Sophia Bush is well-known for her role as Brooke Davis in “One Tree Hill.” Best friend to Peyton (Hilarie Burton), Brooke realizes that she has a love for fashion, influencing her career choice. She’s also one of Lucas’s (Chad Michael Murray) love interests initially, though the two ultimately don’t work out. The teen drama ended in 2012, but there’s a reboot in the works, and Bush is set to reprise her role in it.
“One Tree Hill” isn’t the only popular project on her resume. The actress was part of “Chicago P.D.,” one of the shows in the “Chicago” universe, following detectives of the Chicago Police Department. Though it’s still on today, boasting more than 10 seasons, Bush exited at the end of the fourth season in 2017. The announcement came as a shock to fans, who took to Reddit to share their dismay, with one Redditor even commenting that “Sophia was the reason I tuned in.”
Bush has since opened up about why she left the series, and it’s not a decision she made lightly, especially because she was signed for seven seasons. This is what you need to know about her departure from “Chicago P.D.” and what happened to her character, Erin Lindsay.
What happened to Erin Lindsay on Chicago P.D.?
Sophia Bush’s character Erin Lindsay was part of the original group on the series. As a member of the Chicago Police Department Intelligence Unit, Lindsay investigated organized crime. She was involved in drug busts, bombing situations, and even helped a teen sex worker named Nadia. Throughout the first two seasons, Lindsay is helping Nadia, trying to help her stay clean from drug use. The detective was raised by a mother who used illegal substances, so it’s something that’s important to her. As a whole, she’s the character focused on social justice, something that resonated with Bush.
By the end of the second season, Lindsay resigns from the force, having fallen into old patterns regarding alcohol and drug use herself. Her mother continues to be a negative influence in her life, but Sergeant Hank Voight (Jason Beghe), who helped her as a teen, gives her mandatory conditions to return to the force. Season 3 revolves around her trying to gain back his trust, getting back to work, and keeping away from her mother, who has been trying to exploit the situation. After she ends up in front of Internal Affairs in Season 4, Voight arranges for her to be courted by the FBI, and she takes a job with their narcotics division, setting her up for a new chapter after significant personal and professional turmoil.
If you or anyone you know needs help with addiction issues, help is available. Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website or contact SAMHSA’s National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).
Sophia Bush left Chicago P.D. due to on-set culture
When Sophia Bush left “Chicago P.D.” at the end of Season 4, several other heavy hitters on the series were parting ways as well. Jon Seda, who plays Senior Detective Antonio Dawson, moved over to another “Chicago” universe project before coming back, and showrunner Matt Olmstead and two executive producers left for different creative opportunities. Ultimately, it marked a new direction for “Chicago P.D.”
More than a year after her departure, the actress spoke out about her decision to leave the “Chicago P.D.,” citing difficult set conditions while speaking on “Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard.” In that interview, she said “I quit because, what I’ve learned is I’ve been so programmed to be a good girl and to be a work horse and be a tug boat that I have always prioritized tugging the ship for the crew, for the show, for the group, ahead of my own health.”
In the interview, she discussed filming in freezing conditions while crew and cast members were ill, something she didn’t enjoy not only because the cold was physically strenuous on her body, but because it made making facial expressions difficult in scenes. She voiced her concerns about the freezing temps but said she was repeatedly shot down by higher ups. In the meantime, she was worried about the crew’s jobs should she leave the show. Eventually she realized she was carrying a burden that wasn’t hers to shoulder.
There were also behavior concerns on set
Sophia Bush also cited concerns about the behavior of one of her co-stars, which Bush describes as abusive on “Armchair Expert.” Jason Beghe, who plays Sergeant Hank Voight on “Chicago P.D.,” was investigated by production for his actions during production. Variety reported in 2017 that a formal report was filed with NBC after several complaints from people referenced “anger issues, volatile behavior, and offensive comments” from Beghe on set. As part of the investigation, NBC gave the actor “written reprimands” and had him go through anger management coaching.
When the news about the investigation came to light, Bush says she was told to choose whether to speak up about “Chicago P.D” or “One Tree Hill,” her team telling her she couldn’t do both. “My rep said to me, ‘You’re going to have to pick. You can either tell the story about your first boss or you can tell the story about your coworker, but you can’t tell both because then it looks like it’s your fault,'” she said on the “Drama Queens” podcast in 2023 as reported by EW. “That was professional advice.”
Sophia Bush has had a successful career after Chicago P.D.
After “Chicago P.D.,” Sophia Bush had episodic roles in popular shows like “Jane the Virgin” and “This Is Us.” She was part of the cast of the teen drama “Love, Victor” as Veronica, the new girlfriend of Mia’s father, mostly appearing in the first two seasons. Medical drama fans may also know her as Dr. Cass Beckman in “Grey’s Anatomy.” Dr. Beckman first appeared in Season 21 as a trauma surgeon working at a different hospital in Seattle. She and Dr. Teddy Altman (Kim Raver) are romantically involved, first when Teddy and Owen try an open marriage, and then again during their separation.
In film, Bush starred alongside Bruce Willis in 2018’s “Acts of Violence,” a thriller following two brothers trying to track down their future sister-in-law after she’s abducted during her bachelorette party. She continued her time with thrillers in 2024 with “Junction,” a movie looking at the opioid epidemic from different perspectives. Bush channeled a creepy best friend vibe with the psychological horror “False Positive,” and had a voice role as Voyd, a new superhero, in “Incredibles 2.” The actress’s career has continued to flourish after “Chicago P.D.,” with plenty of ways for fans to continue to see Bush on their screens.