Tracy Spiridakos, Toya Turner. Art Streiber/NBC ; Gabe Ginsberg/Getty Images
Chicago P.D.’s Intelligence Unit has found its replacement with Toya Turner after Tracy Spiridakos’ exit as Hailey Upton, Us Weekly can confirm.
Turner, 34, will portray police officer Kiana Cook, who “loves the adrenaline of the job and its stakes and doesn’t blink in the face of chaos,” according to TVLine, who was first to report the news. Turner’s character was originally named Yara Page but has since been changed.
The actress is new to Chicago P.D. but she has appeared within the One Chicago universe. Turner played Peaches the Prostitute on a 2014 episode of Chicago Fire before portraying Jayna Miles on a 2016 episode of Chicago Med. The role of Kiana marks her first recurring part within the franchise.
Chicago Fire’s Daniel Kyri, who plays firefighter Darren Ritter, celebrated the casting news via his Instagram Story on Thursday. “LFG @iamtoyat!!! Welcome back babyyy and congrats to youuu!!” he shared.
Fall TV is looking a little different with shows like Found, Chicago Fire and FBI: International going through casting shakeups. The One Chicago franchise has been making headlines as several cast members across all three shows announced exits. Dick Wolf‘s Chicago universe started out with Chicago Fire, which premiered in 2012 and follows the emergency […]
Turner reposted the message, replying, “Ayeee!!! Tyyy love. So happy to be home!”
LaRoyce Hawkins, who portrays Detective Kevin Atwater on Chicago P.D., was equally as excited about the news. “Welcome home. Let’s cook,” he wrote via his Instagram Story, to which Turner responded, “Ayee LFG!!!”
The addition of Turner for season 12 comes after Spiridakos, 36, left the series earlier this year. News broke in October 2023 that the actress was leaving — and her character Hailey’s final episode aired as the season finale in May.
During the season 11 finale, Hailey pondered the idea of taking a job with the FBI, FEMA and the DEA, but didn’t reveal her final choice. Instead, she was seen driving away in a taxi and headed for the airport and out of the Windy City.
“I haven’t filled in the blank for her as to what that ending is or what the answer is to where she’s going on her way to the airport,” Spiridakos, who joined the cast in 2017, told Variety in May of Hailey’s future. “What I really loved about this ending is that we finally get to see her be happy. We get to see her find herself and do something that’s for her.”
She added, “It’s something completely different than we’ve seen as far as departures go for characters and for her, she’s been through a lot. I love that it’s in a place where she just gets to discover herself and see what else is out there for her.”
Hailey’s future isn’t the only unknown for the Chicago P.D. family. Many fans have speculated that Turner’s arrival as Kiana could mean that Atwater could finally be getting a love interest.
Hawkins, 36, exclusively told Us in June 2023 that he was “definitely hoping” that romance is in the cards for Atwater soon.
Dick Wolf’s characters on Chicago Fire, Chicago P.D. and Chicago Med are intertwined on a variety of levels, including siblings, marriages and failed romances. Fans got a taste for the crossover connections within the One Chicago universe early on with Chicago Fire’s Gabby Dawson (Monica Raymund) and Chicago P.D.’s Antonio Dawson (Jon Seda). The fictional […]
“I think that’s what makes well-rounded characters. To be able to feel that romance piece. That heartbreak or that redemption. I think there’s a lot in that. And that’s fun to explore,” he explained. “So I look forward to doing some of that too. I can’t say that I will. [I] can’t say that I won’t, but I’m ready either way.”
Meanwhile, fellow Intelligence Unit members Adam Ruzek (Patrick Flueger) and Kim Burgess (Marina Squerciati) are engaged and could walk down the aisle this season.
“There’s definitely a possibility of, ‘Are we going to do the wedding next year? Are we going to do the planning? What are we going to see?’” showrunner Gwen Sigan told TVLine in May, teasing, “I’m very excited to get into it.”
Chicago P.D. returns for season 12 on NBC Wednesday, September 25, at 10 p.m. ET.
