Even Chicago PD's Director Was Hurt By Those Heavy Upton Scenes

Things haven't exactly been going well for Tracy Spiridakos' Detective Hailey Upton on "Chicago PD" recently. The early installments of Season 10 marked the end of longtime cast member Jesse Lee Soffer's time on the show, and that has also meant the departure of his character Jay Halstead, who just so happens to be married to Upton. While Halstead wasn't killed off, he has gone on assignment overseas, and distance definitely hasn't been kind to his union with Upton. Beyond that, the detective has also recently been facing a string of traumatic cases, including one in which she witnessed a teenager commit suicide right in front of her. 

Things finally came to a head with Upton's woes in Season 10, Episode 12, titled "I Can Let You Go." In particular, the detective has some major revelations with regard to both her personal and professional life right before the episode concludes, and it results in some pretty gut-wrenching material. As it turns out, even the director of the episode herself was deeply impacted by the tragedy of Upton's scenes.

The end of "Chicago PD" Season 10, Episode 12 contains two particularly heavy scenes for Tracy Spiridakos' Detective Upton. Not only does she learn that Halstead requested an extension for his overseas trip without her knowledge, but she then she finds out that heinous criminal Sean O'Neal (Jefferson White) is interested in becoming her informant. Suffice to say, that's a lot of difficult stuff to handle in such a short span.

Surprisingly, even episode director Gia-Rayne Harris was taken aback by how rough things got for Upton. "I was very hurt; I have to be honest," Harris told TV Insider. "In the outline and the reading of it, I was like, are we kidding? I was deeply disappointed. So I had to get over my own fandom and my own disappointment in men for a second, and I had to refocus as a director."

Of course, while things may be shockingly difficult for Upton, it's all for the sake of good character arcs and engaging fictional drama. After all, Spiridakos has made it clear that she doesn't personally shoulder the burdens of her character when the cameras aren't rolling, and, in fact, she has next to nothing in common with Upton. "I'm super bubbly and very smiley and happy all the time," Spiridakos told Michigan Avenue. "When I'm playing her, as soon as they yell 'cut,' I'm smiling all over the place, and everyone always makes fun of me."