Will Hank Voight Leave Chicago PD? Actor Jason Beghe Gives A Candid Response
Imagining "Chicago P.D." without Hank Voight (Jason Beghe) is like imagining a day without sunshine — or a day on the force without some sort of criminal shenanigans afoot. But the procedural has lost many significant characters throughout its run, so fans might be curious if Beghe would ever leave the show he's led for over 11 seasons.
"I'll always be a part of 'Chicago P.D.' That, I know. I certainly have the interest. And I think that NBC has the interest in both the show and Voight. So, I'm not done, I have more to do, and I'm anxious to do it," Beghe told The Hollywood Reporter in March. The actor added that he has no idea when the ride might end for either Voight or the series itself, but he's content to keep on working with the network and on the series for as long as both will have him. But he realistically believes that all good things must come to an end. "I suppose it'll end at some point. But right now, I feel like I have stories to tell and a job to do," he concluded.
While Beghe seems to have accepted that the show's days may be numbered, Hank himself has a lot of unfinished business ahead. The character's unresolved feelings about the death of his son, Justin (Josh Segarra), continue to influence and haunt him as the years pass and cause him to break many of the Chicago police department's golden rules.
Jason Beghe thinks Hank Voight still has a ways to go before he finds peace of mind
Jason Beghe noted to The Hollywood Reporter that Hank Voight has had a lot of emotional issues to work through regarding his son's violent passing. His tendency to mentor young people who remind him of his late son seems to serve as an obvious expiation of the guilt he bears in Justin's tragic death. His son's passing has definitely fueled some of the worst things Hank has done on the show, but his gruffness is just one more thing that fans love about "Chicago P.D."
Does Beghe think his character deserves redemption? "He feels that it was his fault. He feels that he should have and could have prevented it. But, as far as redemption, I think that what he tries to do is his best. And that's all he can do," he said. But he also admitted that Hank's story is one of growing vulnerability and humanity, a big change from earlier seasons, where the character is rooted in the here and now of surviving. "There's a lot of power to be able to be that present. You know, you miss a lot of life; a lot of the joy and a lot of the sadness. And so, what's happening now is that he's starting to think about things for the first time," he said. Beghe also explained that while this forces Hank to process many emotions that are foreign to him, he will likely come out stronger on the other end.
"Chicago P.D." fans will have to wait to see if Beghe is right and if Hank reaches acceptance — or is ultimately undone by his flaws.