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For die-hard Chicago P.D. fans, it’s hard to imagine their favorite actors outside of the series. Chicago P.D. has been on for nine seasons, and many of the cast members have been on the show since season 1. However, most of the actors took on other roles before the series began. A Chicago P.D. actor actually auditioned to play Captain America, though he didn’t get the part.

Jesse Lee Soffer as Jay Halstead, Tracy Spiridakos as Hailey, Jason Beghe as Hank Voight, LaRoyce Hawkins as Kevin Atwater, Patrick John Flueger as Adam Ruzek, and Marina Squerciati as Kim Burgess in Chicago P.D.'
Jesse Lee Soffer as Jay Halstead, Tracy Spiridakos as Hailey, Jason Beghe as Hank Voight, LaRoyce Hawkins as Kevin Atwater, Patrick John Flueger as Adam Ruzek, and Marina Squerciati as Kim Burgess in ‘Chicago P.D.’ | Lori Allen/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images

Patrick Flueger plays Adam Ruzek in ‘Chicago P.D.’

Patrick Flueger plays Adam Ruzek, a young police officer introduced in Chicago P.D. Season 1. Ruzek is chosen straight out of the Academy to become a member of Hank Voight’s Intelligence Unit. He often rushes headfirst into situations without thinking. He has also been engaged three times — once when he was 18, another time to a woman named Wendy, and later to Officer Kim Burgess.

Ruzek has a complicated relationship with Burgess. The two are good friends and have had an on-again-off-again relationship since season 1. Burgess broke off their brief engagement. She later became pregnant with Ruzek’s child, but suffered a miscarriage. Now, Ruzek is helping Burgess raise her adoptive daughter Mikayla. Their relationship is strong, even if they aren’t putting a label on it.

Patrick Flueger auditioned to play Captain America

Flueger is well-known for his long-term role on Chicago P.D., but there’s a chance that this might not have happened. In 2011, Flueger screen-tested for the role of Captain America in the film Captain America: The First Avenger, TV Over Mind reports. However, the role was eventually given to Chris Evans.

It might be for the best that Flueger missed out on this opportunity. Evans has returned to the role of Captain America in The Winter Soldier, Civil War, and all four Avenger movies. It’s possible that if Flueger had been busy with all that, he might not have taken on the role of Ruzek when Chicago P.D. came around in 2014. It’s hard to imagine anyone else playing that character.

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Where else you’ve seen ‘Chicago P.D.’ star Patrick Flueger

Flueger was acting long before he got his start on Chicago P.D., and even before he auditioned to play Captain America. The 37-year-old actor got his big break when he was cast in the Disney movie The Princess Diaries, TV Over Mind reports. It’s hard to recognize Flueger in his role as Jeremiah, a magic-doing friend to Mia Thermopolis with fiery red hair.

Several years later, Flueger starred as Shawn Farrell in the sci-fi TV series The 4400. Flueger also had roles in feature films such as Lawless Range and Footloose (2011) before joining the One Chicago universe. He has played Ruzek on Chicago P.D. since the beginning and also made appearances on both Chicago Med and Chicago Fire.

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