‘Chicago P.D.’ Boss Teases What She Thinks Happened to Hailey Upton After Season 11 Finale Departure

Chicago P.D.’s Hailey Upton has officially left the Windy City, but her future is still very much up in the air. Showrunner Gwen Sigan, however, has her own ideas of what happens next for the fan-favorite character.

Warning: Spoilers below for Chicago P.D. season 11, episode 13.

“I wanted this idea that the world is hers now, and that she’s finally in a headspace where she can see that there’s a lot out there and there’s a lot you can choose,” Sigan told TVLine of Upton’s (Tracy Spiridakos) departure at the end of the Wednesday, May 22, finale.  “Leaving it that open-ended gave that feeling of possibility.”

During the finale, Upton found boss Sergeant Hank Voight (Jason Beghe) alive after he was kidnapped by a serial killer. Once Voight was safely back with Intelligence, Upton confessed she needed a change.

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Upton pondered taking a job with the FBI (where Sophia Bush’s Erin Lindsay transferred during the season 4 finale) as well as FEMA and the DEA. During the final moments of the episode, Upton drove away in a taxi headed for Chicago O’Hare International Airport. Her destination was unknown.

According to Sigan, she wanted Upton’s story arch to end with a feeling of “hope and possibility.”

The showrunner noted that she hoped fans would be able to paint their own picture of Upton’s future because “she could go so many places.” For Sigan, the open-endedness allowed the option for Upton to return to the One Chicago family someday.

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“I love the idea that a lot of these characters are still out there and could come back to the show,” she explained. “They’re all in the world and, so, maybe someday.”

Spiridakos, 36, was also vague when asked what Upton’s next steps should be.

“You know what, I haven’t filled in the blank for her as to what that ending is or what the answer is to where she’s going on her way to the airport,” she told Variety on Wednesday. “What I really loved about this ending is that we finally get to see her be happy. We get to see her find herself and do something that’s for her.”

Spiridakos, who joined the cast in 2017 during season 4, added: “It’s something completely different than we’ve seen as far as departures go for characters and for her, she’s been through a lot. I love that it’s in a place where she just gets to discover herself and see what else is out there for her.”

When it comes to why she decided to exit the series, Spiridakos told Variety in a separate interview on Tuesday, May 21, that she knew once season 10 wrapped it was time.

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“It was a hard decision — very, very hard. I love everybody on the show — cast, crew, producers, writers, everybody,” she recalled. “It’s such an incredible team. I was just curious what was out there for me and wanted to switch it up, and that was it.”

News broke in October 2023 that Spiridakos was leaving Chicago P.D. after the then-upcoming season 11. Her finale episode marked seven seasons on the show for the actress.

Her exit also came one season after Jesse Lee Soffer, who played Hailey Upton’s husband, Jay Halstead, exited the franchise. Soffer, 40, was part of the original P.D. cast and his departure ultimately resulted in Upton and Halstead getting divorced.

Chicago P.D. returns for season 12 on NBC in fall 2024.