Chicago PD Star Jesse Lee Soffer's First On-Screen Kiss Was With Brittany Snow
"Chicago P.D." star Jesse Lee Soffer played Detective Jay Halstead on the long-running NBC Dick Wolf drama for ten seasons. Earlier this season, Soffer exited the show, with his character leaving both the 21st District of the Chicago Police Department and his wife (via NBC).
The younger brother of Dr. Will Halstead (Nick Gehlfuss) on "Chicago Med," Detective Halstead struggled to deal with his trauma for the duration of the show. As a former Army Ranger who spent time in Afghanistan, his work on the force has often made him confront his post-traumatic stress disorder. Initially, he dated his partner Erin Lindsay (Sophia Bush) before eventually marrying fellow detective Hailey Upton (Tracy Spiradakos).
Several events led to Soffer giving fans the news they've been dreading, aka Halstead's departure from the unit, but in the end, he was simply tired of navigating the morally gray areas that come with police work. He returned to the Army, where he was always more comfortable.
With time off from "Chicago P.D.," Soffer will likely turn his attention to other acting opportunities. Before his tenure in the "One Chicago" franchise, Soffer had acted since he was a child. Having started professionally so early in life, Soffer likely has some interesting stories about growing up on the acting scene.
According to Soffer, Brittany Snow was his first on-screen kiss
Before breaking out on primetime TV, Jesse Lee Soffer starred in several soap operas, including "Guiding Light" and "As the World Turns." Meanwhile, fellow actor Brittany Snow also got her start on "Guiding Light" around the same time.
In an NBC interview inquiring about several of Soffer's notable "firsts," he recalled Snow as his first on-screen kiss when they starred together on the soap opera. "My first on-screen kiss, I think, was on a soap opera when I was 14. It must have been 'Guiding Light,' and it was with Brittany Snow," Soffer recalled. "I think I was her first on-screen kiss, but I could be wrong about that," he elaborated.
Soffer originated the role of Max Nickerson on "Guiding Light" before the character went on to be played by Paul Wesley of "The Vampire Diaries" fame. Meanwhile, Snow stepped in to play the role of Susan Lemay, a character first played by Brittany Slattery.
As for Soffer in his post-"One Chicago" career, he has yet to book his next big acting gig, but his fans do have one thing to look forward to — he'll soon be directing an episode of "Chicago P.D." (via Entertainment Weekly).