‘Chicago P.D.’: Sophia Bush Went on a Raid With the Chicago Police While Taking Down a Heroin Dealer
It’s been several seasons since Sophia Bush played Detective Erin Lindsay on Chicago P.D., but her legacy is still present. Not only was she part of the cast that successfully launched the second installment of the One Chicago universe after P.D. spawned from Chicago Fire, but she left an indelible impression on fans.
Chicago P.D. is now in its 10th season. Bush left after Season 4, which means she’s been gone for more than half the series. However, while on the show, she made every effort to portray the realities of being a police officer in Chicago. According to the actor, this included donning bulletproof vests during ride-alongs that led to real-life arrests.
Sophia Bush points out the criminal contrasts of living in Chicago
As with many stars on the One Chicago shows, Bush was based in Chicago while a cast member on Chicago P.D. Detective Lindsay was an early Fire-P.D.crossover character who had a brief romance with Fire’s Kelly Severide (Taylor Kinney).
Residing in the city allowed her to learn more about what it was like to live there and all the nuances of it. It also gave her the experience of training “on the ground” in the city the show is set in.
“It’s a fascinating city, and it’s so beautiful, and it’s eclectic and energetic, and there’s so much art and so much music, and the food and the people … It’s so amazing, and on the flip side, on the sort of the dark side, it’s the most violent city in America. We had 82 shootings Fourth of July weekend,” Bush said in a 2015 interview for Sirius Radio. “People are struggling.”
At the series’ start, Bush said police officers working in the Windy City took members of the show into every Chicago neighborhood to show them what it’s like to work there. Officers explained how they were combating drug trafficking, lowering gang violence, and trying to make a difference. “It’s been a real, honest education,” Bush said.
Bush wore bulletproof vests when she went on ride-alongs with police
Bush rode along with officers during their typical shifts, which included arresting very real drug dealers. “I was on a raid, vested up, six weeks ago taking down a heroin dealer,” Bush said in the 2015 interview. “And like running through alleys with the cops being like, ‘Oh s–t, I hope I don’t get shot. Oh God, here we go.’”
The radio hosts asked Bush if her parents took issue with her taking the opportunity to ride along on actual patrols. “My mom and I have a rule; it started the first time I went skydiving, and now it extends to police raids, where she’s like, ‘Just don’t tell me ‘til it’s over,’” Bush explained.
Though the ventures with police weren’t a requirement for her role, Bush said she tried to go whenever she could. She said it gave her glimpses into the realities of living in Chicago and helped her portray her character more authentically:
“You see both sides. I am so enamored with and in awe of the police that I work with, and my heart breaks for these kids who feel like they don’t have any other option than to sell drugs that are killing other kids.
Nobody has it easy there. So the more time I can spend with people on both sides of the line, the better I think I can do my job.”
Sophia Bush has had several projects since leaving ‘Chicago P.D.’
After four seasons, Bush ultimately left Chicago P.D. due to what she called a “barrage of abusive behavior.” She was written out of the show when Detective Lindsay took a position with the FBI in New York. It technically leaves the door open for Bush to reprise her role as Lindsay. But given the effort she put into getting out of a seven-season contract, a return doesn’t seem likely.
One of the significant complaints Bush had was about filming during Chicago winters. So it’s not entirely surprising that the actor sold her West Loop penthouse and returned to LA, where she grew up. She now lives in a four-bedroom home in sunny LA, according to the Chicago Tribune.
Since leaving P.D., Bush has made appearances in popular shows like This Is Us, Jane the Virgin, and Drunk History, and movies like False Positive and Deborah.
Bush was also the lead actor in Good Sam, a 2022 CBS medical drama canceled after 13 episodes. In addition, she started her podcast, Work in Progress. The One Tree Hill star has two projects in post-production now, according to IMDb: films called Junction and Freedom Hair.
