always.”
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Colin Donnell
Days after season 4 of Chicago Med wrapped in April 2019, news broke that Donnell was exiting the series, much to everyone’s surprise. Donnell played Dr. Connor Rhodes since the series’ 2015 premiere. Following the news, he shared a photo of the cast on Instagram, thanking them, as well as the crew and the fans. “These people have made my heart full for the last four seasons. I love and appreciate every gift they’ve given to me,” he wrote. “Thank you to all the fans who’ve made Connor what he is on #ChicagoMed. The show doesn’t exist without you and I know that there are exciting things in store for you all in the seasons to come!”
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Jon Seda
Seda, who portrayed Detective Antonio Dawson, was part of Chicago P.D. when it premiered in 2012. He briefly left the series in 2017 to join the Chicago Justice spinoff, but when Justice was canceled after one season, P.D. brought Seda back. After wrapping season 6, NBC revealed he would not be returning in April 2019. “It’s been an honor portraying Det. Antonio Dawson in the #OneChicago world,” Seda posted to Twitter after the news. “To my cast #Family, I’ll always treasure the time and stories we shared. To all you #chihards out there, THANK YOU for being the best of fans! We’ll Always have CHICAGO.”
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Norma Kuhling
After two years playing Dr. Ava Bekker on Chicago Med, Kuhling’s exit was announced in April 2019, days after season 4 wrapped. “Really going to miss this family, but feeling nothing but gratitude,” she shared on Instagram at the time. “A huge thank you to @nbc and @dickwolf for bringing me on board, to the best cast and crew imaginable, and finally to the fans for making these shows what they are.”
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Monica Raymund
After season 6 of Chicago Fire wrapped, Raymund announced that Gabriela Dawson would not be returning and that she had decided to leave the show to focus more on directing. She was part of the series since its 2012 debut. Dawson made a surprise appearance in the season 7 premiere and Haas revealed to Us that the actress is welcome to come back at any time.
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Mekia Cox
Cox joined season 2 of Chicago Med as Dr. Charles’ daughter, Robin. After one season, Cox exited the series — her character left town — due to being promoted to a regular on ABC’s Once Upon a Time. However, Cox returned at the second half of season 4.
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Treat Williams
While he was never a series regular, Williams recurred throughout the first seven seasons of Chicago Fire, playing Severide’s dad, Benny. In a shocking twist, he died midway through the season of a heart attack.
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Elias Koteas
At the end of season 5 of Chicago P.D., Koteas’ Alvin Olinsky was stabbed in prison and later died in the hospital, leaving the cast, crew and fans of the series heartbroken. “It just evolved from a storytelling perspective,” showrunner Rick Eid told Us at the time of the decision.
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Sophia Bush
Bush had one of the most shocking exits in the Chicago P.D. franchise, suddenly leaving the show at the end of season 4 after leading the series as Detective Erin Lindsay. While Bush has never fully revealed why she left, ending her contract early, she’s hinted at it in many interviews, saying that she “didn’t feel respected” in the environment.
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Charlie Barnett
Barnett portrayed Peter Mills on Chicago Fire until his surprise exit at the end of season 3. EP Matt Olmstead explained at the time that they wrote him off the show — Mills moved away — strictly to create room to bring in new characters.
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Lauren German
In 2014, Chicago Fire fans were shocked when German, who portrayed Leslie Shay, was killed in a fire during the season 3 premiere. Her death shook up the entire firehouse – as well as the rest of the Chicago universe — and left viewers absolutely devastated.
