By: Mariah Thomas
Photo By Lori Allen/NBC
Q) As you enter Season 14 of “Chicago P.D.,” what has it been like for you to grow alongside Officer Adam Ruzek?
A) It’s funny you ask that. I’ve been thinking a lot about that recently. It’s very weird…It might sound annoyingly “actor-y,” but it’s hard to know where he ends and I begin. I mean, look…I didn’t start out playing a dude that was wildly different from myself, but that was fourteen years ago. I don’t really remember my day to day reality before the show. So, it’s hard to know if my current state of mind and opinion has been formed by my lived experiences, or by the pretend experiences I’ve played through as the character. It may sound silly, but if I’m doing my job the way I want those pretend experiences and feelings live in my body on some level. And I, of course, try and move on once the scene is done. It’s pretend after all. But never putting the character to bed? Never stepping away and kind of living alongside him off and on for fourteen years? It’s a weird exercise. Maybe even an unhealthy one. [laughs] I mean, we only see the most intense parts of Adam’s life. Sometimes I wonder who I’d be without him. But I’ll tell ya…when this is all said and done, I’ll definitely mourn him like I would an old friend, which is again is very weird. [laughs]
Q) What transformation in Ruzek can viewers expect this season as he deals with the loss of his father saying goodbye to his house and the departure of Atwater?
A) That’s ultimately a question for the writers. But I imagine much like Paddy and LaRoyce [Hawkins], Adam and Kevin are gonna always be in each other’s lives. They’re close. But if the bull pen feels anything like set does, there’s a big empty space left by a big, beautiful man.
Q) How did you think Adam coped in the immediate aftermath of Bob’s death?
A) I imagine it was a confusing time. Made both easier, with the process of saying goodbye starting with the discovery of Bob’s disease and mirroring its progression. But at the same time harder due to the guilty relief that I imagine he felt after Bob’s final passing – relief for his loved one’s escape from their suffering and relief for the escape from his own. It’s hard enough being a caretaker but also being a son watching his dad disappear before his eyes – that’s a burden no one should bear
Q) Ruzek and Atwater have been a fan favorite duo on this show. This is of course a devastating loss for fans. Do you have a favorite memory from filming with LaRoyce Hawkins?
A) I mean, there’s too many to pick one. What you need to know about Ro is it’s very difficult to have a bad day when he’s around. He is without a doubt one of the most positive and fun people I’ve ever had the pleasure to know. And he shares that with everyone around him, hence that big empty space I was talking about.
Q) After an intense episode, the end of episode 3 sets up what seems to be a big plot this season with the death of LaSean (Stephen Hill). What can viewers expect as this plays out?
A) That’s a question for the writers or Jason [Beghe] and Marina [Squercioti]. They always have their fingers on the pulse of what’s coming down the pike.
I have enough trouble keeping up with what’s coming up tomorrow.
Q) This last case specifically was heavy for multiple reasons. How do you think Ruzek being a father changes his approach to cases like this?
A) I’m sure it hits differently. But when a child is involved, I think he is just more invested by default. I think it’s an instinct that runs through the whole unit. Regardless of their being a parent or not.
Q) Over the seasons Kim and Adam have had a tumultuous relationship to get to where they are today. What has your experience been working alongside Marina to bring that dynamic to screen?
A) I couldn’t ask for a better partner in crime. We’re so different [laughs] but we balance each other out both onscreen and off. And it doesn’t hurt that we trust each other implicitly. If I ever give a good performance on this show, that performance doesn’t belong to me alone. That’s due to efforts from a whole team of people. Marina included. I’d describe her as one of my most important advisors.
Q) We’ve seen the tough yet beautiful story unfold of how Makayla found her way in Kim and Adam’s lives. Whether it be more centered stories with Makayla or potentially expanding their family in the future, What would you like to see on the family front for the Ruzek family?
A) I’m actually loving that the “problems” on the homefront have become more every day, and comparatively mundane – two working parents with demanding jobs. The seemingly mundane can become complicated really quick. Childcare ain’t easy to come by, especially at the drop of a hat. I think that kind of complication is one the audience can easily connect to and makes the characters accessible.
Q) Throughout the entirety of this series, you have had so many incredible and heartbreaking moments. As an actor reflecting back, is there a Ruzek arc you feel most proud of the work you put into it?
A) The Alzheimer’s storyline. Hands down. My own father is one of my heroes, so the Bob storyline has always hit close to home. But that one, in particular, I thought was handled really well. I’ve received some really lovely notes from fans who had their own personal experiences with dementia, thanking production for the care that was taken with that story. I was sad to see Jack Coleman go. I so enjoyed working with him. But talk about a swan song. He performed it beautifully. I was proud to be a part of it.
Q) I know you can’t tease much about what’s to come but is there a specific episode or scene you are most looking forward to fans seeing this season?
A) I know the crossovers are always a fan favorite and we’re gearing up to film that next.
Q) “Chicago P.D.” can be such an intense show on our favorite characters when it comes to the work they do and their personal lives. There are also moments of joy. Is there a specific scene or plot you’d like to see explored for Ruzek in the future?
A) Something that takes him to another country. I love Chicago, but to work abroad for a little while…I mean, that’s the dream. right?
Q) “Chicago P.D.” has, of course, had crossovers with “Chicago Med” and “Chicago Fire.” What would be your dream show to crossover with?
A) Any show? I think right now I’d have to go with “Slow Horses” or anything that allows me to ride a horse and wield a sword. Sign me up!!
Q) What would you like to say to fans and supporters of you and your work?
A) The fans are the most important part of the equation. Without them, we got nothing. The fact that they continue to invite us into their homes on a weekly basis, especially these days with all of the options out there, is something that will never be lost on me. To say that I’m grateful is a fairly massive understatement.