Several disturbing factors led to the 2017 exit of Sophia Bush from NBC's Chicago P.D.
Bush previously played Detective Erin Lindsay in the hit One Chicago drama series by Dick Wolf. The actress served as one of the mainstays of the police procedural, but her character departed the Chicago Intelligence Unit after being written out in the Season 4 finale.
Before Bush's exit, another fan-favorite Chicago P.D. character, Alvin Olinsky, left the series in Season 3.
What Happened to Sophia Bush's Erin Lindsay in Chicago PD?
In Chicago P.D.'s Season 4 finale (which fans can stream on Peacock), Detective Erin Lindsay was stripped of her badge due to a misconduct investigation after placing her gun in the mouth of a pedophile while inside the interrogation room.
Meanwhile, Lindsay's mom, Bunny, was in deep trouble after being held in custody for killing her boyfriend, Johnny.
It is later revealed that the FBI has been eyeing to recruit Lindsay for a while because they saw her as a worthy recruit to work undercover for the New York counter-terrorism unit.
Given that Bunny was in their custody, Lindsay accepted the offer but would only do so once her mom was released.
Sergeant Voight eventually learned that Bunny did kill Johnny, but he decided to toss the incriminating evidence that tied her to the crime. However, he warned Bunny that he would come after her if she decided to put her daughter in harm's way.
Voight advised Lindsay not to look back and accept the FBI gig. She left Intelligence without saying a proper goodbye to the team, and she even ignored a phone call from her ex-boyfriend, Jay Halstead, who was planning to propose to her before her exit.
Here's why Jay Halstead left the show after 10 seasons with Chicago P.D.
Sophia Bush's Chicago PD Departure Explained
Sophia Bush left Chicago P.D. due to behind-the-scenes controversies, such as abusive behavior on set.
Speaking as a guest in Dax Shepard's podcast, Armchair Expert, in December 2018, the actress shared that she stuck around for as long as she did because she has "always prioritized tugging the ship for the crew, for the show, [and] for the group," noting that she was concerned that they would lose their jobs if she were to walk away:
"It has to stop, everything stops. I quit because, what I’ve learned is I’ve been so programmed to be a good girl and to be a workhorse and to be a tugboat that I have always prioritized tugging the ship for the crew, for the show, for the group, ahead of my own health."
She then admitted that her "body was falling apart, because [she] was really, really unhappy."
One factor that contributed to her departure was the Chicago cold. Bush noted that the freezing temperature was too much for her to handle:
"It’s literally 30 degrees below zero. So it’s 62 degrees below freezing, and you’re gonna say we have to keep working outside?"
Still, she believed in the "culture" of the series and remained tight-lipped:
"But the culture protected it and the culture said, ‘This is just what it is, and get the job done, and do the job and do the things,' And by the way, when your bosses tell you that if you raise a ruckus you’ll cost everyone their job, you believe them."
Another reason why Bush decided to depart the One Chicago series was due to experiencing a "consistent onslaught barrage of abusive behavior" on set:
"And one was a consistent onslaught barrage of abusive behavior. And you know you start to lose your way when someone assaults you in a room full of people and everyone literally looks away, looks at the floor, looks at the ceiling, and you’re the one woman in the room, and every man who is twice your size doesn’t do something, you go, ‘Oh, that wasn’t worth defending? I’m not worth defending?'"
While she didn't name her abuser on set, Bush is seemingly referring to her co-star, Jason Beghe, who was put on the hot seat sometime after her exit.
Five months after Bush's departure from Chicago P.D., other employees stepped up and filed complaints to NBC's Human Resources department about Jason Beghe's inappropriate behavior on set, which was caused by his anger issues.
NBCUniversal and Wolf Productions opened an investigation on the matter and promptly released a statement via The Wrap in November 2017, reassuring fans and everyone involved that they have "already taken action" and they "continue to monitor [the situation] very closely:"
"When it was brought to our attention that there were concerns about inappropriate behavior on set, we promptly began an investigation in partnership with Human Resources and all parties involved. As a result of the investigation, we have already taken action, and it is a situation we continue to monitor very closely to ensure all of our employees feel safe and supported."
Despite an exit scare in Chicago P.D. Season 11, Jason Beghe is still one of the main stars of the NBC series.
Beghe apologized for his behavior, admitting his anger issues and revealing that he has been working with a coach to help him mitigate his temper.
As for Bush, she wanted to end her One Chicago chapter, ultimately cementing her departure by saying, "I left because I wanted to. End of story."
Chicago P.D. is in its 12th season, and the next episode will premiere on Wednesday, January 8 at 10 p.m. ET.
In addition to Beghe, the full cast of Chicago P.D. Season 12 includes LaRoyce Hawkins and Marina Squerciati.
