Why Did 'Chicago P.D.' Star Brian Geraghty Leave the Show?
Actor Brian Geraghty shocked fans when he exited Chicago P.D. in 2016.
He left his role as Sean Roman to pursue other acting opportunities.
Now, he is returning to the Chicago franchise for a crossover episode.
Longtime Chicago P.D. fans remember the heartbreaking moment Officer Sean Roman announced his retirement from the police force during season 3. After a gunshot wound left him critically injured and unable to work, Roman decided to move to San Diego—leaving behind his partner and love interest, Kim Burgess (Marina Squerciati).
The actor who portrayed the officer, Brian Geraghty, had only been on the show for two seasons when NBC announced that he would not be returning as a series regular. With so much potential for his character, Brian's abrupt exit was devastating to viewers. Here's the truth about why he left Chicago P.D.
Why did Brian leave Chicago P.D.?
While most One Chicago stars sign a seven-year contract, Brian negotiated a year-to-year commitment. The actor was able to pull this off because Dick Wolf—the genius behind the Chicago franchise—specifically wanted him to play Roman's character.
"Brian had a lot of choices, and we courted him and pitched him what the show could be, and we were crossing our fingers that we'd get him," executive producer Matt Olmstead explained to TV Line in 2016. "He is the most level-headed, decent human being you're going to encounter, and he's upfront. He was like, 'I don’t know if I can commit to a seven-year contract. This sounds great, but I’ve got to take it year by year,' which Dick doesn’t do very often. But the deal was made."
Brian confirmed that when he joined the show under his unusual contract, he was "never supposed to be there long-term."
"I like to move around a lot. I’m an actor," he told TV Line. "I like to play all different parts."
So, when Brian gave showrunners a "heads up" halfway through season 3 that he wanted to leave Chicago P.D. to pursue other projects, there were no hard feelings.
"It was the most civil, level-headed, mutual fan-fest agreement and departure that I’ve ever been a part of, because he was just very decent about it," Matt said at the time. "He gave us what we needed—two years of doing a really good job on a character that elevated the show. We shook hands at the beginning, we shook hands at the end, and he's off to do great things."
What has Brian been doing since his exit?
Those "great things" Brian left Chicago P.D. to do include making appearances in a number of new movies and TV shows. In 2018, the actor had a series regular role in TNT's Emmy-winning drama The Alienist. The following year, he portrayed public defender Dan Dowd in Netflix's Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile. Currently, Brian stars on USA's mystery series Briarpatch.
Will Roman ever come back to Chicago?
Yes! The former patrol officer will return to Chicago P.D. for a crossover episode with Chicago Fire on February 26. While Brian has no long-term plans to come back to the show, he has maintained a great relationship with the producers—specifically Dick Wolf—and will always be open to guest appearances.
"Anytime Uncle Dick calls, I drop what I’m doing," Brian explained.
Here's hoping that call comes again soon!
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