Chicago P.D. veteran Patrick Flueger is taking a leave of absence from the show to deal with a personal matter, per multiple reports.
According to Deadline, which first reported the news on Tuesday, October 21, Flueger, who plays police officer Adam Ruzek, is set to return later in season 13. His temporary exit was unexpected and scripts are being rewritten to accommodate his absence, the outlet said.
Us Weekly has reached out to NBC and Wolf Entertainment, which produces the series, for comment.
Flueger has been one of four mainstay characters on Chicago P.D. since it premiered in 2014 and has appeared in all 12 seasons of the show so far. Season 13 premiered on NBC earlier this month.
The Chicago P.D. season 12 finale saw Flueger’s character, Ruzek, tie the knot with longtime love Kim Burgess, a Chicago P.D. detective played by Marina Squerciati, in a ceremony attended by their friends and colleagues. The couple have a daughter, Makayla, whom they adopted during season 8.
Earlier this month, actor Jason Beghe, who plays Sergeant Hank Voight, weighed in on Voight’s reaction to Ruzek and Burgess’ marriage in an exclusive interview with Us.
“[Voight] accepts it and supports it, and [he does] love them both, but it is a potential problem,” Beghe, 65, said, though he said Voight has mixed feelings about the couple continuing to work together following their nuptials.
As their superior, Beghe said his character will have to navigate tough decisions when it comes to case assignments for the couple.
“It can lead to bad decisions and mistakes, but it is what it is,” Beghe teased. “So [he’ll] support them and fight for them — give his last drop of blood to protect them. They’re a family now – that includes [their daughter] Makayla. She’s [Voight’s] family.”
In May, Chicago P.D. showrunner Gwen Sigan teased what’s to come for Ruzek and Burgess this season, noting that viewers will see a more “wholesome” side to their relationship now that they are married.
“Now that they have some sort of stability at home, what does it look like on the job?” Sigan said. “What can we push them into and sort of, find stories there.”
Sigan said she’s “excited” for the couple’s story lines this season, adding that there’s “a lot to play” with for the two characters.
Flueger’s absence follows the exit of Toya Turner, who played Officer Kiana Cook in season 12, after just one season.
Turner announced her departure in a June Instagram post, writing, “My time on Chicago P.D. has come to a close. This show challenged me, sharpened me, and revealed what I’m made of. I’ve evolved through this experience, both as an artist and in my craft, and I’m walking away with depth, clarity, and momentum for whatever comes next.”
“To the cast and crew: thank you for the warmth, the laughter, and the generosity you brought every day,” she added. “It was an honor to share the screen and the set with such talent. To the ChiHards: thank you for welcoming me, rooting for me, and showing Kiana love.”
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