Tracy Spiridakos Bid Farewell to Her Character Hailey Upton Following the Conclusion of 'Chicago PD' Season 11

Tracy Spiridakos Lori Allen/NBC

Tracy Spiridakos, the actress who portrays Hailey Upton, is set to bid farewell to the Intelligence Unit in Chicago P.D. after the conclusion of season 11. Multiple outlets have confirmed this news on Tuesday, October 24, with Variety being the first to report.

Spiridakos, who is 35 years old, has not made any public statements regarding her departure. She joined the show during its fourth season in 2017, playing the character Hailey.

In April of this year, Chicago P.D. was renewed for an 11th season. However, production was delayed because of the strikes led by WGA and SAG-AFTRA. While the writers have been able to resume work recently, the actors' strike is still ongoing.

Spiridakos' exit from the series follows her onscreen spouse, Jesse Lee Soffer, bidding farewell to the show after portraying Detective Jay Halstead for 10 seasons.

Jay left Hailey behind as he embarked on a mission in Bolivia, serving the U.S. Army.

39-year-old Soffer revealed that he departed the show without a clear explanation, stating "there's no good answer." In an interview with Variety in February, the actor expressed his desire for new opportunities, saying "I was ready for more."

Nevertheless, the actor has since made his return to the Chicago P.D. set. He took on the role of director for the 16th episode of season 10 called "Deadlocked."

Jesse Lee Soffer and Tracy Spiridakos Lori Allen/NBC

"This episode was a perfect fit for me to direct," he expressed to Deadline. "I thoroughly enjoyed directing this particular episode as it had a nostalgic feel, reminiscent of the old-school P.D. days with Voight (played by Jason Beghe) going rogue, intense vigilante action, and the blurred lines of legality. This has been a consistent theme in our storytelling, especially the contrasting dynamics between Halstead and Voight, a subject I am intimately familiar with. It was a truly enjoyable experience to collaborate with Jason on a story of this nature."

LaRoyce Hawkins, a former cast member who had worked alongside Soffer, wasted no time in commending his directorial debut.

"That was incredible! Jesse is truly a gifted individual. Moreover, he has been honing his skills for a considerable amount of time," the actor, known for his role as Kevin Atwater on Chicago P.D., exclusively shared with us in June. "His keen sense of aesthetics extends beyond just capturing moments in pictures and frames."

Despite Jay's temporary absence from the scene, there is a possibility that he may have an opportunity to appear onscreen now that his wife is preparing to depart from Intelligence.

Soffer previously stated to Variety that he has not completely shut the door on playing Jay.

He further stated, "It is not wise to say no definitively. My belief, which I hope fans share, is that Jay is currently in another country, effectively carrying out his duties and ensuring global safety."